Initial Review
Every engagement begins here. We review your existing bookkeeping, tax filings, corporate records, and government accounts to understand your current position, identify outstanding issues, and build the Compliance Roadmap.
A complete picture of your current position
The review covers the documents and accounts that reflect the actual condition of your file: what has been filed, what is outstanding, and what the Compliance Roadmap will need to account for.
- Bookkeeping records
- Prior tax returns
- GST/HST and QST accounts (where applicable)
- Payroll accounts (where applicable)
- CRA and Revenu Québec correspondence
- Corporate records (if incorporated)
- Accounting software review
- Outstanding filing obligations
- PSB risk screening, where relevant
Every business has a different history
Prior tax returns may have errors. Government accounts may carry outstanding balances or unresolved correspondence. Bookkeeping may be incomplete or categorized incorrectly. Corporate records may not reflect the current ownership or officer structure. These are common situations, not exceptional ones.
Before agreeing to an engagement, we review the existing file so we understand the current position, identify outstanding issues, and define the work required. The review is what lets the Compliance Roadmap be built on facts: real obligations, real responsibilities and real deadlines.
It also protects you. Starting an engagement without a clear picture of the file means pricing based on assumptions. The Initial Review replaces assumptions with facts.
What to expect after you submit your documents
The Initial Review is completed after all requested documents have been received. If we are not the right fit, you still receive a written findings summary at the conclusion of the review.
Start with a 15-minute introduction
The Initial Review begins after a 15-minute introduction. In that conversation, we discuss your business, your current accounting and tax situation, and whether this is the right fit to work together. If we decide to proceed, we send a document checklist and a short engagement agreement for the review.
Book a 15-minute introductionFrequently asked questions
How is this different from the complimentary review?
The complimentary tax and compliance review is an optional, high-level second opinion on your most recent tax year, followed by a discussion of findings and possible next steps. The Initial Review is broader onboarding work used to establish the engagement scope and prepare your Compliance Roadmap. A complimentary review does not replace the Initial Review.
Why is there a review before the Compliance Roadmap is built?
Every business has a different history. Prior tax returns may have errors, government accounts may have outstanding balances, bookkeeping may be incomplete, or corporate records may not be current. Before agreeing to an engagement, we review the existing file so the Compliance Roadmap reflects the actual obligations and responsibilities, not assumptions.
What documents are required for the Initial Review?
The Initial Review typically requires bookkeeping records, prior tax returns, CRA account access, government correspondence, and corporate records where applicable. After the 15-minute introduction, we send a specific document checklist based on your business structure and situation.
What happens after the Initial Review?
What the Initial Review finds becomes the Compliance Roadmap: bookkeeping, filing dates, responsibilities and important tax decisions for the year ahead. If cleanup work is needed first, that work is identified and quoted separately. We then issue the engagement letter.