Book by Dale Barrett
A Quick and Dirty Business Start-Up Guide
Launching a Canadian Business the Right Way
Straight-to-the-point guidance for new founders: sole proprietorship vs corporation, how to incorporate, registering for GST/HST and payroll, setting up clean records, and avoiding the common tax mistakes that cost start-ups later. It gets a new business onto solid tax footing fast.
Who it’s for: New and aspiring business owners.
- Incorporation
- Start-ups
- GST/HST
- Small business
From this book
Articles & guides drawn from this book
Free, plain-language guidance adapted from the book — part of the Barrett Tax Law Learning Centre.
Common Tax Mistakes New Businesses Make — and How to Avoid Them
Most new-business tax trouble comes from a short list of avoidable mistakes: misjudging employee-versus-contractor status, ignoring the HST threshold, spending trust money, and estimating the deductions auditors love to deny. Here is the list.
Read →Business Records That Survive an Audit: What to Keep, and for How Long
There is no rule in the Income Tax Act that you must keep an original receipt — yet an auditor who asks for one and gets a photocopy can deny the expense outright. Here is how to keep records that hold up when the Canada Revenue Agency comes calling.
Read →Registering for GST/HST and Payroll: The Trust-Tax Obligations That Reach You Personally
GST/HST you collect and source deductions you withhold are not your money — you hold them in trust for the Canada Revenue Agency. Mishandle them and the corporate shield will not save you. Here is how registration and remittance actually work.
Read →Incorporating Your Business: What Changes, and Why It Matters
Incorporation turns your business into a separate legal person — with its own tax return, its own liability shield, and its own planning opportunities. Here is what actually changes when you incorporate, and the pitfalls to avoid.
Read →Choosing a Business Structure: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or Corporation
Before you invoice your first client, you have to decide what your business is in the eyes of the law. The choice among a sole proprietorship, a partnership, and a corporation shapes your tax bill, your liability, and your exit for years.
Read →
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