Guide for Canadian Small Businesses

RC4070(E) Rev. 11

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La version française de cette publication est intitulée Guide pour les petites entreprises canadiennes.

Table of Contents

• Is this guide for you?
• Definitions
• Chapter 1: General Information
• Chapter 2: Setting up your business
  • Sole proprietorship
  • Partnership
  • Corporation
  • The Business Number
  • Keeping records
  • Bringing assets into a business
• Chapter 3: Goods and services tax and harmonized sales tax (GST/HST)
  • What is GST/HST?
  • Should you register for the GST/HST?
    • Small supplier
    • Effective date of registration
    • Voluntary registration
  • How to register
• Chapter 4: Excise taxes, excise duties and softwood lumber products export charge
  • What are excise taxes and excise duties?
  • Excise taxes
  • Excise duties
  • Softwood lumber products export charge
• Chapter 5: Payroll deductions and remittances
  • Do you need to register for a payroll deductions account?
  • What to deduct from your employees' remuneration
    • Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan
    • Employment Insurance
    • Income tax
    • Remittances
  • How to report payroll deductions
• Chapter 6: Income tax
  • Accounting for your earnings
    • The accrual method
    • The cash method
    • How to keep sales and expense journals
    • How to record your business expenses
  • Fiscal period
  • Income
    • Types of income
    • Inventory and cost of goods sold
  • Expenses
    • What are business expenses?
    • Running a business from your home
    • Types of operating expenses
• Chapter 7: Audits
  • What is an audit?
    • How we select files to audit
    • How we conduct audits
    • Delays in the audit, and how to avoid them
    • Finalizing an audit
  • Underground economy
  • Tax Alert
• Chapter 8: Objections and appeals
  • What to do if you disagree with a tax assessment
    • The objection process
    • Tax Court of Canada
    • Federal Court of Appeal
    • Supreme Court of Canada
• Chapter 9: At your service
  • Electronic services for businesses
    • Making online requests
    • Registering your business
    • Filing returns
    • The GST/HST Registry
    • Getting help
  • Bilingual service
  • Tax services offices
  • Tax centres
  • The International Tax Services Office
  • Advance income tax rulings and interpretations
  • GST/HST rulings and interpretations
  • Request a Canada Pension Plan (CPP)/Employment Insurance (EI) Ruling
  • Excise duty rulings and interpretations
  • Help for taxpayers with a hearing or speech disorder
  • Seminars, trade shows, and workshops
  • Employer visits program
  • Service Canada
  • Scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) investment tax credit
  • Canada Business Service Centres
  • Industry Canada
  • Your rights, entitlements, and obligations
  • What is the Voluntary Disclosures Program?
  • Taxpayer Relief Provisions
  • Our service complaint process
    • Taxpayers’ Ombudsman
• Summary of important dates for businesses
• Frequently used Web sites for small businesses
• Related Forms and Publications
  • Guides
  • Pamphlets, Brochures and Slips
  • Forms
  • Interpretation Bulletins
  • Information Circulars
  • Excise Duty Memoranda
  • Excise Tax and Special Levies Memoranda
  • Excise Taxes and Special Levies Notices
• For more information
  • What if you need help?
  • Forms and publications
  • Electronic mailing lists
  • My Account
  • My Business Account
  • Represent a Client
  • Electronic payments
  • Tax Information Phone Service (TIPS)
  • Teletypewriter (TTY) users
• Your opinion counts

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