M5 Bookkeeping & Payroll

08/23/2026

A

06/26/2026

If there's one deduction that I always focus on - it's the medical expenses.

These are easily the most misunderstood and under-reported deduction in personal income taxes.

Manitoba is the only province that does not allow massages to be deducted. That may change soon with the province forming a professional association this year. That little tidbit of news got me thinking about my favourite deduction.

You can claim a wide variety of medical expenses. But you have to be out-of-pocket. What does that mean? You have to be able to prove the expense. And if you have private health insurance (Blue Cross, Manulife, etc.), you cannot make a claim for something you have been reimbursed for.

BUT

You can claim the medical insurance premiums you pay. 100% of the insurance premiums are a deduction.

And my favourite deduction? Mileage.

Rural taxpayers often drive to Winnipeg, Boundary Trails Health Centre or Brandon for appointments. Medical insurance does not re-imburse for these trips, so you can claim them for the flat rate. In 2025 it was $0.56 per kilometre. A few trips to HSC or St. Boniface General and the deduction starts to add up. Plus you can claim meals and parking.

You will need your receipts for the parking. For the meals and mileage, you just need a note from the practitioner that you attended the appointment. You can ask for a list in January for your previous year's appointments. Most places do not charge.

And while I am thinking about lists - if you pay for medications - please go to your pharmacist in January and ask for the list of your medication expenses too! Again, I don't know any pharmacies that charge for this service. Now you can stop worrying about every slip and receipt. 😉

Send a message to learn more

06/17/2026

From time to time I have people contact me, asking if they should file a return or not. Usually they haven't filed for a number of years, and are terrified they will owe the government.

Let me fill you in on a little secret the CRA doesn't want you to know.

Despite everything you may have heard (or read in the news), the CRA is not stupid. They have a ton of smart people and very sophisticated computers keeping track of taxpayers' data. The system isn't perfect - that's for sure. 😜 But here is something to consider:

If the CRA thinks the government owes you money - they are not going to reach out to you. They are going to be silent.

If the CRA thinks that you owe money - they ARE going to reach out to you.

Filing a tax return is NOT optional if the CRA demands you file.

But if they are sure that you are owed money (either by you overpaying your taxes, or you may be eligible for a number of benefits that are only triggered by filing a return) - you will not hear a peep. Nothing. Nada.

Why?

Because it is not in the governments interest to spend time and money looking for people (taxpayers) who are owed money. They will keep your money, and be silent.

I have never had someone file multiple returns (who has not been contacted) and owe. Without exception, they get refunds. Sometimes hundreds, sometimes thousands - but always much more than the cost of filing the returns.

So here's a promise I will make to you:

If you have not been contacted by the CRA to file, and your returns are for personal only (no business returns) I will charge my regular $50 per return fee. No upfront deposit required.

If your refunds are less than my fee, I will not charge you more than your refund.

If you owe, I will waive my fee.

The benefits of filing previous years include: GST, Carbon Tax Rebate, Canadian Workers Tax Benefit and many others. But these can ONLY be claimed if you file a tax return.

Please feel free to contact me for an appointment. If you have questions but decide not to file, there is no charge.

The system is not rigged - but it is complex - so it FEELS rigged.

I can help you.

You don't have to gamble to find out how much money - if any - you are owed.

Send a message to learn more

05/14/2026

Sometimes clients ask me about expensing items that are not allowed under the CRA rules.

They want to know what are the chances of them being caught improperly expensing things; which leads to under-reporting your income (profit). This causes a lower tax bill.

I have explained that as a bookkeeper, my primary goal is accurate record keeping. I will always strive to keep my knowledge current of CRA rules and the best practices for Canadian bookkeepers.

If you are in business, and you want to "paint outside the lines" or "write-off some gray area items" then please don't contact us.

We won't be able to work together.

05/04/2026

Hey there! Now that tax season is over, we can get back to focussing on the meat and potatoes of accounting - the books! 😆

We have decades of experience with sole proprietorships with no employees (such as in-home daycares, photography studios, hairdressers), partnerships, farms with seasonal employees, and of course corporations with dozens of employees.

In other words - we've seen it all, done it all. PST and GST filing, payroll for weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and commissioned staff, monthly bank statement reconciliations - we can do it all.

Some clients want weekly and monthly updates, some clients only need to drop by once a quarter for a final check before submitting. Whatever level of service you require, we can make it work for you!

Please feel free to contact us if you need help, or just a little guidance. We can provide the advice to keep your books up to CRA expectations without the cost of taking on another staff member.

Have a great day!

04/29/2026

I still have openings before Thursday's deadline - contact me if you want your taxes done this week.

Send a message to learn more

04/26/2026

Today is very exciting for me.

I am proud to announce that I have retired from my government finance position, and I am now devoting my entire work week to M5 Bookkeeping & Payroll.

This has been a long time coming. I wish I had done it sooner.

Thanks to all my clients, old and new. I can hardly wait to connect with more people and businesses.

Of course, now I have expanded hours. Please reach out if you need your taxes done before this Thursdays deadline.

04/21/2026

We've got a week left before the deadline.

If you haven't filed yet, I have a couple of appointments available. Otherwise I can help you after the deadline of April 30th.

Remember, you need to file to get the new enhanced GST credit!

04/03/2026

Happy Easter everyone!

Tax season is half done. If you haven't booked an appointment yet, I have openings this week in the evening starting at 5:30 pm.

03/21/2026

Hey there! I am booked all this week. My next available appointment is March 30th.

Thank you all so much for your support. It is so rewarding to have so many returning clients.