6 worked Named Corporation Registration 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 named corporation registration work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Planning that cut the bill
$40,000 Saved By Correcting What Prior Filings Had Missed — Newly Formed Corporation, Surrey
Client: A corporation choosing its first fiscal year-end · Where: Surrey, British Columbia · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Saving identified$40,000
RecurringYes
Positions documentedAll
The situation — A corporation choosing its first fiscal year-end, Surrey, British Columbia
A corporation choosing its first fiscal year-end in Surrey, British Columbia asked for a second opinion on named corporation registration after three years of rising tax. The review found a register of individuals with significant control that had never been opened, let alone updated.
What we did for A corporation choosing its first fiscal year-end, Surrey, British Columbia
We built the comparison first — current structure against two alternatives — and then filed the change of registered office and the director changes, so registry correspondence reached someone who read it.
The result — A corporation choosing its first fiscal year-end, Surrey, British Columbia
First-year saving of $40,000, with the same benefit recurring. Every position taken is documented and supported in the file.
Client: A trades business incorporating provincially · Where: Brampton, Ontario · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Annual saving$21,000
ReorganisationTax-neutral
StructureMatches operations
The situation — A trades business incorporating provincially, Brampton, Ontario
A trades business incorporating provincially in Brampton, Ontario was carrying a corporation dissolved administratively for missed annual returns while still operating, and every option for fixing it ran through a reorganisation that had to be done without triggering tax.
What we did for A trades business incorporating provincially, Brampton, Ontario
Working with the client's lawyer, we reconstructed the minute book with resolutions for each historical dividend and share transaction and prepared the elections, resolutions and valuations the structure needed to stand up.
The result — A trades business incorporating provincially, Brampton, Ontario
The structure now matches the business. Annual saving of $21,000, and the reorganisation itself was tax-neutral.
Case Study 3 · Scaling without breaking
Growth Handled Without A Missed Filing, $155,000 Freed — New Program Registrant, Windsor
Client: A corporation registering its CRA program accounts · Where: Windsor, Ontario · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Cash freed$155,000
Compliance failuresNone
ReportingMonthly
The situation — A corporation registering its CRA program accounts, Windsor, Ontario
A corporation registering its CRA program accounts in Windsor, Ontario was opening in a second province — different filing obligations, a different payroll regime, and dividends paid for three years with no directors’ resolutions behind them already in the file.
What we did for A corporation registering its CRA program accounts, Windsor, Ontario
We separated the corporate registry deadlines from the CRA deadlines on one calendar, with a named person responsible for each and put monthly reporting in place so the owner could see the cash effect of growth while there was still time to act on it.
The result — A corporation registering its CRA program accounts, Windsor, Ontario
Growth was absorbed without a compliance failure. $155,000 of cash was released, and the monthly reporting now flags a problem while it is still small.
Case Study 4 · Objection and relief
$127,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Federally Incorporating Seller, Lethbridge
Client: An e-commerce seller incorporating federally · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$127,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation — An e-commerce seller incorporating federally, Lethbridge, Alberta
An assessment of $127,000 landed at an e-commerce seller incorporating federally in Lethbridge, Alberta following a desk review. The auditor had not seen the records behind GST/HST collected for eight months before the RT account was ever opened.
What we did for An e-commerce seller incorporating federally, Lethbridge, Alberta
We restructured the share capital so dividends could be directed deliberately, respecting the TOSI rules, then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result — An e-commerce seller incorporating federally, Lethbridge, Alberta
$127,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Case Study 5 · CRA review defended
$81,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Federal Registry Filer, Edmonton
Client: A federal corporation filing its registry annual return · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Adjustment withdrawn$81,000
File closed in4 weeks
Penalties assessedNone
The situation — A federal corporation filing its registry annual return, Edmonton, Alberta
A federal corporation filing its registry annual return in Edmonton, Alberta received a proposal letter opening a review of named corporation registration. The CRA had identified a registered office address left unchanged through two moves, so registry notices went to an empty unit and proposed an adjustment of $81,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did for A federal corporation filing its registry annual return, Edmonton, Alberta
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We revived the corporation, filed the outstanding annual returns, and set a compliance calendar covering both the corporate registry and the CRA, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result — A federal corporation filing its registry annual return, Edmonton, Alberta
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $81,000 of it. The file closed in 4 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Case Study 6 · Deadline rescue
$145,000 Late-Filing Penalty Cancelled On Relief Application — New Professional Corporation, Halifax
Client: A professional forming a professional corporation · Where: Halifax, Nova Scotia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty cancelled$145,000
Relief applicationGranted
ReturnAccepted as filed
The situation — A professional forming a professional corporation, Halifax, Nova Scotia
A professional forming a professional corporation in Halifax, Nova Scotia had already missed one deadline and was about to miss a second. Behind it sat a December 31 year-end chosen by default that put the balance due at the worst point in the cash cycle, and a penalty of $145,000 was accruing.
What we did for A professional forming a professional corporation, Halifax, Nova Scotia
We split the work into what had to happen before the deadline and what could follow it, then tested each intended dividend recipient against the excluded-amount tests before any dividend was declared, and recorded which test was being relied on.
The result — A professional forming a professional corporation, Halifax, Nova Scotia
The outstanding return was accepted as filed, and the taxpayer relief application cancelled $145,000 of the penalty already assessed on the earlier year.
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.
