Tax catch-up in Canada starts with a reliable account of what has been filed, what remains uncertain and who will do the next piece of work. For an owner-managed business, the handover should connect earlier corporate matters with current obligations and the owner’s separate personal tax position.
This planner helps prepare that discussion. Our Prior-Year Tax Returns service can assess outstanding periods and define the catch-up scope.
Confirm the starting position before agreeing the work
List each entity, owner, fiscal period and relevant CRA account. Distinguish a prepared return from one submitted, assessed or still under review. Preserve submission confirmations, assessments and correspondence; a software file or ledger balance alone does not establish the position.
Keep the corporation’s T2 requirements and owner-personal requirements in separate workstreams, then coordinate information between them. Connected owner matters may need a separately scoped Personal Tax & Planning engagement.
Confirm the starting position
Map entities, years, accounts and the evidence supporting each filing and balance.
Resolve and assign open items
Record each gap, its significance, the responsible person and the next agreed action.
Agree the annual rhythm
Set responsibilities for records, reviews, filings, payments and changes in circumstances.
Build the tax catch-up handover register
Use one register with supporting files organised by entity and period. Start an item as Awaiting verification until its evidence is reviewed. Then distinguish Completed work from an Ongoing responsibility with a named person and next review date. These are working labels, not CRA account statuses.
| Workstream | Evidence to confirm | Responsibility / next step |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax (T2) | Fiscal periods, returns, submission confirmations, assessments and supporting schedules. | Identify missing filings or adjustments and agree who prepares, approves and submits each item. |
| Owner personal tax (T1) | Relevant years, slips, owner payments and information shared with the company file. | Confirm the owner’s separate scope and who reconciles connected information. |
| GST/HST and payroll, where applicable | Registered accounts, reporting periods, returns, remittances and information slips. | Assign preparation, review, payment and submission separately for each applicable program. |
| CRA account balances | Account statements, payments, credits and differences from the books. | Name the person reconciling differences and confirming payment arrangements. |
| Notices and open reviews | Dated notices, requests, prior replies and outstanding review or collection matters. | Flag urgent response dates and agree the professional work required. |
| Records and opening balances | Books, reconciliations, source documents, owner balances and the prior file handover. | Assign missing records and corrections; confirm custody and the accepted starting balances. |
The CRA’s business number and program-account guidance helps identify separate corporation, GST/HST and payroll workstreams.
Keep open matters, authorisations and deadlines visible
Maintain separate filing, payment, instalment, remittance and correspondence dates. The CRA’s important dates for corporations distinguish obligations that can fall at different times. Assign unresolved notices before scheduling routine annual work.
For each open item, record its source, the last action, the supporting file and the next decision. Confirm whether it belongs to the catch-up scope, routine annual work or a separate engagement. A document transfer does not itself close the matter. Flag ownership, assets or residence outside Canada when agreeing the scope so related reporting can be considered.
Agree the representative’s access through the CRA authorisation process. Review earlier authorisations as part of the agreed handover; do not share CRA sign-in credentials.
Keep original records and their history. Late filings, ongoing reviews and certain corporate records can require extended retention. Check the CRA’s retention requirements before discarding older material.
Agree the annual compliance rhythm
Set a written schedule for bookkeeping, reconciliations, information delivery, CPA review, owner approval, filing and payment. Identify who monitors CRA correspondence and who alerts the team to changes in ownership, activities or jurisdictions.
Use our Corporate Tax & Planning service to scope ongoing company work. Forward-looking decisions can be prepared through the separate corporate year-end planning guide. Revisit the register after each agreed milestone.
Illustrative engagement approach
Illustration only; not a client case or promised outcome. An owner-managed company seeks annual support while earlier company and owner filings need review. An illustrative approach would first map the evidence, identify urgent matters and agree separate catch-up and current-year responsibilities. The handover record would show verified work, outstanding questions and the proposed annual schedule. Additional remediation or notice-response work would be scoped when the facts are established.
Questions to settle at handover
Does appointing a new accountant resolve older filings?
No. Identify the periods and work accepted, the evidence required and who remains responsible for every open item.
Does catch-up work guarantee CRA relief?
No. The Voluntary Disclosures Program’s eligibility rules require a separate factual assessment and CRA review. An engagement does not establish eligibility or relief.
Discuss a tax catch-up and compliance handover
Tell our CPA team which entities, periods and tax accounts need attention, whether records are available and what deadline is approaching. We can assess the fit and propose a defined scope.
Discuss your tax catch-up and handover needs. Keep the initial enquiry high level; arrange an appropriate channel before sharing tax returns, account details or sensitive records.
General information prepared November 2026. Requirements depend on the entity, tax year, jurisdiction and complete facts. Obtain advice for the particular circumstances.