6 worked T5013 Partnership Information Return 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 t5013 partnership information return work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $53,000 Across 3 Open Years — Property Joint Venture, Edmonton
Client: A joint-venture property partnership · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$53,000
Open years claimed3
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation — A joint-venture property partnership, Edmonton, Alberta
An incentive review at a joint-venture property partnership in Edmonton, Alberta started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 3 years. It was driven by a proprietor planning around a September year-end that the rules did not permit.
What we did for A joint-venture property partnership, Edmonton, Alberta
We rewrote the partnership allocation to match how the practice actually operated, effective for the following fiscal year. We documented eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result — A joint-venture property partnership, Edmonton, Alberta
The credits produced $53,000 across the open years. The tracking now in place means the following year's claim is documented as the work happens rather than reconstructed afterwards.
Case Study 2 · Sale and succession
$580,000 Sheltered By The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption — Unincorporated Trades Business, Halifax
Client: An unincorporated trades business · Where: Halifax, Nova Scotia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Gain sheltered$580,000
ClosingOn schedule
Share qualificationMet
The situation — An unincorporated trades business, Halifax, Nova Scotia
An unincorporated trades business in Halifax, Nova Scotia had an offer on the table and 13 months to close. The shares did not qualify for the capital gains exemption. A shareholder loan balance that would have been picked up as income on closing was part of the reason.
What we did for An unincorporated trades business, Halifax, Nova Scotia
We purified the corporation so the shares met the qualifying tests. We restructured the draw policy so no partner’s adjusted cost base went negative again, and reported the deemed gain correctly for the year it arose. All of it was done well ahead of the closing date.
The result — An unincorporated trades business, Halifax, Nova Scotia
The sale closed on schedule with $580,000 sheltered by the lifetime capital gains exemption across the shareholders.
Case Study 3 · Backlog brought current
7 Years Filed, $78,000 Removed From The Assessed Balance — Farming Partnership, Regina
The situation — A farming partnership, Regina, Saskatchewan
A farming partnership in Regina, Saskatchewan had not filed for 7 years. The CRA had issued arbitrary assessments. The business was carrying an incorporation completed without the section 85 election, triggering an unnecessary gain. That came on top of a growing interest balance.
What we did for A farming partnership, Regina, Saskatchewan
We started with the oldest year and worked forward so each year's closing balances fed the next. We filed the outstanding T5013 returns with full partner allocations and requested penalty relief on the basis of the first-time nature of the failure. We filed the years in sequence rather than all at once.
The result — A farming partnership, Regina, Saskatchewan
Every year is now filed and assessed on actual figures. The notional assessments were vacated and $78,000 of the estimated balance came off, with a payment arrangement covering the rest.
Case Study 4 · Structure rebuilt
Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $69,000 Of Annual Savings — Three-Partner Medical Clinic, Moncton
Client: A three-partner medical clinic · Where: Moncton, New Brunswick · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Saving per year$69,000
DocumentationComplete
Transfer basisRollover
The situation — A three-partner medical clinic, Moncton, New Brunswick
The structure at a three-partner medical clinic in Moncton, New Brunswick dated from years earlier. It had been set up for a business that no longer existed. Partner draws that had pushed one partner’s adjusted cost base negative had become expensive.
What we did for A three-partner medical clinic, Moncton, New Brunswick
We split the shared overhead on a documented basis, so each partner’s reported share carried only the expenses that belonged to it. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.
The result — A three-partner medical clinic, Moncton, New Brunswick
$69,000 of annual saving, achieved on a tax-deferred basis. The minute book, elections and valuations are all in the file.
Case Study 5 · Objection and relief
Notice Of Objection Allowed In Full, $143,000 Reversed — Sole Proprietor Consultant, Toronto
Client: A sole proprietor consultant · Where: Toronto, Ontario · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Amount reversed$143,000
ObjectionAllowed in full
Account balanceNil
The situation — A sole proprietor consultant, Toronto, Ontario
A sole proprietor consultant in Toronto, Ontario had been reassessed for $143,000. 16 days were left on the objection deadline. The reassessment rested on a proprietor planning around a September year-end that the rules did not permit.
What we did for A sole proprietor consultant, Toronto, Ontario
We filed the objection inside the deadline with a complete submission rather than a placeholder. Alongside it, we drafted the allocation, admission and withdrawal terms into a written agreement before the next partner was admitted.
The result — A sole proprietor consultant, Toronto, Ontario
The appeals officer allowed the objection in full. $143,000 was reversed and the account returned to a nil balance.
Case Study 6 · Deadline rescue
Filed On Time From A Standing Start, $54,000 Penalty Avoided — Spousal Retail Partnership, Ottawa
The situation — A husband-and-wife retail partnership, Ottawa, Ontario
A husband-and-wife retail partnership in Ottawa, Ontario came to us 4 weeks before its filing deadline. The file came with business income reported entirely on one spouse’s return despite shared operations. A late filing would have triggered a penalty of roughly $54,000 before interest.
What we did for A husband-and-wife retail partnership, Ottawa, Ontario
We worked backwards from the deadline. We kept the proprietorship on a December 31 fiscal period and moved the year-end question into the incorporation plan where it could actually be answered. We prioritised the items that actually gated the filing and deferred everything that did not.
The result — A husband-and-wife retail partnership, Ottawa, Ontario
The return was filed on time and complete. The $54,000 penalty never arose, and the compliance calendar we set means the next deadline is scheduled rather than discovered.
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.
