Is It Time to Take the Plunge and Incorporate My Business in Canada?

business in Canada incorporate

In a nutshell, this question can be answered in a variety of ways based on a variety of things.

  • How much profit the business makes
  • Which direction you want your business to go, and what you want to achieve
  • How does your personal tax situation now stands
  • What type of enterprise it is, what legal dangers it confronts, etc.

This comprehensive reference on Canadian business incorporation will help you examine the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating.

This section will cover situations where incorporation is advantageous and those where it is not so that you can make an informed decision.

Advantages of Forming a Corporation

Let’s begin with an overview of the benefits of incorporating your small business, and then we’ll examine each advantage in greater depth.

Operating a business through a corporation provides protection against personal liability. It makes it more difficult for creditors to confiscate your personal assets should your business default on payments.

Tax Savings and Deferral — In some cases, the corporate tax rate is lower than the individual tax rate. If you operate as a corporation instead of as a sole proprietorship, you may be able to defer and minimize your tax payment.

Income Splitting – Historically, the major reason for founding a small organization was income splitting. This has changed significantly since 2018 due to new tax legislation. It is still viable, although less favourable than in the past.

Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption

Estate Planning – A corporation will continue to exist after your death, as it is a different entity from you. This may come in handy while organizing the transfer of your assets.

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Formation of a Canadian Corporation Drawbacks

When deciding if you should incorporate, you must compare the advantages against the potential disadvantages, which are outlined in the following section.

First, we will present an overview of the disadvantages, followed by a discussion of each in detail.

Fees Associated with Incorporation – Incorporating a business incurs expenses. Involving an attorney in the design of the articles of incorporation is a good idea, but it can be costly.

Permanent Expenses – Legal filing fees and accounting fees to file the corporate tax return must be paid annually.

Administrative Burden — To be in good standing with the government, the corporation must file legal and tax records annually. This requires attention and time from the owner (s).

In certain situations, operating your business as a corporation may incur a greater tax burden than operating as a sole proprietorship.

You may be wondering, “should I incorporate my business?” Even after reading the pros and cons of incorporating your business, you may still be uncertain about whether or not to incorporate.

People may believe that incorporation is the best business form since it appears to be the gold standard for conducting business. This is not always the case.

In some situations, incorporation is beneficial, while in others, operating as a single proprietorship is preferred.

Concerned With Liability?

One of the most prominent reasons why Canadians incorporate their small enterprises is liability protection. In the event that creditors pursue your business, incorporation may limit your liability. This suggests that only the company’s assets and not yours are at risk.

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Incorporation can frequently save a business owner from financial ruin. However, it is essential to note that there are scenarios in which corporate directors may remain personally liable for the company’s debts.

Development of a Business for Sale

If you plan to sell your business in the future, incorporation could result in substantial tax savings.

Operating your business as a Canadian-controlled private corporation (CCPC) may permit you to sell your shares for capital gains of $913,630 tax-free. This is accomplished using the lifetime capital gains exemption (LCGE).

To be eligible for the LCGE, several prerequisites must be met. Here is a brief summary of these requirements:

At the time of the sale, at least 90% of the company’s assets must be utilized in current activities (as opposed to passive investments).

During the whole 24 month period preceding the sale, fifty percent of the company’s assets must have been utilized in active activity (i.e. they cannot be passive investments).

The business owner must have held the shares for at least 24 months previous to the sale date.

Generally speaking, it is straightforward to satisfy these standards and save a large amount of tax on the sale of your small business.

When your business’s earnings exceed your needs

The bulk of the time, tax deferral benefits come when a company makes more money in a given year than it needs.

If your company earns more than you need for living expenses, you can reinvest the excess. This means you pay the corporate tax rate at a lower rate as opposed to the higher individual tax rate.

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The additional tax is deferred until it is delivered to shareholders as pay or dividends.

Anticipating Losses

Some enterprises require substantial time to launch. It is common for businesses to incur losses for several years prior to taking off.

If the loss is sustained by a sole proprietorship, the owner can deduct it from his other taxable income to reduce his overall tax liability. If the business was incorporated, only future profits may be deducted from the loss.

Assuming the owner can use the losses for his or her own benefit, the advantage belongs to the proprietorship. After establishing profitability, the company might incorporate (if there were other compelling reasons for incorporation).

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