Welcome to the Five-Year Anniversary edition of The Blachford Brief, where we celebrate by sharing more content to help your clients avoid tax disputes and news from the professional community.

If you are a Canadian CPA who wants to prevent your clients from having to face the stress and cost of a tax dispute with the CRA, or has a client facing a tax dispute, here are 5 things you need to know. These lessons come from Dean's time working for the judges of the Tax Court of Canada and his 12 years specializing exclusively in helping individuals and businesses resolve tax disputes with the CRA.

Dean has always been a dedicated goal setter. He maintains a five-year plan and sets goals for the year, the quarter, the month, and even the week. It is an approach that was instilled in him from an early age and has become deeply ingrained in how he operates. At the same time, Dean recognizes that taking time to reflect on the joys and successes that result from hard work is just as important as setting goals.

Dean introduces Blachford Tax Law, which is dedicated exclusively to resolving CRA tax disputes for individuals and businesses. Drawing on his experience at the Tax Court of Canada and in private practice, Dean explains the firm’s three core values—being strategic, dedicated, and collaborative—and how they help clients and CPAs navigate tax disputes effectively and achieve the best possible outcomes.

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.

Tax disputes are inherently stressful. We've found that stress decreases when clients understand where they are in the process and what to expect next. In this video, Dean outlines the three stages of a tax dispute and explains the key characteristics of each, so you have a clearer sense of the journey ahead. 

Dean outlines six key distinctions between the Tax Court of Canada and the Federal Court, including how their processes differ and what that means in practical terms. Understanding these differences can reduce uncertainty, lower stress, and help you and your client make more informced strategic decisions as the matter moves forward.

Dean spoke with several accounting firms to learn what they are doing to support their teams' mental well-being. While the workload cannot disappear, some firms are intentially shaping their policies and culture to help their people manage - and even grow through - the stress.

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.