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See all servicesYour business is your biggest asset. Plan like it.
Most business owners spend their days growing the business and their nights worrying about it. The finances of the person and the finances of the company get tangled, and nobody ever sits down to untangle them. That is what this page is for: the big levers available to Canadian business owners, explained in plain English.
One rule before we start: anything touching corporate tax should run past your accountant. My role is to make sure you understand your options first, so you walk into that conversation asking sharper questions.
Keep more of what you earn
Salary versus dividends is the classic question, and the honest answer is that it depends on your income, your province, and your long-term plans. Beyond that, business owners have tools employees do not: timing income across years, using corporate dollars for insurance where the structure allows, and building retirement income inside the company instead of only outside it. None of this is about loopholes. It is about using the rules as they were written, on purpose.
Put corporate dollars to work
Retained earnings sitting in a corporate account are losing ground every year. Business owners can invest inside the corporation, and the growth compounds there until it is needed. The strategy has to fit how and when you plan to take the money out, which is exactly the kind of thing worth mapping out with someone who does this daily.
Protect the machine: key person insurance
Every business has someone it cannot easily replace. Sometimes that is you. Key person insurance means that if that person dies or becomes unable to work, the business gets a financial cushion: time to hire, time to adjust, time to survive the shock. For partnerships, this pairs with a buy-sell agreement so ownership transfers cleanly instead of becoming a crisis.
Take care of your people: group benefits
Group benefits are how small businesses compete with big ones for talent. Health, dental, disability, and life coverage for your team, structured to fit a small business budget. If you have even a handful of employees, it is worth a conversation about what is possible at your size.
Plan the exit you actually want
Whether the plan is selling to a partner, passing it to family, or winding down on your terms, the exit works better when it is designed years in advance. Insurance, corporate assets, and personal retirement income all have to point the same direction. Starting that design early is the whole game.
Common questions
Can I pay for life insurance with corporate dollars?
In many cases, yes, and it is one of the most common strategies business owners ask about. The tax treatment depends on the structure, so this is always a conversation between you, your advisor, and your accountant, not a DIY decision.
What is key person insurance?
Life or disability insurance on someone the business cannot easily replace: a founder, a rainmaker, a technical lead. If that person dies or cannot work, the policy gives the business breathing room to recover instead of scrambling.
What is a buy-sell agreement?
A written agreement between business partners about what happens to ownership if one of them dies, becomes disabled, or wants out. Life insurance is often used to fund it, so the surviving partner can buy the shares without draining the business.
Should I talk to my accountant first?
Yes. Anything touching corporate tax should run past your accountant. My job is to make sure you walk into that conversation understanding your options, so you can ask better questions and make better decisions.
Start with a quick check: before any bigger conversation, see where your business coverage stands: Check your business coverage in a few minutes.
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