Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
You searched for Sidhu Accounting & Tax Services Inc, and the honest starting point is that we know nothing about it. We can’t confirm where the firm operates, what it charges or how good it is, so we won’t describe it. What we can do is show you how to check any small accounting firm in about twenty minutes, and what a first year of business bookkeeping and remittances costs before an accountant is paid a cent.
How to check an accounting firm you found online
Start with the name on the door. A firm calling itself “Inc.” is a corporation, which tells you how it’s set up, not what its accountants are qualified to do. Ask which individuals will handle your file and what their designation is. If it’s CPA, the provincial CPA body keeps a register and will confirm the member and whether a public accounting licence is on file.
Then use the CRA’s directory. The CRA lists tax preparers certified to file returns electronically, and a firm doing your T1 or T2 should be able to say how it files. It also lists warning signs: a preparer who tells you not to get a second opinion, promises an unusually big refund or says the CRA approved a scheme. Never sign a blank form, whatever the firm.
One small test: phone on a weekday and ask who would actually do the work. A clear answer in under a minute is a good sign. “We’ll get back to you” three times is not.
What should you bring to the first meeting?
Bring last year’s notice of assessment, every slip you received, your bank and card statements if you’re self-employed, and the GST/HST number if you have one. The CRA’s page on using a professional tax preparer says to keep your records, and the rule is simple.
Keep all your tax slips, receipts, and the completed Form T183 for at least 6 years.
Using a professional tax preparer, canada.ca
So if a firm asks you to hand over the only copy of anything, say no and offer a photocopy or scan.
For a business, add the corporate documents and the payroll account number. You want a written engagement letter that says what’s included. Bookkeeping, a T2, year-end statements and HST returns are separate jobs, and firms price them separately. We have no fee levels to give you, so don’t take a number from us or from an ad.
What does the paperwork cost before fees?
This is the part no accountant can reduce, and it helps to know it before you compare quotes. Here are three results from our own calculators.
| Situation | Result from the engine |
|---|---|
| Sole proprietor, $80,000 net, Ontario | $22,126 income tax and CPP, both halves (27.7% of income) |
| Sale of $1,000 in Ontario | $130 HST collected, so $1,130 total |
| One employee paid $3,000 a pay period | $961.03 to remit each period, full payroll cost $3,228.41 |
The first figure is from the self-employed tax calculator, and it leaves out EI and business expenses. The second is the GST/HST calculator. That HST isn’t your income, since you hold it for the CRA. The third comes from the payroll remittance calculator, which adds the employer’s CPP and EI share to the amounts held back from pay.
Small business rates worth knowing
The CRA’s rates page gives a federal net rate of 9% for Canadian-controlled private corporations that use the small business deduction, and 15% for everyone else. Provincial rates come on top and differ by province, and some moved in 2026. The Ontario rate we use is a blend for a calendar 2026 year, worked out by us and not published, so treat it as a rough figure. The corporate tax calculator is a fair way to size the bill before a meeting. It doesn’t model associated companies or the passive income limits, and an accountant would.
What should the engagement letter say?
Short and boring is fine. It should name who does the work, list the jobs included (say, one T1, bookkeeping for twelve months, and the HST returns), say what happens if the CRA writes to you later, and say how you pay. If a firm bills hourly, ask for a ballpark in writing before work starts. That way a few extra receipts don’t turn into a bill that makes you wince at tax time.
Mistakes when hiring a small firm
Paying a firm that guarantees a refund is the classic one. Nobody can promise that before they’ve seen your numbers. Another is skipping the instalment question. If your net tax owing passed $3,000 (Quebec: $1,800) in the current year and in 2025 or 2024, the CRA expects quarterly payments on 15 March, 15 June, 15 September and 15 December. Ask any firm you’re considering when it will tell you that number.
And watch for the firm that does everything by phone with nothing in writing. You can’t dispute what you can’t show. Remember too that you sign the return, so you answer for what’s on it. If a line looks odd, ask until it makes sense.
Where these figures come from
Tax figures are from our calculators, using 2026 federal and Ontario data from the Canada Revenue Agency. The instalment thresholds and dates come from the CRA’s instalment pages, the six-year record rule from its tax preparer page, and the federal corporate rates from its corporation tax rates page. We aren’t connected with any accounting firm, the CRA or any government.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sidhu Accounting & Tax Services Inc a good firm?
We can't say. We haven't confirmed anything about the firm, so check its people on the provincial CPA register and ask for a written engagement letter.
How do I find out if an accountant is a CPA?
Look them up on the register of the provincial CPA body in the province where they practise.
What should I bring to a first meeting?
Last year's notice of assessment, all your slips, bank statements for a business, and your GST/HST and payroll account numbers if you have them.
How long should I keep my tax records?
The CRA says at least six years.
What are the warning signs of a bad tax preparer?
The CRA lists discouraging a second opinion, promising unusually large refunds, claiming CRA approval and asking you to sign blank forms.
- How to choose a tax preparer in Canada
How to decide if you need a tax preparer, what a preparer does, the questions to ask before you hire one and where to find free help in Canada