Salary or dividends? See how each is taxed in Ontario for 2026, what you gain or give up in CPP and RRSP room, how the 2027 dividend credit cut changes things, and why many owners use a mix.
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Canadian Tax and Accounting Guides
Practical guides to Canadian personal and business tax, bookkeeping, payroll, GST/HST and dealing with the CRA, written for Ottawa individuals and small business owners by the team at BBA Tax. Need help with your own situation? Book a free intro call.
Latest Articles
Shareholder Loan Rules in Canada: Deadlines, Interest and Traps
Money you borrow from your own corporation generally has to be repaid within a year after the corporation’s year-end, or it becomes personal income. Here is how the rules work and how to clear a balance.
Ontario vs Federal Incorporation: A 2026 Guide for Ottawa Owners
Should you incorporate in Ontario or federally? We compare name protection, where you can operate, annual filings, official fees and director rules, and explain which usually suits an Ottawa consultant.
Crypto Holding Company in Canada: How Gains Are Taxed in 2026
How an Ontario corporation’s crypto gains are taxed in 2026, with a worked example: investment income rates, the dividend refund, the capital dividend account, active trading, section 85 transfers and CARF.
GST/HST Post-Assessment Review: How to Respond to the CRA
A GST/HST post-assessment review checks amounts on a return the CRA already assessed. Here is what the CRA asks for, how to respond and what happens next.
Working Remotely for a US Company From Canada: How Your Taxes Work (2026)
Living in Ottawa and paid by a US company? Your income is taxed in Canada. What changes for employees and contractors, how to handle US withholding, currency, GST/HST and instalments.
CRA Voluntary Disclosure Program: Rules, Relief and How to Apply
The CRA’s Voluntary Disclosures Program lets you fix unfiled or incorrect returns in exchange for penalty and interest relief. Here is how the rules that took effect on October 1, 2025 work.
Catch-Up Bookkeeping: How to Fix Behind Books Before Year-End (2026)
Months or years behind on your books? What falling behind really costs, the step-by-step catch-up process, what to do about missing receipts and unfiled returns, and how to stay current.
Employee vs Contractor in Canada: How the CRA Decides in 2026
The CRA decides employee vs contractor status from the real working relationship, not the contract title. The test, the factors, the cost of getting it wrong, and how to get a ruling.
Personal Services Business Rules in 2026: Is Your Ottawa Consulting Corporation at Risk?
If your consulting corporation looks like an employee of its client, the CRA can tax it as a personal services business. How the rules work, why Ottawa consultants are exposed, and how to reduce the risk.
Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption 2026: How to Shelter $1.275 Million When You Sell Your Business
The lifetime capital gains exemption is worth $1,275,000 in 2026 — but most owners discover their shares do not qualify weeks before closing. Here is what the three QSBC tests require, and how far ahead to start.
Holding Company in Canada: Should Your Ottawa Business Set One Up in 2026?
A holding company defers tax, shields surplus cash from creditors and protects your capital gains exemption — but it costs several thousand dollars a year. Here is the threshold where it starts to pay for itself.