6 worked Online Accounting Services 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 online accounting services work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Structure rebuilt
Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $55,000 Of Annual Savings — Commercial Cleaning Contractor, Edmonton
Client: A commercial cleaning contractor · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Saving per year$55,000
DocumentationComplete
Transfer basisRollover
The situation — A commercial cleaning contractor, Edmonton, Alberta
The structure at a commercial cleaning contractor in Edmonton, Alberta dated from years earlier. It had been set up for a business that no longer existed. Two sets of numbers — one in the accounting file, one the owner actually ran the business on had become expensive.
What we did for A commercial cleaning contractor, Edmonton, Alberta
We set a monthly close calendar with a fixed cut-off, so the year-end became a review of work already done rather than a twelve-month rebuild. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.
The result — A commercial cleaning contractor, Edmonton, Alberta
$55,000 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, $57,000 Of Cash Released — Related-Company Pair, Windsor
Client: A corporation sharing administration with a related company · Where: Windsor, Ontario · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Cash released$57,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone
The situation — A corporation sharing administration with a related company, Windsor, Ontario
Revenue at a corporation sharing administration with a related company in Windsor, Ontario was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat a bank that refused to renew an operating line without compliant statements.
What we did for A corporation sharing administration with a related company, Windsor, Ontario
We built a fixed-asset continuity schedule from the purchase invoices. We set the capital cost allowance claim class by class rather than claiming the maximum by default. Every new obligation was set up before it was triggered, not after. That covered registration, remittance frequency and provincial filing.
The result — A corporation sharing administration with a related company, Windsor, Ontario
$57,000 of cash was released from the working capital cycle. The expansion completed with every registration and filing obligation covered from day one.
Case Study 3 · Objection and relief
$83,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Quarterly-Close Practice, Surrey
Client: A professional practice that closes its books quarterly · Where: Surrey, British Columbia · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$83,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation — A professional practice that closes its books quarterly, Surrey, British Columbia
An assessment of $83,000 landed at a professional practice that closes its books quarterly in Surrey, British Columbia following a desk review. It turned on year-end statements that arrived four months late and never tied to the bank. The auditor had not seen the records behind it.
What we did for A professional practice that closes its books quarterly, Surrey, British Columbia
We reconciled the general ledger to the GIFI schedules filed for each open year and corrected the two years where they disagreed. We then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result — A professional practice that closes its books quarterly, Surrey, British Columbia
$83,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
The situation — A 14-person design agency, Guelph, Ontario
A 14-person design agency in Guelph, Ontario was selected for review. A year-end moved informally, leaving twelve months of trading reported as though nothing had changed had shown up in the CRA's automated matching. The proposed adjustment on online accounting services came to $79,000.
What we did for A 14-person design agency, Guelph, Ontario
We rebuilt the trial balance from source documents, reconciled every bank and credit-card account, and issued a CSRS 4200 compilation with a proper basis-of-accounting note. Every figure in the response traced to a source record the auditor could verify without asking a second question.
The result — A 14-person design agency, Guelph, Ontario
The review closed with no change. $79,000 of proposed tax came off the table, and the documentation now in place makes the next review a short one.
Client: A two-partner engineering firm · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty cancelled$32,000
Relief applicationGranted
ReturnAccepted as filed
The situation — A two-partner engineering firm, Burnaby, British Columbia
A two-partner engineering firm in Burnaby, British Columbia had already missed one deadline and was about to miss a second. Behind it sat work in progress carried at billing value one year and at cost the next, so neither year was comparable. A penalty of $32,000 was accruing.
What we did for A two-partner engineering firm, Burnaby, British Columbia
We split the work into what had to happen before the deadline and what could follow it. Then we reconciled the inter-company accounts, papered the arrangement with a written agreement, and aligned both corporations’ year-ends.
The result — A two-partner engineering firm, Burnaby, British Columbia
The outstanding return was accepted as filed, and the taxpayer relief application cancelled $32,000 of the penalty already assessed on the earlier year.
Case Study 6 · Missed incentive claimed
$81,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Independent Pharmacy, Vancouver
Client: An independent pharmacy · Where: Vancouver, British Columbia · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Credits claimed$81,000
Years adjusted7
Review outcomeNo adjustment
The situation — An independent pharmacy, Vancouver, British Columbia
An independent pharmacy in Vancouver, British Columbia had been filing for 7 years. In that time, the incentives its activity qualified for were never claimed. Behind that sat inter-company balances between two related corporations that had never been reconciled.
What we did for An independent pharmacy, Vancouver, British Columbia
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice. Then we valued work in progress on one consistent basis and documented the method, so the comparative year could be relied on.
The result — An independent pharmacy, Vancouver, British Columbia
$81,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Reviewed by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant for the 2025 tax year. 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.
