— Dealing with the Canada Revenue Agency
CRA Representation and Resolution
The CRA sent you a letter, opened an audit, or started collecting on a balance you don’t agree with. We step in as your authorized representative, manage the CRA correspondence, and build the response that moves your file toward resolution.
— WHO THIS SERVICE IS FOR
When the CRA opens a file on you
This service helps U.S. citizens, executors, and business owners who need someone to manage an active matter with the CRA, from a first audit letter through to full resolution.
01 / UNDER REVIEW
The CRA selected your return for an audit or a review
02 / DISPUTING AN ASSESSMENT
You received a Notice of Assessment or Reassessment you don’t agree with
03 / BEHIND ON FILINGS OR PAYMENTS
You have unfiled returns, an outstanding balance, or unanswered CRA correspondence
— OVERVIEW
Know exactly where your file stands before you respond
The CRA works on its own timeline, and every letter it sends carries a deadline. We start by reading the notice, reassessment, or audit request in full, and we tell you plainly what the CRA is asking for, what triggered it, and when your response is actually due.
When you disagree with an assessment, we prepare and file the Notice of Objection that puts your file in front of an appeals officer who is independent of the auditor who issued it. Individuals generally have until the later of 90 days from the date on the notice or one year from the return’s filing deadline; corporations work on a flat 90-day clock from the date of the reassessment. We track that deadline so you don’t lose your right to dispute the assessment.
When the issue is unfiled returns or unreported income rather than a disputed assessment, we assess whether a Voluntary Disclosures Program application fits your situation. Under the CRA’s current VDP rules, disclosures made before the CRA contacts you about the specific issue can qualify for up to full penalty relief and significant interest relief; disclosures made after the CRA has already reached out can still qualify, but for a reduced level of interest relief. We prepare the application and the supporting documentation the CRA requires.
When the matter is collections rather than a dispute, we negotiate your payment arrangement directly with the CRA and request relief from penalties and interest where your circumstances support it.
— INCLUDED SERVICES
What This Service Covers
CRA AUDITS
Audit Representation and Support
We act as your point of contact for a CRA audit, review, or request for information, and we organize your records into the response the auditor asked for.
NOTICE OF OBJECTION
Objections and Reassessment Disputes
We prepare and file your Notice of Objection, track the 90-day deadline, and manage the file through the CRA appeals officer’s review.
VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURES
Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) Applications
We prepare your VDP submission for unfiled returns or unreported income and confirm it meets the CRA’s current eligibility conditions before you file it.
TAX DEBT
Payment Arrangements and Collections Resolution
We negotiate your payment arrangement directly with CRA collections and request relief from penalties and interest where your circumstances qualify.
CRA AUTHORIZATION
Represent a Client Authorization
We register as your authorized representative through the CRA’s Represent a Client service, so we receive and respond to your CRA correspondence directly.
APPEALS SUPPORT
Objection Escalation and Appeals Coordination
For matters that move past the CRA’s internal appeals stage, we prepare the supporting file and coordinate with independent tax counsel on any appeal to the Tax Court of Canada.
— HOW IT WORKS
Resolving Your CRA Matter, Step by Step
We use the same process across every engagement, applied to your specific matter with the CRA.
01 / BOOK YOUR
Consultation
02 / GET THE
Expert Advice
03 / STRATEGY PLANNING &
Implementation
— FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Our Expert Answers
Read the letter for the specific years and issues under review, and note the response deadline before you do anything else. We register as your authorized representative, respond to the auditor’s information requests on your behalf, and manage the file until the CRA closes it.
Individuals get the later of 90 days from the date on the Notice of Assessment or Reassessment, or one year from the return’s filing due date. Corporations work on a flat 90-day deadline from the date of the reassessment. Miss it, and you generally lose your right to object without applying for an extension.
The VDP lets you correct unfiled returns or unreported income before the CRA catches it, in exchange for relief from penalties and a portion of the interest owing. Disclosures you make before the CRA contacts you about the issue qualify for the highest level of relief; disclosures you make after the CRA has already reached out can still qualify, but for less interest relief. We confirm your eligibility before you file.
In most cases, yes. The CRA generally works out a payment arrangement based on your income, expenses, and assets. We negotiate that arrangement on your behalf and request relief from interest or penalties where your circumstances support it.
You may still have options. The CRA allows an application for an extension of time in limited circumstances, but you generally have to apply within a year of the original deadline, and the CRA doesn’t grant extensions automatically. Acting quickly gives you the best chance at a favourable outcome.
— OUR ADVANTAGE
Why you need AmeriCanada Tax on your side
“An audit, a disputed reassessment, or a CRA collections letter all come with a deadline — and the CRA’s dispute process works nothing like the IRS’s.”
Missing the 90-day window to object, misreading what an auditor is asking for, or negotiating a payment arrangement without leverage can cost you money and options you didn’t have to give up.
We represent you directly with the CRA, track every deadline your file carries, and manage the audit, objection, or collections matter through to resolution.
— RELATED SERVICES