Business Sale Tax Support
Selling or refinancing? Tidy up tax issues before a buyer does.
CPA support for owners preparing to sell, refinance, or transition a business — so tax, HST/GST, payroll, shareholder, and documentation issues are organized and defensible before due diligence begins.
Confidential, no-obligation consultation. CPA-led, Canada-wide and in Mississauga.
Overview
Get your tax house in order before you go to market
A buyer, a lender, or their advisors will look closely at your tax and documentation before any deal closes — that is what due diligence is. Unresolved tax, HST/GST, payroll, or shareholder issues that you have lived with for years can suddenly affect buyer confidence, lower the price, slow the timeline, or shift risk back onto you through the purchase agreement. The good news is that most of this is fixable, and it is far easier to address quietly on your own schedule than under a buyer's microscope. We help you see the business the way a careful buyer or lender will, and get the picture organized before the process begins.
Common situations we help with
If any of these sound like your situation, you are in the right place:
- You are preparing to sell, refinance, or transition the business and want it deal-ready
- You know there are loose ends in the books, returns, or records that a buyer might question
- HST/GST treatment or input-tax-credit support could come up in diligence
- Payroll or subcontractor classification has never been fully reviewed
- Shareholder loans, owner withdrawals, or related-party transactions need to be reconciled
- Corporate records or contracts are incomplete or out of date
- A broker, lawyer, or banker has flagged tax items they expect a buyer to scrutinize
- You simply want to know what is exposed before someone else finds it
What working with us gives you
We bring order to the tax side of your transaction so the business presents clearly and you negotiate from a position of confidence. In practical terms, that means:
- A clear, prioritized picture of the tax issues a buyer or lender is likely to surface
- Your filings, records, and supporting schedules organized and defensible before diligence
- Fewer surprises at the table, so the deal is less likely to stall or be repriced
- Coordination with your broker, lawyer, and banker so the tax work supports the deal
- Plain-language explanations of each issue, so you understand what you are signing
Our approach
How we prepare you for a sale or refinance
A clear path from a quiet first review to a transaction your tax file supports.
Review
We review your financial statements, tax returns, HST/GST and payroll history, corporate records, and the deal you are working toward.
You start from a clear baselineIdentify exposures
We look at the business the way a careful buyer or lender would and pinpoint the tax issues most likely to surface in diligence.
You see the real exposure earlyOrganize for diligence
We reconcile the open items, prepare clean supporting schedules, and organize records so each area presents clearly and defensibly.
You have a diligence-ready fileSupport the transaction
We respond to buyer or lender questions, coordinate with your broker, lawyer, and banker, and support the file through to close.
You're supported to the finish
Every CRA matter is easier to face with an organized, defensible response behind it.
Book a Tax Strategy CallWhat to expect
What to expect
Every deal is different, but diligence tends to follow a familiar shape. Knowing what a buyer or lender typically checks makes the process far less stressful.
- Buyers and lenders generally review recent financial statements, corporate tax returns, and how filings tie back to the books.
- HST/GST treatment, input-tax-credit support, and payroll or subcontractor classification are common areas of diligence scrutiny.
- Shareholder loans, owner withdrawals, related-party transactions, and the corporate minute book are routinely examined.
- Timing matters — addressing issues earlier, on your own schedule, generally protects the deal far more than scrambling once diligence is underway.
Be prepared
What CRA may request
So you know what to gather — and we help you locate, reconstruct, and present it.
Financial statements & tax returns
- Recent financial statements
- Corporate (T2) returns and supporting backup
Corporate records & contracts
- Minute book, shareholder register, and corporate records
- Material contracts, leases, and agreements
HST/GST & payroll history
- HST/GST filings and input-tax-credit support
- Payroll records, source-deduction filings, and subcontractor documentation
Shareholder & related-party records
- Shareholder loan and owner-withdrawal records
- Related-party transactions and supporting documentation
Scope
Working with tax lawyers when needed
A sale or refinance often involves legal questions — purchase agreement terms, representations and warranties, or how a tax position is characterized. We do not provide legal services. Where appropriate, we coordinate with qualified tax lawyers and with your deal team, and support the file from the accounting and documentation side, so the legal and CPA work reinforce each other.
Before you call
Common questions
What do buyers and lenders actually look at?
They generally review recent financial statements, corporate tax returns, and how those tie back to the books, along with HST/GST treatment, payroll and subcontractor classification, shareholder loans, related-party transactions, and the corporate records. We help you organize these areas before they are examined.
Should I clean up tax issues before I list?
It is generally far easier to address issues quietly, on your own schedule, than under a buyer's review when the clock is running. Doing it early tends to protect deal value and your credibility at the table — but the right scope depends on your situation, which we can talk through.
How do you coordinate with my broker, lawyer, or banker?
A sale or refinance is a team effort. We work alongside your M&A advisor or broker, your lawyer, and your banker — supporting the file from the tax, accounting, and documentation side while legal and deal matters stay with the appropriate professionals.
Will reviewing my taxes now create problems with CRA?
A sell-side review is internal preparation — it is not a filing with CRA. Where it surfaces something that should be corrected, we explain your options plainly so you can decide how to proceed before a buyer raises it.
Is this confidential?
Yes. Reaching out is confidential, nothing is shared with a buyer, lender, or CRA from an inquiry, and your plans and details stay between you and our team.
How much does this cost?
It depends on the size of the business and the scope of the review. We scope the work after a confidential call, once we understand your situation and the deal you are working toward.
You're not in my city — can you still help?
Yes. We work with owner-managed businesses across Canada, with a presence in Mississauga and the GTA. Sale and refinance preparation is handled effectively by phone, email, and secure document sharing.
Why owners trust us
Calm, credentialed, confidential.
- Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
- CPA Ontario · CPA Canada
- Audit-defence & tax-controversy focus
- Owner-managed businesses, Canada-wide
Everything you share is treated as confidential — nothing is filed with CRA from an inquiry, and your details stay with our team.
We provide CPA advisory and documentation support, and coordinate with qualified tax lawyers when a matter calls for legal advice.
Area served: Serving clients across Canada · Mississauga, ON & the GTA
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Preparing to sell or refinance? Let's get your tax file ready.
Start with a confidential consultation. We will help you identify the tax issues a buyer or lender is likely to find, and the practical steps to address them before the process begins.
Everything you share is confidential. No obligation. Replies within one business day.