6 Succession Planning tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to succession planning work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Structure rebuilt
Holding Structure Added, $28,500 Saved Annually — Manufacturer Planning a Plant, Victoria
Client: A manufacturer planning a plant expansion · Where: Victoria, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Annual saving$28,500
ReorganisationTax-neutral
StructureMatches operations
The situation
A manufacturer planning a plant expansion in Victoria, British Columbia was carrying a covenant breach discovered only when the bank called, and every option for fixing it ran through a reorganisation that had to be done without triggering tax.
What we did
Working with the client's lawyer, we produced a board-ready monthly package — cash, margin, pipeline and covenant headroom — that replaced a spreadsheet nobody trusted and prepared the elections, resolutions and valuations the structure needed to stand up.
The result
The structure now matches the business. Annual saving of $28,500, and the reorganisation itself was tax-neutral.
Case Study 2 · Records and systems rebuilt
Month-End Close Cut From 11 Weeks To 8 Days — Clinic Group Acquiring a, Mississauga
Client: A clinic group acquiring a competitor · Where: Mississauga, Ontario · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Close time before11 weeks
Close time after8 days
Year-endReview, not rebuild
The situation
The accounting file at a clinic group acquiring a competitor in Mississauga, Ontario was built on pricing set by feel, with no visibility into margin by service line. The year-end had taken 11 weeks each of the last three years.
What we did
We modelled the covenant ratios monthly and restructured the debt before the next test date rather than after it and moved the reconciliations into the monthly cycle, so the year-end stopped being a rebuild.
The result
The file reconciles. Month-end closes in 8 days instead of 11 weeks, and the year-end is a review rather than a reconstruction.
Case Study 3 · Scaling without breaking
Second-Province Expansion Handled, $19,000 Of Cash Released — Professional Practice Adding Partners, Brampton
Client: A professional practice adding partners · Where: Brampton, Ontario · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Cash released$19,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone
The situation
Revenue at a professional practice adding partners in Brampton, Ontario was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat revenue up 40% year over year and a bank balance that kept falling.
What we did
We rebuilt the reporting around gross margin by service line, which showed two of five offerings were losing money at the current price. Every new obligation — registration, remittance frequency, provincial filing — was set up before it was triggered, not after.
The result
$19,000 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 4 · Sale and succession
$210,000 Sheltered By The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption — Family Business Planning Succession, Lethbridge
Client: A family business planning succession · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Gain sheltered$210,000
ClosingOn schedule
Share qualificationMet
The situation
A family business planning succession in Lethbridge, Alberta had an offer on the table and 20 months to close. The shares did not qualify for the capital gains exemption, and a shareholder loan balance that would have been picked up as income on closing was part of the reason.
What we did
We purified the corporation so the shares met the qualifying tests, then built a rolling thirteen-week cash-flow model, tightened collections, and renegotiated supplier terms so the growth stopped consuming the bank balance well ahead of the closing date.
The result
The sale closed on schedule with $210,000 sheltered by the lifetime capital gains exemption across the shareholders.
Case Study 5 · Objection and relief
$63,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Subscription Business Tracking Churn, Halifax
Client: A subscription business tracking churn · Where: Halifax, Nova Scotia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$63,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation
An assessment of $63,000 landed at a subscription business tracking churn in Halifax, Nova Scotia following a desk review. The auditor had not seen the records behind an owner making hiring decisions on last quarter’s bank balance.
What we did
We produced a board-ready monthly package — cash, margin, pipeline and covenant headroom — that replaced a spreadsheet nobody trusted, then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result
$63,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Case Study 6 · Cash and remittance control
$150,000 Of Working Capital Freed From The Tax Cycle — Fast-Growing E-Commerce Brand, Moncton
Client: A fast-growing e-commerce brand · Where: Moncton, New Brunswick · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Working capital freed$150,000
On-time remittancesEvery period since
Forecast horizon13 weeks
The situation
A fast-growing e-commerce brand in Moncton, New Brunswick was profitable on paper and short of cash every month. A covenant breach discovered only when the bank called explained most of the gap.
What we did
We modelled the covenant ratios monthly and restructured the debt before the next test date rather than after it and built a thirteen-week cash view so tax payments stopped competing with payroll for the same dollars.
The result
$150,000 was released back into working capital. Remittances have been on time every period since, and the forecast shows the tax outflow before it lands.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
