Abbotsford CPA serving the Fraser Valley•Mon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm (604) 832-1743•info@everstonecpa.com
For real estate professionals

The Accountant Realtors Actually Understand

Commission income, a PREC, big swings between good years and slow ones — real estate taxes are their own world. We handle it end to end, online, at a fixed fee.

Book a Free ConsultCall (604) 832-1743

Whether you’re a newly-licensed agent or a top producer weighing a Personal Real Estate Corporation (PREC), EverStone helps you keep more of every commission. We work with realtors across Canada remotely — corporate and personal tax, bookkeeping, and the salary-vs-dividend planning that actually moves the needle on commission income.

What we handle for you

  • PREC setup & whether incorporating is worth it for your income level
  • T2 corporate returns and year-end financial statements
  • GST/HST registration and filing on your commissions
  • Tracking and maximizing agent expenses (vehicle, marketing, desk fees, phone)
  • Salary vs. dividend planning to smooth out uneven commission years
  • Personal T1 returns coordinated with your corporation
Real estate tax, in plain English

The tax issues that trip up real estate agents

Commission income behaves nothing like a paycheque, and the CRA treats it differently. Here are the five things that decide how much of your commission you actually keep — and where most agents leave money on the table.

No tax is withheld from your commissions

Your brokerage pays you gross, so nothing is set aside for the CRA. Once you owe more than $3,000 in a year, the CRA puts you on quarterly instalments — and penalizes you for missing them. We forecast your tax and set the money aside so a big year never becomes a bigger surprise.

A PREC only pays off past a certain income

A Personal Real Estate Corporation lets you defer tax at the ~11% small-business rate on income you leave in the company. But it adds a T2 return and filing costs, so below a certain income it is not worth it. We run the actual math for your numbers, not a generic answer.

Rule of thumb: a PREC starts to make sense once you consistently earn more than you spend personally — often around $130k+ in commissions.

GST/HST applies to your commissions

Real estate commissions are taxable supplies. Once you cross $30,000 in a rolling 12 months you must register, charge, and remit GST/HST — but you also get to claim input tax credits on your business expenses. We handle registration and filing so it is never a scramble.

Feast-or-famine years need smoothing

A record year followed by a slow one can push you into the top bracket and then waste your low brackets. Inside a corporation you can pay yourself a steadier salary or dividends and keep the rest deferred, evening out the tax hit across good and lean years.

Write-offs the CRA actually allows

The difference between a defensible return and an audit flag is documentation. We set up simple tracking so every legitimate dollar is captured and nothing risky slips in.

Claimable: vehicle & mileage log, marketing, signage, staging, brokerage/desk fees, phone, home office, professional dues. Not claimable: everyday clothing, personal grooming, unlogged “business” meals.
How it works

Working with EverStone, start to finish

  1. Free 30-minute consultWe learn your production, whether you have a PREC, and what your last return looked like — then give you a fixed quote before any work starts.
  2. We get you set upIncorporation or PREC set-up if it makes sense, GST/HST registration, and clean bookkeeping connected to your accounts.
  3. We file everythingT2 corporate return, year-end statements, GST/HST, and your personal T1 — coordinated so nothing is double-taxed or missed.
  4. Year-round check-insA big deal closing? A slow quarter? We adjust your instalments and pay mix in real time, not once a year at tax time.
Questions

The Accountant Realtors Actually Understand — FAQ

When does a PREC actually start saving me money?+
Roughly once your commissions comfortably exceed what you need to live on — often around $130,000+ — because you can leave the surplus in the company and defer tax at the low small-business rate. Below that, the extra filing cost usually outweighs the benefit. In your free consult we run your real numbers and tell you honestly whether you are there yet.
I just had my best year ever — how do I avoid a tax-time shock?+
The fix is proactive, not reactive: we forecast the tax on your commissions mid-year, set the right amount aside, get you on (or ahead of) CRA instalments, and use RRSP room and, if you are incorporated, your salary/dividend mix to soften the hit. Come to us before December, not in April.
Should I set up a PREC (Personal Real Estate Corporation)?+
It depends on how much you earn and spend personally. Once your commissions comfortably exceed what you need to live on, a PREC lets you defer tax at the low small-business corporate rate and plan your pay. We will run your numbers in a free consult and tell you honestly whether it is worth it yet.
Do realtors charge GST/HST on commissions?+
Generally yes. Real estate commissions are taxable, so once you pass the $30,000 small-supplier threshold you must register for and charge GST/HST. We handle registration and filing so it is never a surprise.
What expenses can a real estate agent write off?+
Vehicle and mileage, marketing and signage, brokerage and desk fees, phone and internet, professional dues, home-office costs and more, if reasonable and tied to earning commissions. We make sure you capture everything you are entitled to.
Do you work with realtors outside BC?+
Yes. We work with agents across Canada 100% online. Your T2, GST/HST and personal return are all handled remotely, by phone or video.

Related services & tools

Keep reading, or run your own numbers before we talk.

Corporate tax (T2) →Should I incorporate? calculator →Salary vs. dividends →See fixed pricing →
Fixed feesClear, fixed pricing — you approve the fee before any work begins. No surprise bills.
One dayWe reply to every enquiry within one business day — usually the same day.
CPA-ledEvery file is handled personally by a CPA — never passed to junior staff.
No obligationYour first consultation is free, with zero pressure and no obligation.
What clients say

Trusted by Canadian business owners

Verified 5-star Google reviews from EverStone CPA clients.

★★★★★

“Very knowledgeable — saved me tons in taxes by restructuring my group of companies. The best accountant I have worked with in the last 10 years, after switching from 3 different accounting firms.”

Matt Hildebrandt
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Highly recommend. We switched last year for both our personal and small business taxes — easy and seamless. Responsive, knowledgeable, and quick.”

Heather Powers
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!”

Corrin Skalbeck
Verified Google Review
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Ready for a CPA who makes it simple?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation — by phone or video, anywhere in Canada. You’ll leave with a clear, fixed quote.

Book a Free ConsultCall (604) 832-1743