Tax requires expertise in both the law and in reading numbers. For tax law purposes, there is a fine line between the advice of a Canadian tax lawyer and the advice of a chartered professional accountant (“CPA”).

CPAs are educated and trained on how to read numbers properly. They provide advice regarding deductions and what paperwork should be filed by what date. Then, they are the ones who prepare and fill out tax forms and tax returns.

CPAs are not trained nor qualified to give legal advice regarding your business. This includes providing opinions on certain matters. CPAs are legally not allowed to provide their professional opinion regarding legal issues because they can be held liable if something goes wrong. However, this is what lawyers are for. Lawyers have the qualifications and expertise to give legal advice surrounding your business.