Straight answers to tax, GST and HST, payroll, bookkeeping, incorporation, and provincial accounting questions, built from official Canadian sources and explained in plain language.
Practical answers for owners
Each guide starts with a fast summary, then explains the rule, the business impact, and a practical next step. Relevant official Canadian government and regulatory links are included for verification.
Showing 73 of 73 guides
Personal tax and payrollA T4 is the slip your employer issues. A T1 is the return you file with the CRA. Who prepares each, the deadlines that apply, and how the two connect.
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Bookkeeping systemsA framework for evaluating accounting software on data access, security, Canadian tax workflows, integrations and migration risk.
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Accounting basicsTwenty accounting, GST/HST, payroll, corporate tax and record-keeping questions, with concise answers and links to detailed official-source guides.
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Corporate taxA plain-language guide to T2 filing, corporate tax payment deadlines, and year-end planning for Calgary and Alberta corporations.
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Tax planningUnderstand Alberta and federal corporate tax rates, the small business deduction, and why the advertised rate is not the whole tax plan.
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GST/HSTA clear guide to the $30,000 small-supplier threshold, mandatory and voluntary GST/HST registration, and the first steps after registration.
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GST/HSTLearn how GST/HST reporting periods, filing deadlines, input tax credits, and invoice evidence work for an Alberta small business.
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PayrollA step-by-step payroll setup guide covering CRA accounts, TD1 forms, CPP, EI, income tax, remittances, and reliable employer records.
Read the full guidePayrollUnderstand T4 and ROE deadlines, electronic filing, interruption-of-earnings timing, and the records Alberta employers should prepare.
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Payroll complianceUse CRA’s whole-relationship approach to understand employee versus self-employed status, payroll exposure, documentation, and CPP/EI rulings.
Read the full guideBookkeepingA practical CRA-based records guide for Alberta companies: the six-year rule, electronic files, source documents, cloud systems, and exceptions.
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Starting a businessLearn what an Alberta corporation is, the official incorporation steps, and the legal, tax, and administrative questions to review first.
Read the full guideTax complianceA calm, official-source guide to CRA business audits, document requests, working with an auditor, secure communication, and next steps.
Read the full guidePayrollA clear guide to the work a Calgary payroll service can handle, the decisions the employer keeps, and the controls to confirm before the first pay run.
Read the full guidePayrollCompare outsourced and in-house payroll using workload, control, privacy, continuity, records and compliance rather than a generic recommendation.
Read the full guidePayrollA practical Canadian payroll-provider checklist covering scope, accountability, security, remittances, exports, implementation, and exit planning.
Read the full guidePayrollUnderstand Canadian payroll source deductions, CRA remitter types, due dates, nil and final remittances, and the evidence an employer should keep.
Read the full guidePayrollA 2026 Alberta employer guide to CPP, CPP2, EI, income-tax deductions, annual maximums, province of employment, and reliable payroll review.
Read the full guidePayrollA practical employer workflow for deciding whether a benefit or allowance is taxable, valuing it, applying payroll deductions, and reporting it correctly.
Read the full guideGST/HSTA practical Calgary GST/HST return checklist covering reporting periods, reconciliations, input tax credits, electronic filing, payment, and records.
Read the full guideGST/HSTWhat an Alberta GST/HST registrant should do after missing a return or payment deadline, including the CRA penalty formula and a recovery checklist.
Read the full guideGST/HSTWhy an Alberta business may need to charge HST, how place of supply differs for goods and services, and what records support the rate used.
Read the full guideGST/HSTA careful comparison of GST/HST registration, net-tax methods, input tax credits, and public-service-body rebates for Canadian nonprofits and charities.
Read the full guideBusiness valuation supportA Calgary business valuation guide covering value drivers, the income, market and asset approaches, and the records a valuator may need.
Read the full guideBusiness valuation supportA financial-records checklist for owners preparing for a business valuation, shareholder discussion, financing review or sale.
Read the full guideOwnership transitionsA financial checklist for an Alberta shareholder buyout, covering share rights, normalized earnings, working capital, debt and tax information.
Read the full guideBusiness purchase and saleA comparison of buying or selling business assets versus corporate shares in Canada, covering purchase-price allocation, goodwill, CCA and GST/HST.
Read the full guideBusiness purchase and saleA financial due-diligence checklist for buying or selling a private business in Calgary, covering earnings quality, working capital, debt and tax.
