What We Do

If you are like most people, you are looking around the internet, speaking to friends, family or co-workers or others that you trust about your recent troubles with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). You may even feel embarrassed, anxious or just plain confused about your current circumstances.  But you shouldn't be.  There is most likely nothing to be embarrassed about.  Every year in Canada approximately three-million people receive something from the CRA they either didn't expect, didn't expect to be so bad or were hoping would just go away.

You may try to visit or call the local CRA office to try and get some clarification or some type of assistance regarding what you have received in the mail. Or maybe you had a telephone call from your local CRA office.  Perhaps there is a language barrier, or the staff at the government office seem so busy you don't want to seem like you are being a bother to them.  Or perhaps, the information you were given at the government office you simply can't make any sense of what they are telling you.  We know the feeling.

No one should be expected to interact with the Canada Revenue Agency alone. It can be confusing at best.  And bordering on the criminal at worst.  No one would expect you to perform surgery on yourself.  Most folks do not represent themselves in our Canadian courts.  So why would you choose to speak to the tax man alone?

If you choose to speak with the Canada Revenue Agency the person you are speaking with presumes you are knowledgeable about what you are talking about and why you are there.  They presume that you know all of your income tax history for yourself, your spouse, your dependant children or your business.  But worst of all, the Canada Revenue Agency representative will presume that you know the law.  Including your rights under the laws as well as your obligations.  

The CRA will also presume that if for some reason you choose not to take advantage of your rights under the Canadian tax code that you are doing so for your own reasons. They will presume that you are aware of all the taxes you are required to pay, are entitled to deduct as well as all the credits you are eligible to apply for.  Ignorance of the laws or just not knowing what you can or cannot claim on your income tax is simply not a defense under Canadian law.  No one at the Canada Revenue Agency will advise you that you should have taken advantage of a particular credit or should have used or even waited to use a certain deduction.  They simply want your money for the business of running government. And with the amount of debt the federal government currently carries for 2011 and into the future, I can assure you, that it will take every penny they feel they are entitled to. And If necessary, they will take it right out of your bank account.  And there is almost nothing you can do about it.

Have you ever seen the Canadian Tax Code?  It is huge!  It is literally made up of millions and millions of pages of very technical, legal and extremely complicated text and formulas.  And, it is constantly changing, evolving and growing. In fact, it is one of the most complex set of rules, laws, statutes and regulations in the entire world.  Even the interpretation bulletins are subject to change.  Information you walk out of the office with one month, may be changed, altered or even withdrawn in the next month.

No single person can keep track of all the information in the Canadian Tax Code.  And that includes all the staff at the Canada Revenue Agency across the country.  The Canadian tax laws are so complex there are tens of thousands of people who work for the Canada Revenue Agency to administer these laws every day.  In fact, it is one of the largest employers in the Canadian government and the entire country.  The Canada Revenue Agency is broken up into numerous departments, with many many managers, supervisors, department heads, directors and thousands of unionized personnel located in virtually every city and town across Canada.

Even if you go to your family lawyer for help regarding a taxation matter involving you, your business or a loved one, chances are, they will refer you to a lawyer specializing in taxation. The laws regarding tax and the application of all the tax laws are so complex that even your tax lawyer will most likely have the help of one or two junior lawyers and several assistants.  All of which is very costly.

So, how can CRA Advantage help you?  Well, first we start by listening to what you have to say.  Usually, matters involving the Canada Revenue Agency take time to explain and we give you the time you need to help us understand your unique and particular set of circumstances.

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