Switching accountants is easier than you think
Reviewed by EverStone CPA · July 2026
You don’t have to have an awkward conversation, and you don’t have to chase your old accountant for files. We handle the handover — you write zero awkward emails.
Quick answer: Switching accountants is straightforward: engage the new firm, sign a CRA authorization form, and the new accountant requests prior-year returns and working papers from the previous one through a routine professional letter. No CRA permission is needed and no filing deadline is disrupted. EverStone manages the handover for incoming clients.
Three steps, most of it on us
You sign a CRA authorization
One quick form names EverStone CPA as your representative with the CRA. That’s the only real task on your side — it takes a few minutes.
We request your records
We contact your previous accountant and request your prior-year returns and working papers directly. You don’t have to make the call.
We pick up where they left off
We review what’s there, flag anything worth fixing, and carry on — books current, deadlines tracked, nothing dropped in the handover.
Almost nothing
To get started, it helps to have your articles of incorporation, last year’s return and Notice of Assessment, and access to your bookkeeping (QuickBooks Online or Xero login, or your bank statements). Don’t have it all to hand? Book anyway — we’ll tell you exactly what matters and get the rest from your old firm.
Prefer to read the long version first? Our guide to switching accountants walks through every detail.
The reasons people switch
Almost no one changes accountants on a whim — it usually follows months of small frustrations. The patterns we hear most often are the same ones worth acting on:
- You only hear from them at tax time. A once-a-year preparer files your return but never helps you plan, so decisions that could have saved tax are made without input.
- Emails go unanswered for days. When a CRA letter or a financing deadline lands, slow replies turn a small issue into a stressful one.
- Surprise invoices. Hourly billing means you hesitate to ask questions, and the bill still arrives larger than expected.
- Your file is handled by whoever’s free. You signed on with a name you trusted, but the actual work is passed to a rotating cast of juniors.
- Deadlines slip. A missed instalment or late filing that triggers CRA interest is the clearest sign it’s time.
If two or three of these sound familiar, switching is not an overreaction — it’s overdue.
What a clean handover looks like
The fear that stops most owners from switching is that something will fall through the cracks — a return that doesn’t get filed because each firm assumed the other had it, or a CRA authorization that never transfers. That is exactly what a careful handover prevents. When you move to EverStone we confirm three things in writing before we consider the transition complete: that your CRA representative authorization is active and any prior firm’s access is dealt with; that we hold your prior-year returns, working papers and correspondence; and that every upcoming deadline is on our calendar. Nothing is left to “someone will get to it.” If you’re curious what the weeks immediately after look like, our first 90 days page lays out the timeline step by step.
When’s the best time to switch?
The tidiest moment is right after a fiscal year-end has been filed, when your file is at a natural stopping point and a new accountant picks up cleanly at the start of the next year. That said, you can switch at any time — mid-year moves are routine and don’t disrupt your filings. The one window to avoid is the few weeks immediately before a T2 or personal-tax deadline, when moving a file in a rush adds risk. The bigger mistake, though, is waiting: if you’re already unhappy, staying another full year usually costs more in missed planning than the switch ever would.
Switching FAQ
Can I switch in the middle of the year?+
Do I have to tell my current accountant?+
What does switching cost?+
What if I’m behind on filings?+
What files should I get from my previous accountant?+
Will switching accountants trigger a CRA audit?+
How long does switching actually take?+
We work with owner-managed businesses across Canada online — online accountant in Vancouver · accountant in Toronto · Ottawa small business accountant · virtual accountant in Calgary and beyond.
Not sure whether switching is worth it? Start smaller: we will do a free second opinion on last year’s corporate return and give you a written summary of anything we would have handled differently. No fee, no obligation, and no need to leave anyone.
Related reading
Guides that go deeper on what this page covers.
Ready for an accountant who picks up the phone?
Book a free 30-minute consult. We’ll map the handover and give you a fixed quote — no obligation.
We handle the switch remotely for owners across Canada — including in Edmonton and accountant in Winnipeg.
Cost is usually the hesitation, so it is worth settling early: the fee estimate tool gives a monthly range from our published fees before you speak to anyone.
Owners often delay switching because they are embarrassed about the state of the file. Being behind is routine, and it is quoted as its own job.