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CRA rules and tax traps, explained like a human

For Ontario small business owners, these are the short reads on the stuff that trips you up every year — HST, payroll, shareholder loans, CRA penalties. Written by accountants in Mississauga who've seen the files. Want the deep dive? Start with the bookkeeping guide. Otherwise, pick a category below or just scroll.

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Read the post first, then watch the reel. Or the other way around. We won't judge.

Ontario Budget 2026: The $5,000 Small Business Tax Cut and the Dividend Offset
Tax

Ontario Budget 2026: The $5,000 Small Business Tax Cut and the Dividend Offset

Ontario Budget 2026 proposes a CIT rate cut from 3.2% to 2.2% on the first $500K of active business income, effective July 1, 2026. A second change — a 1-point cut to the Ontario non-eligible dividend tax credit on Jan 1, 2027 — takes some of it back for dividend-paid owners.

4 min read
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T4A Slips: The Contractor Reporting Rule Most Ontario Businesses Ignore
CRA Compliance

T4A Slips: The Contractor Reporting Rule Most Ontario Businesses Ignore

Most Ontario businesses never file T4A slips for contractors they pay. CRA just ended its 14-year enforcement pause. Here's who must file, the penalty math, and how to catch up before February.

4 min read
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Accounts Receivable and Payable for Small Business
Bookkeeping

Accounts Receivable and Payable for Small Business

How Canadian small businesses should manage A/R and A/P, protect cash flow, handle collections, time supplier payments, and track HST properly.

4 min read
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Bank Reconciliation Step-by-Step
Bookkeeping

Bank Reconciliation Step-by-Step

Canadian step-by-step guide to bank reconciliation for small businesses, including common differences, bookkeeping fixes, and software help.

4 min read
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Bookkeeping Mistakes That Trigger CRA Audits
CRA Compliance

Bookkeeping Mistakes That Trigger CRA Audits

Canadian guide to bookkeeping mistakes that trigger CRA audits or reviews, plus how to clean them up before they become expensive.

4 min read
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Capital Gains Tax in Canada: How It Works and How to Plan
Tax

Capital Gains Tax in Canada: How It Works and How to Plan

How capital gains tax works in Canada in 2026. Inclusion rate, principal residence exemption, LCGE for QSBC shares, and planning moves that actually matter.

4 min read
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Cash vs Accrual Accounting in Canada
Bookkeeping

Cash vs Accrual Accounting in Canada

Canadian guide to cash vs accrual accounting, CRA rules, HST timing, and how small-business owners should choose between the two methods.

4 min read
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Contractor vs Employee — CRA Classification Rules
CRA Compliance

Contractor vs Employee — CRA Classification Rules

How CRA classifies workers in Canada using the four-factor test, why contracts alone do not decide status, and what misclassification can cost.

4 min read
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CPP and CPP2 Contributions in 2026
Payroll

CPP and CPP2 Contributions in 2026

2026 CPP and CPP2 rates for Canadian employers, employees, and self-employed people, including YMPE, YAMPE, maximums, and T4 boxes.

4 min read
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DIY Bookkeeping vs Hiring a Bookkeeper
Bookkeeping

DIY Bookkeeping vs Hiring a Bookkeeper

Canadian guide to deciding between DIY bookkeeping and hiring a bookkeeper, including complexity signs, time trade-offs, and when to hand it over.

4 min read
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Why bother writing these?

Because we keep answering the same questions. Shareholder loans, CRA interest, HST registrations — the same traps show up in file after file across GTA small businesses. So we started writing them down.

Each post covers one topic. Four minutes, tops. You get the rule, what it actually means for your business, and what to do about it. No filler.

If you want the full reference versions, they're in the resources library. And if you'd rather just talk to someone, we're in Mississauga — or check out our accounting services.

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