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Generating New Business: Strategies to Get New Leads
In the competitive landscape of today’s business world, generating new leads is crucial for growth and sustainability. Whether you’re a small startup or an established enterprise, having a robust lead generation strategy can be the difference between stagnation and success. Here are some effective strategies to help you attract new leads and grow your business.…
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Expanding Your Business: When to Hire More Staff and How to Do It Right
Growing your business is an exciting milestone, but it’s also a decision that requires careful planning and strategic thinking. One of the biggest challenges that comes with expansion is deciding when to hire more staff. Bringing new employees on board too soon can strain your finances, but waiting too long might slow down growth and…
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Keeping the family cottage in the family
Transferring a family cottage to the next generation can be a meaningful way to preserve family memories, but it often comes with significant tax implications. Here are some strategies to reduce taxes on this transfer, ensuring that more value is passed on to your loved ones. 1. Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) One of the…
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Keeping the farm in the family
The family farm has been the traditional backbone of agriculture across Manitoba and western Canada. Older generations of farmers may look to their spouse or children to carry on and continue operating what they have built. In planning for this eventuality, there are some strategies to consider in order to minimize the tax liability and…
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Why Annual Health Checkups Can Propel Your Business Toward Success
In today’s competitive landscape, the health of your business is paramount. Just as individuals benefit from regular health checkups, businesses too require annual assessments to ensure they are on the right path. In this blog, we will explore how conducting annual checkups for your business can lead to improved performance, strategic growth, and long-term success.…
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Swim for your Life
I dip my toes into the edge of the pool. The water is warm, but not too warm. The Kinsmen Aquatic Complex is recreational pool designed for all users – not just us lane swimmers. A quick glance at the oversized swim clock tells me it’s 12:20 pm – my usual swim time. I am…
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Trusted advice to help you and your business
When you think of your accountant, do you put them in the same category as your dentist: once a year and its always painful? When you deal with Accent it should not be either of those things. Did you know that we provide other services such as interim financial reviews, tax planning and projection of…
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Employee vs. Subcontractor – Know the Difference
Not all workers paid to work for you or support your business are employees. In some circumstances, they may be categorized as a subcontractor. What’s the difference between an employee and a subcontractor? There are important distinctions that you should know about. CRA withholding taxes Employers are required to withhold relevant withholding amounts such as…
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Staff Gifts and Parties: How To Thank Employees and Get a Deduction!
As an employer you will go through cycles where business will be busy, slow, or somewhere in between. At the start and end of each busy season you will consider ways to motivate your team during busy seasons, and then think of ways to thank staff after the busy season ends. As we are nearing…
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Cash is King
In the current climate, every business needs cash. If your cash is tied up in accounts receivable and inventory, you are putting the health of your business at risk. Learning about your business’ cash-flow cycle will enable you to maximize new opportunities and allow for flexibility and growth. By following these six strategies, you will…
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What to do when someone dies
Experiencing the death of a loved one is a difficult thing to go through. Aside from the loss of someone close to you – a family member, friend, co-worker or neighbour, there are plenty of things that need to be dealt with on behalf of the individual’s estate. These include arrangements for a funeral/celebration of…
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Taking Care of Seniors and Persons with Disabilities
In today’s age, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable housing and support for the seniors and persons with disabilities in our lives. Many families are renovating their homes to accommodate the people they love. To make individual housing more affordable, and to help families take care of eligible family members in their homes,…
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Where should I invest? RRSPs vs TFSAs
This is the time of year when people consider both RRSPs and TFSAs. It can be a complicated and confusing topic. Let’s dive into each plan, discuss the benefits, and discuss when you might want to choose one over the other for your savings strategy! Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) RRSPs are an investment strategy…
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Expanded Trust Reporting Requirements
We would like to make you aware that the Canada Revenue Agency had made significant changes to trust reporting requirements. These requirements are much broader in scope, thereby capturing situations that most taxpayers have not traditionally considered. Effective years ending December 31, 2023 or later, certain trusts are required to file a T3 trust return…
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Changes coming to T4/T4A reporting Requirements
What employers have to know? Preparing annual T4s and T4As can be stressful for employers and to make the process as smooth as possible, there are some important changes for 2023 T4s and T4As that you should know about. In November of 2022, the first part of the Canadian Dental Care Plan was passed to…
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Happy Holidays from Accent!
With the holiday season fast approaching and 2023 quickly winding down, we would like to thank all our clients for a wonderful year. We are grateful for your trust and continued support. 2023 brought some big changes to Accent. In March, we brought on a new Associate Partner, Whitney Sharkey, CPA CA. Whitney had been…
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Personal Taxes: Prepare for the Year Ahead
Preparing for tax filing in Canada can seem daunting, but taking a few simple steps can make the process much smoother. With the right preparation and understanding of the tax filing process, filing your taxes can be a simple process! Here are some tips to help you get started: File on time Make sure to…
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That’s a Wrap!
As the school year comes to an end and summer begins, it’s time to let loose and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation and fun. Kudos to all the parents and educators for successfully herding the kids through another school year and sports season! Whether you’re planning to travel to a new destination, spend time with friends…
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5 Common Payroll Mistakes
Of all the responsibilities of an employer, ensuring correct payroll filings is easily one of the most important. Errors in payroll can cause frustrations with employees and can be costly with the CRA. Keep reading to learn about five of the most common payroll mistakes. Not increasing minimum wages or vacation pay when legally required…
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Fraud and Your Small Business
Business fraud is a scary term, and nobody thinks it can happen to them. Business fraud can be committed by employees, or can be committed against the business as a whole. In either case, this is a serious issue and it is crucial that business owners be aware and mindful of types of fraud in…