Where business advisory support can help
Cash flow planning
A forecast can help you understand what the next several months may look like before committing to new hires, equipment, owner withdrawals, or other spending.
We prepare practical cash flow projections based on the information available and update them as assumptions change.
Owner compensation
How you pay yourself affects personal tax, corporate tax, CPP, RRSP contribution room, and cash flow.
We review salary, dividends, and other withdrawals in the context of your corporation's profitability and your personal needs.
Profitability review
Revenue does not always show which parts of a business are performing well.
We can review margins, recurring costs, client or service profitability, and other financial information to help identify where the business is earning money and where attention may be needed.
Financing and major purchases
Banks and other lenders may require current financial statements, projections, and supporting information.
We can help prepare the financial material needed for a financing request and assess how a major purchase may affect cash flow, debt, and taxes.
Buying or selling a business
A purchase or sale can affect taxes, financing, working capital, and future cash flow.
We help clients review the financial information, identify accounting and tax issues, and coordinate with legal counsel and other advisers where needed.
Corporate structure and ownership changes
Adding a shareholder, bringing in a partner, reorganizing related corporations, or planning for a future sale can have lasting tax and legal consequences.
We help assess the financial and tax implications and work with legal counsel on implementation where appropriate.
When advisory work is most useful
Business advisory support may be helpful when:
- Cash flow is becoming harder to predict
- The business is considering a significant hire or purchase
- The owner is reviewing salary and dividends
- A bank has requested projections or updated financial statements
- Profitability varies by client, product, or service
- A shareholder or partner may be added
- The business may be purchased, sold, or reorganized
- The owner wants a second perspective before making a major decision
The earlier the issue is reviewed, the more options may still be available.
How we approach an advisory engagement
1. Define the decision
We start with the specific question you are trying to answer.
2. Review the financial information
We examine the records, assumptions, and tax considerations that affect the decision.
3. Compare the options
We outline the financial consequences, trade-offs, and areas of uncertainty.
4. Identify next steps
You receive a practical recommendation or set of options, along with any further work that may be required from your lawyer, lender, or other adviser.
Advisory support connected to your accounting
The advice is often more useful when it is based on current bookkeeping, year-end financial statements, and a clear understanding of the corporation.
For that reason, advisory services are usually provided alongside corporate accounting, tax planning, or bookkeeping cleanup rather than as a broad standalone consulting engagement.
Ask before the decision is made
Many financial and tax consequences are difficult to change after a transaction has been completed.
Reviewing the numbers early can help you avoid preventable problems and make the decision with better information.
Advisory work is most useful when the question is clear and there is still time to act.