Read the full guideBusiness ValuationA practical Alberta guide to organizing business records for family-property discussions, valuation work and related tax questions.
Read the full guideProfessional PracticesA records-first guide for Alberta medical practices preparing for incorporation, succession, a transaction or independent valuation work.
Read the full guideBusiness ValuationA Canadian guide to organizing equipment, inventory, debt and operating records for an asset-heavy business valuation or transaction.
Read the full guideNonprofit AccountingA clear reporting and year-end checklist for Alberta nonprofits and registered charities, including annual returns, T3010 filings and financial records.
Read the full guideBookkeepingA practical monthly bank-reconciliation checklist for Calgary businesses, with review controls, common errors and CRA recordkeeping links.
Read the full guideCFO advisoryWhat a fractional CFO does, the business signals that may justify strategic finance support, and the questions Calgary owners should ask first.
Read the full guideCash-flow planningA process for building and maintaining a rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast using actual cash timing, documented assumptions and variance review.
Read the full guideFinancial managementA plain-language comparison of bookkeeping, controllership and CFO-level work, with criteria for choosing the finance support a business needs.
Read the full guideCorporate taxA corporate year-end checklist covering accounting records, reconciliations, tax documents and GIFI information to gather before a T2 return is prepared.
Read the full guideCRA complianceA step-by-step guide to comparing a corporate notice of assessment or reassessment with the filed T2, understanding adjustments and preserving deadlines.
Read the full guideCRA complianceAn overview of the CRA taxpayer relief process, the circumstances the CRA may consider, the limits of the program, and the records to prepare.
Read the full guideCRA complianceA guide to the CRA Voluntary Disclosures Program, its purpose, threshold questions, records to assemble and why to get advice before contacting the CRA.
Read the full guideCRA complianceHow to prepare for a CRA trust accounts examination of payroll deductions and GST/HST, including requested records and reconciliation steps.
Read the full guideOwner-managed corporationsA guide to recording money between a corporation and its shareholders, separating personal expenses and resolving shareholder accounts before filing.
Read the full guideBusiness structureA comparison of sole proprietorship and incorporation in Alberta, covering legal identity, tax reporting, administration, ownership and cash needs.
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Financial statementsA guide to CSRS 4200 compilation engagements, management's responsibilities, the accountant's report, and when lenders may ask for compiled information.
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Corporate tax complianceHow corporate income-tax instalments work in Canada, why a company can owe interest even when its T2 is filed on time, and how to forecast payments.
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Corporate tax complianceA Canadian guide to late T2 returns, penalties, interest, missing records, and the order for bringing a corporation back into compliance.
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Owner-manager tax planningA decision framework for Canadian owner-managers comparing salary, dividends, payroll, CPP, RRSP room, corporate deductions, cash needs, and documentation.
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Corporate tax riskHow Canada's personal services business rules affect an incorporated consultant, the employee-versus-contractor facts CRA examines, and what to review.
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Corporate structuringA framework for deciding whether a holding company supports business risk, surplus cash, succession or a future sale, and when it adds complexity.
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Corporate tax complianceHow a Canadian corporation's fiscal year-end affects T2 deadlines, instalments, bookkeeping workload, and CRA approval for a later change.
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Corporate reorganizationAn overview of Canada's section 85 rollover election, eligible property, agreed amounts, legal consideration, filing deadlines and valuation.
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Owner-manager tax planningHow adjusted aggregate investment income can reduce the federal small-business limit for an associated Canadian corporate group, and what to track.
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Owner-manager tax planningA guide to the capital dividend account for Canadian private corporations, covering additions, reductions, elections and the records needed first.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Toronto accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Montréal accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Vancouver accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Ottawa and Gatineau accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Calgary accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Edmonton accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Québec City accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Winnipeg accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Hamilton accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Kitchener Waterloo accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical London accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Halifax accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical St. Catharines and Niagara accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Windsor accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Oshawa accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Victoria accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Saskatoon accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Regina accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Sherbrooke accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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Accounting across CanadaA practical Kelowna accounting and tax guide covering records, sales tax, payroll, provincial considerations, and corporate planning.
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The guides are general information. Call or text HBT Accounting in Calgary, Alberta at +1 (587) 894-7451 when the answer depends on your records, accounts, or deadlines.
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