Tax Dispute Resolution

A letter from the Canada Revenue Agency is not the end of the conversation — it is the start of one. RN Canada helps Alberta and British Columbia owner-managers respond to CRA audits, challenge assessments they disagree with, and put past mistakes right through voluntary disclosure. The aim is to engage the CRA on the facts and the law, calmly and completely, so the outcome reflects what actually happened rather than the worst-case assumption.

What RN Canada does

• CRA audit support. Managing the information flow during an audit — understanding the scope, assembling complete records, and preparing clear, consistent responses to the auditor's queries.
• Notices of objection. Preparing the formal objection when you disagree with an assessment or reassessment, including the written submissions that set out why the result is wrong.
• Appeals. Preparing the submissions to carry a dispute beyond the objection stage where the facts and law support it.
• Voluntary disclosures. Preparing disclosure submissions under the Voluntary Disclosures Program to correct prior filings before the CRA initiates contact.
• Taxpayer-relief requests. Preparing requests for relief from penalties and interest where the circumstances qualify.

On compliance matters, RN Canada prepares submissions and represents you in dealings with the CRA. We do not file tax returns on a client's behalf beyond preparing them for filing — you remain the taxpayer of record throughout.

How disputes are handled

Most disputes follow a sequence, and where you are in that sequence shapes the strategy. An audit is the CRA's review of your filings; handled well, many issues are resolved before any reassessment is issued. If a reassessment lands and you disagree, a notice of objection is the formal challenge, and it carries a strict filing deadline — missing it can close the door on the dispute. If the objection does not resolve matters, an appeal is the next stage.

Separately, where the issue is a past error rather than a disagreement, the Voluntary Disclosures Program lets a taxpayer come forward to correct prior filings — unreported income or unfiled returns, for example — before the CRA makes contact, which can reduce penalties and provide relief where the program's conditions are met.

Underlying all of this are the same filing deadlines that govern compliance: a T2 corporation return is due within six months of year-end, and the T1 personal return is due April 30 (June 15 for the self-employed, with any balance still due April 30). Source: Corporation income tax filing and payment deadlines — Canada.ca. Disputes frequently turn on whether those obligations were met and on what the records show.

Who it's for

This service fits owner-managers facing a CRA audit, taxpayers who have received an assessment or reassessment they believe is wrong, and anyone who needs to correct prior filings before the CRA finds the problem first. It suits Alberta and BC businesses and individuals who want their position prepared and presented properly rather than navigating the CRA process alone.

How RN Canada helps

We bring structure to the response — scoping the issue, assembling the records, preparing the objection, appeal or disclosure, and representing your position to the CRA on the compliance file. Our founder, Ozgur Duymaz, holds a Ph.D. in accounting and finance and is a CPA (Canada), ACCA (UK) and CMA (US). If you have received a CRA letter or need to correct a past filing, talk to us or browse the full services overview.

This page is general information, not personalized tax advice. Speak to us about your specific situation.