Welcome to the Winter edition of The Blachford Brief, where we share content to help your clients avoid tax disputes, and news from our professional community.

Dean recently reached an exciting professional milestone when Justice Ezri of the Tax Court of Canada cited and discussed one of his articles in a court judgment. The case involved the CRA’s ability to pursue a shareholder for a corporation’s tax debt under section 160 of the Income Tax Act—specifically, in situations where 50/50 shareholders had claimed dividends.

On October 29, we held our 9th annual Tax Dispute Update. Please click here to watch the recording and download the slides.

We are giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations of Blachford Tax Law by sharing a recent appearance that Dean and Ella made on the New Solo Podcast, hosted by Adriana Linares.

Welcome to the Fall edition of The Blachford Brief, where we share content to help your clients avoid tax disputes, and news from our professional community.

CRA activity is higher than ever. In this year’s annual Tax Dispute Update, Dean will provide practical insights on how to manage auditors and some of the most common issues tripping up CPAs and their clients. Last year, over 330 professionals attended.

The long-existing tax dispute issue of employee vs. independent contractor has come to Canada’s trucking industry, allowing some companies to take advantage of marginalized workers and creating a 30% advantage in the industry. But how can the CRA address this without creating further compliance burdens and penalties for all businesses? CBC news interviewed Dean as part of their investigative story.

Another great day at the ballpark for this year’s Blachford Tax Law Charity Game! Plenty of homeruns and money raised for this year’s charities. CPAs from 15 firms participated in the event and there were even more fans in the stands. Click to see the photos and videos.

Welcome to the Summer edition of The Blachford Brief, where we share content to help your clients avoid tax disputes, and news from our professional community.

At Blachford Tax Law, a surprising number of the voluntary disclosures (VDs) we handle involve taxpayers who are deceased. So, Dean and Ella wrote an article on this issue for  the Canadian Tax Foundation. Whether you’re advising an executor or working with a client on estate planning, this piece offers practical guidance and issues to consider. Click below to read our article.

Dean recently had the unexpected honour of being a guest on “AI Meets the Firm”, a new podcast hosted by Julian White. While Dean might still need help from his 9-year-old to navigate our TV remotes, thanks to Ella’s vision and leadership, we’ve built a law firm that integrates simple AI and software tools to streamline our work and create efficiencies for clients. On the podcast, Dean and Julian dig into the real-world tech they are using — and how your firm might benefit, too.

What happens when a CPA decides to tackle one of the most persistent problems in tax compliance? You get Remitian — a new fintech solution that automates tax payments, improving efficiency for tax professionals and reducing the risk of penalties and interest for clients. In our Community News section, we profile Larry Hasson of McIntyre and Associates, a familiar face in the local tax scene, who started Remitian. Learn how Larry joined forces with a team of elite tech entrepreneurs to bring this ground-breaking platform to life.

Welcome to the Spring edition of The Blachford Brief, where we share content to help your clients avoid tax disputes, and news from our professional community.

CPAs who Dean is working with on tax disputes always want to know how they can prevent CRA from accessing their analysis and correspondence with the client. We don’t want your work to become a road map for the CRA auditor. Click below to read Dean’s article on solicitor-client privilege, which has been published by Canadian Accountant.

One of our core values at Blachford Tax Law is “collaboration”. We achieve this partly through our “Client Asset Bank”, which includes instructional videos that educate our clients on issues relevant to their dispute. Click to watch our video on whether clients should pay their tax debt while objecting to the amount, and CRA’s collections powers.

CPAs are feeling disillusioned by what their careers have become, and don’t expect their circumstances to change soon. Dean corresponded with about 15 CPAs and heard they are frustrated, overworked, and often unappreciated. Click below see if Dean’s article captures your experience.

Welcome to the Winter edition of The Blachford Brief, where we share content to help your clients avoid tax disputes and news from our professional community.

On November 5th, over 330 professionals attended our 8th annual Tax Dispute Update. We shared the most influential legislative and policy changes that Dean has seen over the past decade and how they affect your clients today.