Accountant in Annex

Common triggers: incorporating a company, hitting the VAT/GST registration threshold, taking on employees, or spending too many hours on the books yourself. Engaging one before year-end (not the week the return is due) gets you planning value, not just compliance.

Yes — legitimate planning around business structure, allowable expenses, pension contributions, timing of income, and available reliefs is core work. Be wary of anyone promoting aggressive 'schemes'; if it sounds too good, it usually attracts penalties later.

Scope (exactly which filings and services are included), fees and how they're billed, deadlines and your responsibilities for providing records, and what falls outside the fee. A one-line quote with no engagement letter is a red flag.

In Annex, ask other business owners for referrals, confirm the firm holds a recognised professional-body membership, and check they know your industry. A short intro call plus a clear fixed-fee proposal beats picking on price alone.

Most accountants now price by fixed monthly package rather than the hour. A sole trader's annual return is a modest one-off fee; a small limited company's year-end accounts plus tax filing is a mid three- to four-figure annual cost; ongoing bookkeeping and payroll add a monthly retainer on top.

For personal or simple self-employed returns, a qualified preparer suffices. Incorporated businesses filing a T2 and needing financial statements generally benefit from a CPA, especially for CRA correspondence and planning.