Selling a Business in Canada -
QUESTION: I live in Ontario and I've been a franchise owner for the past ten years. I am 62 years old and ready to sell my franchise and take it easy for a while! However, I have no idea what the tax implications are when selling a small business. I am not incorporated. Does a capital gains exemption apply here? My second question is: When the business is sold and I start using some of this money (from the sale of the business) to live on, does this money become taxable income? Thank you for any assistance. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- david ingram replies: if the business is incorporated and you have had it for two years or more AND, AND, AND the purchaser will buy the company, you can sell your franchise business for a profit of up to $500,000 tax free. The problem is that most people will not buy the corporation for many reasons some of which are: 1. They are assuming all the liabilities that may or not be known at the time of sale. If someone has a lawsuit pending (but not filed) from when they slipped on the front sidewalk, the new purchaser has assumed that risk which even you might not know about at the time of sale. 2. For the purchaser to pay you that $500,000 tax free, they have to have made $1,000,000 and already paid $500,000 tax to have $500,000 left over (a simplification to be sure but the theory is correct). 3. The purchaser has less write-offs for the internal assets because they are assumed at your depreciated value within the company. If someone will pay you for the corporation and remember that a $500,000 profit is the most that can be TAX FREE, you can incorporate a 2 year old business the day before you sell it. ----------------- However, it is not likely to happen. What you will do is decide on what the adjusted cost base of your business is based upon your capital input and any retained earnings. You will sell it for a price and 50% (one half) of the difference will be the profit and taxable on line 127 of your tax return at standard rates which for the sake of argument (not accurate but not far off) will be: 24% on first $35,000 30% on next $35,000 35 to 40% on next 45,000 44% over $115,000 The number of brackets and the amounts will vary depending upon which province you are living in. --------- The amount of money that represents the ACB of the business is tax free. -------------------------------- David Ingram's US / Canada Services US / Canada / Mexico tax, Immigration and working Visa Specialists US / Canada Real Estate Specialists My Home office is at: 4466 Prospect Road North Vancouver, BC, CANADA, V7N 3L7 Cell (604) 657-8451 - (604) 980-0321 Fax (604) 980-0325 Calls welcomed from 10 AM to 10 PM 7 days a week Vancouver (LA) time - (please do not fax or phone outside of those hours as this is a home office) email to taxman at centa.com <mailto:taxman at centa.com> www.centa.com <http://www.centa.com/> www.david-ingram.com <http://www.david-ingram.com/> Disclaimer: This question has been answered without detailed information or consultation and is to be regarded only as general comment. 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