Making a difference one person at a time

For some business owners, even straight-forward taxes can seem confusing and complicated. Now, imagine being the business owner who has multiple properties and rental expenses and is trying to figure out the tax implications for all of that.

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Assisted Compliance Program is designed to help people just like that. The program offers support to businesses and self-employed individuals by helping them understand their tax obligations and how to meet them.  

Martine works as an Assistance Compliance (AC) Officer within this program. She understands the ins and outs of small business taxes and contacts taxpayers to explain potential tax issues that have been identified in their accounts and to help them correct any mistakes. In the role since 2022, Martine has worked on hundreds of cases, often working with businesses who have principal residences and rental expenses as part of their tax files.

“My favorite part of this job is providing one-on-one help to people,” says Martine. “Taxes related to real estate and rental expenses can be complicated and many businesses make mistakes in their claims. I speak directly to clients, hear their situation and then ask questions so I know exactly where they’re at. I know I’m making a difference because I’m giving them the guidance they need to correct or avoid errors in their taxes, and also telling them about benefits and credits they may not know they’re eligible for. It’s very rewarding.”

The goal of the program is to provide education and support to businesses so that they file their taxes correctly and avoid potential audits in the future. Some businesses can qualify for assistance through the CRA’s Liaison Officer Program (LO), which offers free support to small businesses and self-employed individuals by helping them to accurately file their income tax returns, as well as GST/HST. Many businesses are not aware of the LO program or that they are making mistakes that could be a problem during a future audit.

This is where Martine steps in.

The Assistance Compliance Program sends out personalized letters to individuals who have been identified as at-risk of not filing their taxes or of making errors with their taxes. The letter informs the individual of their status and offer them support by speaking to an AC Officer. From there, the AC Officer will follow up by phone to educate on their reporting obligations and provide information on the necessary steps to self-correct.

“It feels a lot less stressful than an audit. I hear about their situation and can understand their circumstances. It is a job that feels good,” says Martine.

Martine remembers working with one client who was feeling quite discouraged after receiving a letter from the CRA saying they could have possibly filed their taxes incorrectly. After guiding them through their filing process and identifying any errors, the client felt they had learned how to file correctly and they mentioned that Martine’s help made them more comfortable for next time.

Martine knows that her work is to make the “taxes” part of running a business easier. Through this program, she is able to provide the most personal approach to individuals, help them understand what they need to fix, and assure them that at the CRA is here to help.

“I really feel like I make a difference. Just by going one at a time, we are going somewhere.”

She hopes that her continued efforts will go a long way, educating people on correctly filing their taxes and making them feel supported.