6 Trust Income Tax Filing 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 trust income tax filing work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $22,000 Across 7 Open Years — Family Transferring a Farm, Burnaby
Client: A family transferring a farm to the next generation · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$22,000
Open years claimed7
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation
An incentive review at a family transferring a farm to the next generation in Burnaby, British Columbia started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 7 years, driven by a farm transfer completed without using the intergenerational rollover.
What we did
We made the graduated rate estate designation and re-filed, moving the estate off top-marginal-rate taxation for its first three years, documenting eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result
The credits produced $22,000 across the open years, and 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
$610,000 Sheltered By The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption — Estate Holding a Private, Surrey
Client: An estate holding a private corporation · Where: Surrey, British Columbia · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Gain sheltered$610,000
ClosingOn schedule
Share qualificationMet
The situation
An estate holding a private corporation in Surrey, British Columbia had an offer on the table and 9 months to close. The shares did not qualify for the capital gains exemption, and no valuation on file to support the price the parties had agreed was part of the reason.
What we did
We purified the corporation so the shares met the qualifying tests, then implemented an estate freeze with a supported valuation, capping the current generation’s exposure and moving future growth to the successors well ahead of the closing date.
The result
The sale closed on schedule with $610,000 sheltered by the lifetime capital gains exemption across the shareholders.
Case Study 3 · Backlog brought current
$110,000 Of Arbitrary Assessments Vacated After 6 Years — Spousal Trust Following a, Edmonton
Client: A spousal trust following a death · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Arbitrary tax vacated$110,000
Years brought current6
Account statusCurrent
The situation
6 years of unfiled returns had turned into notional assessments at a spousal trust following a death in Edmonton, Alberta, with a final return filed without the rights-or-things election, leaving a second set of credits unused underneath. Collections had already started.
What we did
We filed the outstanding T3 returns with full beneficial-ownership schedules and secured relief on the late-filing penalty, then filed every outstanding year in chronological order so the CRA could vacate the notional assessments cleanly.
The result
All 6 years were accepted as filed. $110,000 of arbitrarily assessed tax was vacated, collections action stopped, and the account is current for the first time in 6 years.
Case Study 4 · Structure rebuilt
Holding Structure Added, $14,500 Saved Annually — Family with a Cottage, Toronto
Client: A family with a cottage held in trust · Where: Toronto, Ontario · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Annual saving$14,500
ReorganisationTax-neutral
StructureMatches operations
The situation
A family with a cottage held in trust in Toronto, Ontario was carrying a farm transfer completed without using the intergenerational rollover, 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 filed the separate rights-or-things return alongside the final T1, claiming a second set of personal credits and prepared the elections, resolutions and valuations the structure needed to stand up.
The result
The structure now matches the business. Annual saving of $14,500, and the reorganisation itself was tax-neutral.
Case Study 5 · Objection and relief
Notice Of Objection Allowed In Full, $111,000 Reversed — Corporation Planning an Intergenerational, Barrie
Client: A corporation planning an intergenerational transfer · Where: Barrie, Ontario · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Amount reversed$111,000
ObjectionAllowed in full
Account balanceNil
The situation
A corporation planning an intergenerational transfer in Barrie, Ontario had been reassessed for $111,000 and had 7 days left on the objection deadline. The reassessment rested on a graduated rate estate designation missed on the first return, defaulting the estate to top-rate taxation.
What we did
We filed the objection inside the deadline with a complete submission rather than a placeholder, and made the graduated rate estate designation and re-filed, moving the estate off top-marginal-rate taxation for its first three years.
The result
The appeals officer allowed the objection in full. $111,000 was reversed and the account returned to a nil balance.
Case Study 6 · Deadline rescue
$16,500 Late-Filing Penalty Cancelled On Relief Application — Trustee Facing the Expanded, Red Deer
Client: A trustee facing the expanded reporting rules · Where: Red Deer, Alberta · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty cancelled$16,500
Relief applicationGranted
ReturnAccepted as filed
The situation
A trustee facing the expanded reporting rules in Red Deer, Alberta had already missed one deadline and was about to miss a second. Behind it sat a trust that had never filed a T3 under the expanded reporting rules, and a penalty of $16,500 was accruing.
What we did
We split the work into what had to happen before the deadline and what could follow it, then implemented an estate freeze with a supported valuation, capping the current generation’s exposure and moving future growth to the successors.
The result
The outstanding return was accepted as filed, and the taxpayer relief application cancelled $16,500 of the penalty already assessed on the earlier year.
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.
