What a tax accountant does
A tax accountant focuses on compliance and planning rather than general bookkeeping or financial reporting. In public practice they prepare and review T2 corporate, T1 personal and T3 trust returns, file GST/HST returns, respond to CRA reviews and advise owner-managers on remuneration, corporate structure and year-end planning. In industry, they manage the company's filings, prepare tax provisions for the financial statements and keep leadership informed about legislative changes that affect the business.
Tax errors are costly: interest, penalties and lost time with the CRA, plus missed opportunities that a careful planner would have caught. That is why many employers look for the CPA designation through CPA Ontario and, for specialist roles, completion of CPA Canada's In-Depth Tax Course. Finch screens candidates on the types and complexity of returns they have handled, how they review their own work and others', and how they explain tax decisions to clients who simply want the right answer.
Typical responsibilities
- Prepare and review T2 corporate, T1 personal and T3 trust returns
- File GST/HST returns and advise on registration, input tax credits and place-of-supply questions
- Respond to CRA reviews, audits and requests for information, and prepare notices of objection when needed
- Advise owner-managers on salary and dividend mix, corporate structure and year-end planning
- Prepare income tax provisions for financial statements in corporate roles
- Track budget announcements and legislative changes and explain their effect
Qualifications and credentials
- The CPA designation through CPA Ontario, or active progress in the CPA program
- Completion of or enrolment in CPA Canada's In-Depth Tax Course for specialist and senior roles
- Strong knowledge of the Income Tax Act and the GST/HST rules under the Excise Tax Act
- Experience in a public accounting tax group or an in-house tax department
- Proficiency with professional tax preparation software
- Cross-border or trust and estate experience where your client base requires it
Who hires a tax accountant
- Public accounting firms of all sizes
- Boutique tax practices
- Corporations with in-house tax departments
- Family offices and wealth management firms
- Law firms with tax and estate practices
Where we recruit tax accountant candidates
We fill tax accountant roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- CPA status confirmed with CPA Ontario, along with any specialist tax training
- The return types and client complexity they have handled, such as holding companies, trusts or cross-border files
- How they manage CRA correspondence and audits from start to finish
- Review habits and experience training junior staff
- Eligibility to work in Canada and availability through the busy season
Interview questions to ask
- An owner-manager asks whether to take salary or dividends this year. What do you need to know before answering?
- Describe a CRA review you handled, from the first letter to resolution.
- How do you keep up with federal and Ontario budget changes, and how do you share them with clients?