6 worked Financial Planning and Analysis case studies — the position a client typically comes to us with, what we do, and what it is worth. Each is an illustrative example built on the rules that apply to financial planning and analysis work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Structure rebuilt
Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $37,000 Of Annual Savings — Second-Province Distributor, Regina
Client: A distributor entering a second province · Where: Regina, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Saving per year$37,000
DocumentationComplete
Transfer basisRollover
The situation — A distributor entering a second province, Regina, Saskatchewan
The structure at a distributor entering a second province in Regina, Saskatchewan had been set up years earlier for a business that no longer existed, and a growth plan with no forecast behind it and no financing lined up had become expensive.
What we did for A distributor entering a second province, Regina, Saskatchewan
We separated customer prepayments from earned revenue in the reporting, so the cash position and the tax position were visible at the same time. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.
The result — A distributor entering a second province, Regina, Saskatchewan
$37,000 of annual saving, achieved on a tax-deferred basis. The minute book, elections and valuations are all in the file.
Case Study 2 · Scaling without breaking
Second-Province Expansion Handled, $65,000 Of Cash Released — Practice Adding Partners, Moncton
Client: A professional practice adding partners · Where: Moncton, New Brunswick · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Cash released$65,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone
The situation — A professional practice adding partners, Moncton, New Brunswick
Revenue at a professional practice adding partners in Moncton, New Brunswick was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat pricing set by feel, with no visibility into margin by service line.
What we did for A professional practice adding partners, Moncton, New Brunswick
We produced a board-ready monthly package — cash, margin, pipeline and covenant headroom — that replaced a spreadsheet nobody trusted. Every new obligation — registration, remittance frequency, provincial filing — was set up before it was triggered, not after.
The result — A professional practice adding partners, Moncton, New Brunswick
$65,000 of cash was released from the working capital cycle, and the expansion completed with every registration and filing obligation covered from day one.
Case Study 3 · Objection and relief
Desk-Review Assessment Of $132,000 Vacated — Mid-Sized Services Firm, Toronto
Client: A mid-sized professional services firm · Where: Toronto, Ontario · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Assessment vacated$132,000
Supporting recordsNow on file
AccountCleared
The situation — A mid-sized professional services firm, Toronto, Ontario
A mid-sized professional services firm in Toronto, Ontario was carrying $132,000 of penalties and interest arising from a borrowing drawn for an unrelated personal purchase with the interest claimed against the business, much of it accumulated during a period the CRA itself had delayed.
What we did for A mid-sized professional services firm, Toronto, Ontario
We modelled the covenant ratios monthly and restructured the debt before the next test date rather than after it and framed the relief application on the specific grounds the CRA guidelines recognise rather than on general hardship.
The result — A mid-sized professional services firm, Toronto, Ontario
The assessment was vacated. $132,000 came off the account, and the documentation now on file makes the same position straightforward to defend next time.
Case Study 4 · CRA review defended
Audit Defence Closed In 7 Weeks, $101,000 Cleared — Multi-Line Service Business, Ottawa
Client: A business whose margin varies by service line · Where: Ottawa, Ontario · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Proposed tax cleared$101,000
Review duration7 weeks
OutcomeNo change
The situation — A business whose margin varies by service line, Ottawa, Ontario
A business whose margin varies by service line in Ottawa, Ontario was selected for review after an owner making hiring decisions on last quarter’s bank balance showed up in the CRA's automated matching. The proposed adjustment on financial planning and analysis came to $101,000.
What we did for A business whose margin varies by service line, Ottawa, Ontario
We rebuilt the reporting around gross margin by service line, which showed two of five offerings were losing money at the current price. Every figure in the response traced to a source record the auditor could verify without asking a second question.
The result — A business whose margin varies by service line, Ottawa, Ontario
The review closed with no change. $101,000 of proposed tax came off the table, and the documentation now in place makes the next review a short one.
Case Study 5 · Deadline rescue
8-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $120,000 — Pre-Raise Technology Company, Saskatoon
Client: A technology company preparing to raise · Where: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$120,000
Filed with14 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation — A technology company preparing to raise, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
With the deadline for financial planning and analysis weeks away, a technology company preparing to raise in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was carrying revenue up 40% year over year and a bank balance that kept falling. The exposure if the date slipped was around $120,000.
What we did for A technology company preparing to raise, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
We built a rolling thirteen-week cash-flow model, tightened collections, and renegotiated supplier terms so the growth stopped consuming the bank balance. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result — A technology company preparing to raise, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Filed with 14 days to spare. $120,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 6 · Missed incentive claimed
$83,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Subscription Business, Kitchener
Client: A subscription business tracking churn · Where: Kitchener, Ontario · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Credits claimed$83,000
Years adjusted5
Review outcomeNo adjustment
The situation — A subscription business tracking churn, Kitchener, Ontario
A subscription business tracking churn in Kitchener, Ontario had been filing for 5 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat an owner making hiring decisions on last quarter’s bank balance.
What we did for A subscription business tracking churn, Kitchener, Ontario
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then set a quarterly tax provision, so the instalments and the year-end balance were funded before they came due.
The result — A subscription business tracking churn, Kitchener, Ontario
$83,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant. These case studies are illustrative worked examples composed from the CRA rules that apply to this type of work, not specific client files; figures are representative and outcomes depend on your own facts.
