Accountant for consultants

Whether you're an IT, management, HR, marketing, or engineering consultant, you face the same reality as thousands of freelancers and incorporated companies in Quebec: erratic workloads, T4A slips arriving from multiple clients, hourly or flat-rate billing to structure, and the recurring question every year: remain self-employed or incorporate? Not to mention the pitfalls of the Personal Services Business (PSB) status when billing a single client.

Find the ideal accountant for your practice, one who understands consultants: income smoothing, salary vs. dividend balancing, VAT, advance payments, and retirement planning without an employer-sponsored plan. We'll introduce you to the right accountant for your sector, as many times as you need, free of charge, and we'll stay by your side every step of the way. No obligation.

• Smooth out incomes that vary from one mandate to another and maintain a cash cushion of 3 to 6 months between two contracts.
• Choosing the right time to incorporate: incorporation becomes profitable when you leave profits in the company, not before.
• Arbitrate salary and dividends each year: RRSP and QPP rights on one side, simplicity and tax deferral on the other.
• Avoid personal services business (PSB) status if you bill a single client: lost small business deduction and disallowed expenses.
• Register for GST/QST as soon as your taxable income exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters.
• Anticipate provisional payments: in Quebec, they are required as soon as the net tax payable exceeds $1,800, both to the CRA and to Revenu Québec.
• Building your retirement without an employer plan: RRSP, TFSA, or even an individual retirement plan (IRP) once incorporated.

• T2125 return to the federal government and TP-80 schedule in Quebec if you are self-employed; T2 and CO-17 returns if you are incorporated.
• Registration in VAT files (9.975%) from €30,000 of taxable income, then declarations and remittances according to your frequency.
• Provisional payments to be made on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 when the thresholds are reached.
• Federal and Quebec source deductions (DAS) if your company pays you a salary: tax, QPP, QPIP, SSF, plus T4 slips and Relevé 1.
• RRQ contribution as a self-employed individual (employee and employer share) calculated in your income tax return.
• Matching the T4A slips received from your clients with your declared income: the IRS and Revenu Québec cross-check the data.
• Records and supporting documents must be kept for six years, including the business travel logbook.

Salary or dividends if I'm incorporated? It depends on your liquidity needs, your willingness to contribute to the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) and generate RRSP benefits, and your retirement plan. Salary creates benefits but requires social security contributions; dividends simplify payroll without building social security. A Bankeo-matched accountant calculates the optimal mix each year, and the matchmaking service is free.

What expenses can a consultant deduct? Home office expenses (proportional to the surface area used), mobile phone and internet, business travel and meals (50% deductible), training, professional dues, insurance, and computer equipment (depreciation deduction). The key: keep your personal and business accounts separate and retain your supporting documents for six years. Your accountant will organize everything and identify any missed deductions.

How much does an accountant cost for a consultant? According to the Bankeo Barometer, based on 1,248 real cases (2024-2026), the median for this sector is around $1,000 per year. The cost varies depending on whether you are an incorporated company or a self-employed individual, the volume of work, and the complexity of the case. Bankeo matching is free: you pay your accountant directly.

How can you switch accountants as a consultant without the stress? It's simpler than you think: your new accountant will take over your past tax returns, T4A slips, and VAT history, often directly from your previous accountant. The best time is between two business cycles, after your taxes or the end of your fiscal year. Bankeo will introduce you to an accountant who understands consultants, free of charge, and we'll support you throughout the entire transition.

Local or remote accountant for a consultant? Your practice is already digital: online invoicing, remote mandates, clients throughout France and beyond. A remote accountant who understands the challenges faced by consultants (EPSP, payroll and dividends, VAT) is often more effective than a neighboring generalist firm. Bankeo first finds the right match of expertise, local or remote, according to your preference.

I invoice only one client: how can I avoid becoming a sole proprietorship? The risk exists when your incorporated company places you in a relationship that resembles employment: a single client, an imposed schedule, and the client's tools. The consequences are significant: lost small business deductions and disallowed expenses. An accountant analyzes your situation, documents your independence (multiple clients, your own tools, business risks), and adjusts your structure as needed. This is exactly the kind of case for which Bankeo connects you with the right accountant, free of charge.