6 Weekly Payroll Services 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 weekly payroll services work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Structure rebuilt
Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $66,000 Of Annual Savings — Home-Care Agency, Saskatoon
The structure at a home-care agency in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan had been set up years earlier for a business that no longer existed, and T4s that did not agree to the payroll register or the general ledger had become expensive.
What we did
We moved the account to the correct remitter frequency, caught up the arrears, and filed a taxpayer relief request that cancelled the bulk of the penalty. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.
The result
$66,000 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
Growth Handled Without A Missed Filing, $80,000 Freed — 30-Employee Manufacturer, Moncton
Client: A 30-employee manufacturer · Where: Moncton, New Brunswick · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Cash freed$80,000
Compliance failuresNone
ReportingMonthly
The situation
A 30-employee manufacturer in Moncton, New Brunswick was opening in a second province — different filing obligations, a different payroll regime, and a director facing a personal assessment for unremitted source deductions already in the file.
What we did
We reconstructed vehicle logbooks, calculated the standby charge and operating benefit properly, and amended the affected T4s 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
Growth was absorbed without a compliance failure. $80,000 of cash was released, and the monthly reporting now flags a problem while it is still small.
Case Study 3 · Objection and relief
$49,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Dental Practice, Edmonton
Client: A dental practice · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$49,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation
An assessment of $49,000 landed at a dental practice in Edmonton, Alberta following a desk review. The auditor had not seen the records behind remittances still going out monthly after the business had moved to the accelerated threshold.
What we did
We reviewed each contractor against the CRA’s control and integration tests, converted those who met the employment tests, and priced the transition before it was forced by a ruling, then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result
$49,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Case Study 4 · CRA review defended
$93,000 Proposed Adjustment Withdrawn In Full — Security Services Contractor, Brampton
A security services contractor in Brampton, Ontario received a proposal letter opening a review of weekly payroll services. The CRA had identified long-term contractors who met every test for employment and proposed an adjustment of $93,000, with 30 days to respond.
What we did
We treated the response as an evidence exercise rather than an argument. We reconciled the payroll register, general ledger and T4 summary to the cent, then filed the amended slips, then indexed every supporting document against the specific line the auditor had questioned.
The result
The proposed adjustment was withdrawn in full — all $93,000 of it. The file closed in 5 weeks with no change to the assessed amounts and no penalty.
Case Study 5 · Deadline rescue
5-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $88,000 — Retail Chain Across Two, Guelph
Client: A retail chain across two provinces · Where: Guelph, Ontario · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$88,000
Filed with7 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation
With the deadline for weekly payroll services weeks away, a retail chain across two provinces in Guelph, Ontario was carrying company vehicles used personally with no logbook and no taxable benefit reported. The exposure if the date slipped was around $88,000.
What we did
We moved the account to the correct remitter frequency, caught up the arrears, and filed a taxpayer relief request that cancelled the bulk of the penalty. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result
Filed with 7 days to spare. $88,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 6 · Missed incentive claimed
Incentive Review Recovered $97,000 Across 4 Open Years — Construction Firm with Union, Hamilton
Client: A construction firm with union and non-union crews · Where: Hamilton, Ontario · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Recovered$97,000
Open years claimed4
Ongoing trackingIn place
The situation
An incentive review at a construction firm with union and non-union crews in Hamilton, Ontario started from a simple question: what has never been claimed? The answer ran to 4 years, driven by company vehicles used personally with no logbook and no taxable benefit reported.
What we did
We reconstructed vehicle logbooks, calculated the standby charge and operating benefit properly, and amended the affected T4s, documenting eligibility to the standard a reviewer would apply rather than the standard a claim form requires.
The result
The credits produced $97,000 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.
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.
