Top 14 Tax Saving Tips

We have compiled a list of our top 14 tips to help you save on taxes for your business. We have curated this list from the top questions we get from our clients. If you are looking to save on taxes, organize your business, and file your statements correctly, this is the list for you! 

Tax Tip #1: Can I expense my Travel costs? 

Yes, with proper planning. If you have your expenses correctly categorized, you can write off your business travel. There are exceptions, so it is best to consult with a professional accountant to ensure you have this properly set up. Writing off your daily and work travel is a great way to save on your taxes!

Tax Tip #2:  Is it ok to use my personal credit card and personal bank for my business expenses?  

Yes and No.

Our advice is to not use your personal bank account for business expenses.  Have a Separate bank account for your business regardless of the business type. This allows segregation of recording. Only use the business bank account for business expenses. As for  Credit Cards, yes, you can use your personal credit card for business expenses but we still recommend keeping them separate. 

Bonus Tax Tip: Per CRA rules a credit card statement is not the source document and is not allowed for evidence of expense.  Invoices from the vendor are what is needed. Bonus Tip: Many credit card companies allow a 2nd card on the same account.  Get the 2nd card and use it exclusively for business expenses. That way the use of 2 cards will help sort out valid business expenses. For example: on personal expenses, you cannot expense the finance costs. However, on the business expenses on a separate Card, the Finance costs are isolated and potential for a write-off expense on your business records or tax file. 

Tax Tip #3:  Are you correctly recording the use of your vehicle for business expenses? 

Here are our 3 options:

A: To comply with CRA Tax rules, if you charge your vehicle expenses to the business, you should assess the personal-use portion and claim that as a taxable income Line - On your personal tax file,  by way of a Special T4a, or on your T4 from the business.  

B: You register a vehicle in the business name, pay the insurance, and record the purchase of the vehicle in the business records. At the same time, you also have a 2nd vehicle that you ID as your personal vehicle. This is often used when your business grows, and you need that 2nd Business vehicle.  

C: In the Case of your business leaning more toward a part-time job, or a 50 /50 split between business and personal. You may be better served to pay all of the vehicle expenses in your personal bank account and then the Company pays you a Vehicle Allowance for a portion of the operating costs. 

For more information in your specific case book a FREE consultation and we can review your options. 

Tax Tip # 4:  Have you considered expensing your Training costs? 

Such things as Conferences, Webinars, sign-up costs, and software-related costs. You can write off your continued education expenses that are related to your business. Some exclusions do apply here so it is best to have an accountant look over your files before sending them to the CRA. 

Tax Tip # 5:  Write off your COVID costs 

PPE, Signage, etc. This includes how to record wage replacement, subsidy, and loans - consider the issues of recording funding as income vs. Non-Income (loan proceeds).  If you are unsure, we can help you correctly record the expense and the income as a result of COVID19. 

Tax Tip # 6:  Are your Profit Margins Calculated by Job?

Our suggestion is to separate all costs by Job or Project. At its base, each customer could be considered or viewed as a job. Overhead recovery included in your costs could give a better measure of Profit by Job/Project/Customer/Client. 

Tax Tip # 7:  You could do a review of cost comparisons. Lease vs Purchase.  

Here at Analysis360°, we can prepare a cost review and outline the pros and cons of each. You may increase your total expenses with Leasing, but with Factored Financing or Equipment financing, you may be able to front-load expenses with application fees and setup fees.  

Tax Tip # 8:  Uniform Expense for corporations.   (This tip is usually underutilized!)

Yes, you can expense your uniforms. This requires well maintained Corporate minute books, which detail Company policies. Such as Uniforms. With a Uniforms policy, you could also include drycleaning expenses as well as the purchase of the uniform. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules or consult an accountant before claiming these expenses. 

Tax Tip # 9:   Use your Corporation to help fund your downpayment on a home. 

That's right! If you are househunting your business may be able to support you. Contact us to learn more.

Tax Tip # 10:  Insurance - For Owners or Key Personnel

Did you know you can expense this insurance as long as the business/corporation is the benefactor/recipient of insurance proceeds/payouts? Critical Illness and Life Insurance is applicable. 

Tax Tip # 11:  For your Corporation- Meeting costs

By maintaining your business Corporate minute book with proper resolutions and planning you can expense your Quarterly business review meetings and your Annual Year-end Business meeting. Many people forget to book the meetings, and or record the respective Expenses for such meetings. 

Tax Tip # 12:  For your Corporation - Payroll vs Dividends or both?    

Payroll can result in larger expenses to the corporation. 

Consider that if you are the owner, when the business is in a Net Loss position it is less favourable to have a Salary/ wage. Consider Unpaid Management Bonus- delay the Bonus until a year the business could afford. 

Consider paying yourself, or the business owners with Dividends instead of Salary. In this case, the business has higher pre-tax profits, and payout the dividends to the owners (after the Business/or Company has paid its own Corporate tax.). The Payroll Tax rate for the owner could be at 45 %.  As Opposed to Dividends at 11% in the hands of the owner. If the owner is going to be dependent on CPP for retirement, then our Tax Tips is to Maximize payroll earnings to Approx 56,000.00 Including all Taxable benefits.  Any Income above the payroll Cap would be paid as a dividend to the owner. 

Tax Tip # 13:  For your Corporation Specialized Tax Tips - as a result of doing Detail Tax planning

We gather the past 3 years of both personal and Business tax files, and work with our clients to review Tax Planning GAPS, and Solutions. This is a great option to get a detailed explanation of how you can save on your taxes and improve your businesses efficenty. 

Tax Tip # 14: Tax Traps- and more….

Subcontracting or paying subcontractors without having contracts that agree with CRA rules - Employee vs contractor. Make sure you are classifying your staff and team correctly. 

GST rules-  Not using the correct rates - tax included, excluded. 

Meals and Entertainment-  Trap- Tips, liquor, have to be disallowed, removed from receipts.  Also, meals connect with the person and reason- Example:  Supplier= Bob Sunshine.  Reason to discuss Janitorial Services for our business. 

Consider using Tsheets.  The crew chief can have a laptop, log time for the crew (from 1- 20 )  a single sign-on - via his Ipad, right at the job site, The time entry is Geotagged and time logged. 

Consider using ODO Track - This device goes into your vehicle Connects to Satellite GPS . to record actual business trips and milage as well as personal Trips. ODO track provides a monthly log, as well as Annual Milage log- that meets CRA Standards. 

Time-saving tips. -  Take photos of all your receipts.  With your Smartphone, automatically upload to your accounting system via Receipt Bank. Ask us how. 

Supplies, and small tools.- Consider keeping your Receipts under 500.00  Greater than 500.00 for an item, Is expensed over several years Such as 4 or 5.  Example: Landscaper buys a new Industrial Ridable lawn mower pays 5500.00  - Not a tools expense, rather an Asset that is Expensed over multiple years. 

Small tools and Supplies accounts often are on CRA audits review list. 

Trap: Misuse of the Shareholder loan account. -Standard use, includes documenting money loaned to the company by the shareholder, This often is done with a Loan document which details the Loan Amount and any repayment schedule. Many small businesses use this account as a Float or slush account for miscellaneous, in and out of cash. This will trigger a CRA Audit. 

For repayment of Expenses, use and Expense report to capture Owner paid costs. Which will not be processed in the shareholder loan account, but just as a normal Vendor Payment. 

If you would like support on how to save on your taxes, please reach out to book your FREE Consultaion. We would be happy to help!