Our Services

-  Identify the financing need and develop the appropriate capital structure 
- Assist in preparing the business plan and financial model 
- Recommend and approach the sources of capital and assist with their due diligence 
- Lead negotiations or provide negotiation support and evaluate the deal to make sure it is fair and reasonable 
- Ensure funds are disbursed quickly, according to agreed terms and conditions 

Debt and Equity Financing services are provided by AB Capital Inc.

According to the bestseller book “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas J. Stanley PhD., the #1 Lifestyle Activity of the American Millionaire is consulting with a tax expert.  The reason:  lack of expert advice costs big money!

Webster’s Dictionary define a Specialist as “One who devotes himself to a special occupation or branch of learning”.

The Canadian Income Tax Act and Regulations are alone more than 2,200 pages of often indecipherable language. That
is only the beginning.  The statutes are augmented by volumes of case law spanning centuries, when one considers the common-law underpinnings of our tax concepts.  The statues and cases are in turn supported by volumes of interpretations, opinions and rulings from our tax authorities.  It is a full time commitment to keep up with new the substantial changes made by the government each year to tax laws, with voluminous contradictory CCRA private interpretations and rulings as well as the hundreds of Court decisions each year that influence tax-planning strategies. 
In short our tax laws are a complex and ever evolving maze of rules and exceptions. 

Your tax planning skills are only as good as your comprehension of the underlying rules.  Unless someone dedicates at least one to two hours per day all year long to reading and reviewing changes in the tax law, they are simply not keeping up.  For those who embark on a career in tax (bless our souls), it literally takes years of study before the fog begins to clear.  This is one way to draw a line between a novice and an expert. 

Don't confuse tax preparation with tax planning

Often people confuse the difference between tax planning and tax preparation.
The essential difference between tax preparation and tax planning is that tax preparation occurs when the events which generated the tax payable have already occurred, whereas tax planning is the development of a strategy for dealing with events that have not yet occurred.   Tax planning is looking at the future and trying to develop both long term and short term strategies to minimize the tax bill.

In essence, the difference between tax preparers and a tax specialist is like the difference between a technician and the experienced professional; like the difference between an intern and a specialist doctor, a dental assistant and an oral surgeon, a draftsperson and an architect.  Like other professions that license specialists separately, few accountants, financial advisors or lawyers dedicate themselves full time to the rigours of developing and maintaining their tax knowledge.  

Because tax planning and advice is so ethereal and user-specific, it is extremely difficult for the user to know whether someone is a novice or an expert, a preparer or a specialist.  Specific questions should be asked to determine whether the individual is a knowledgeable tax strategist:

1. An initial indication of advanced training in taxation is completion of the tax specialist training program facilitated by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants;
2. A history of teaching or writing for tax organizations such as the Canadian Tax Foundation, professional bodies or local colleges or universities;
3. Commitment to professional development.  Ask about courses taken in the last 2 years.  It is not unusual for a tax specialist to invest $5,000 to $10,000 annually attending conferences and seminars; and acquiring specialized tax software;
4. Years of experience. Ask how many times they have dealt with other individuals or organizations in the same industry. 
5. References.  Ask for references from successful individuals and professionals in the business community.

When faced with major financial or life changing events (such as starting business in a new country, buying or selling a business, high levels of taxable income, shareholder changes, etc.) when a misstep can deprive your business or your family of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, it makes a lot of sense to enlist an qualified, experienced tax specialist to review your situation and recommend strategies that could save you tax over the long run.

Make sure you are talking to an expert!

Tax Minimization vs. Tax Evasion

The bottom line is tax minimization is legal and tax evasion is illegal. Tax minimization involves having sufficient knowledge and experience with the vast provisions in the Income Tax Act to minimize your tax bill. Tax evasion is knowingly falsifying statements or failure to disclose income sources.

Sept 2008

Canada’s Income Tax Act is a sea of minutiae. Onerous requirements charging Canadian individuals, companies and trusts to pay taxes interweaved with exemptions, exceptions, exceptions to the exceptions, conflicting definitions together with increasing demands for disclosure of personal financial information with punitively costly penalties for failure to file or file on time.