I was recommended a new accountant last year by my father in law. I typically start preparing documents on January 2nd for the previous year because I sometimes don’t organize things properly throughout the year. This new accountant, let’s call him Reggie, did not follow up with me at all after our first call on Jan 2nd for several months after we agreed that he’d be taking it on. I asked him in March 2023 why he hadn’t said anything yet, and he assured me he does everything last minute "but gets it done". ok, well he was my FiL's accountant for 10 years so I guess thats ok. Another month went by without a single bit of communication, and I was starting to get worried. I called again, and this time he told me some terrible news, that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had not been able to file. I fully understood and sympathized and immediately started talking to my previous accountant to take over the books. My previous accountant told me I had already incurred a bunch of penalties and would need to pay them or get some kind of documentation from Reggie to prove his diagnosis.
(This is where I severely fucked up, please bear with me. Trust me, I learned my lesson)
I asked reggie for the doctors letter, and he said that the previous accountant was lying to me and that I wouldn’t have to pay any penalties, he’d make sure of it. He insisted on completing the filing on my behalf, because he was personally responsible for not getting it done and would have the easiest time submitting the doctors letter on my behalf. I was very hesitant to accept this offer, this guy was dying and he didn’t need to deal with my taxes of all things, but I accepted his offer because he insisted and because I still needed the doctors letter from him anyway.Well, you can guess what happened next. He did absolutely nothing, while claiming all the way up to June 30th at 4pm that he’d be getting it all done on time. At least I have that part via email. I immediately gave the books to my previous accountant, and began the extremely agonizing process of trying to get some kind of letter/proof from Reggie so I could appeal the now $4000 of fines I owed to the CRA.
It is now February 2024, and he has not produced a single shred of documentation. He first claimed he needed some time to prepare everything and that the CRA would need a lot of documentation, and it would take a while to gather. Now, he is saying that he has too much documentation and none of it has any dates or diagnosis (?!) so he needs to go back and get a new letter. I asked him to please just send anything he has to at least confirm ~~ something ~~~ but he found that email condescending ("how dare you don't believe me at a time like this") and is now refusing to speak to me at all. The only reason I have not pursued aggressive legal action yet is because my father in law has repeatedly asked me not to and told me it’ll all work out. I am done listening to either of these guys. All I have needed from this guy for 8-10 months is a single letter from the doctor confirming what he is saying.
I know I made a ton of mistakes here, many red flags, etc. But at this point I am just looking to see if there is any possible way I can recover these penalties. I have spoken to a caseworker at the CRA who is sympathetic to my case but she needs to see some kind of document from him. I have an email chain where it’s very clear he is delaying and not intending to co-operate. Because he was independent, there was no firm I could go to. I am going to file a complaint with CPA Ontario as well. I know I am probably incredibly fucked here, but just hoping there is something more I can do.
(This is where I severely fucked up, please bear with me. Trust me, I learned my lesson)
I asked reggie for the doctors letter, and he said that the previous accountant was lying to me and that I wouldn’t have to pay any penalties, he’d make sure of it. He insisted on completing the filing on my behalf, because he was personally responsible for not getting it done and would have the easiest time submitting the doctors letter on my behalf. I was very hesitant to accept this offer, this guy was dying and he didn’t need to deal with my taxes of all things, but I accepted his offer because he insisted and because I still needed the doctors letter from him anyway.Well, you can guess what happened next. He did absolutely nothing, while claiming all the way up to June 30th at 4pm that he’d be getting it all done on time. At least I have that part via email. I immediately gave the books to my previous accountant, and began the extremely agonizing process of trying to get some kind of letter/proof from Reggie so I could appeal the now $4000 of fines I owed to the CRA.
It is now February 2024, and he has not produced a single shred of documentation. He first claimed he needed some time to prepare everything and that the CRA would need a lot of documentation, and it would take a while to gather. Now, he is saying that he has too much documentation and none of it has any dates or diagnosis (?!) so he needs to go back and get a new letter. I asked him to please just send anything he has to at least confirm ~~ something ~~~ but he found that email condescending ("how dare you don't believe me at a time like this") and is now refusing to speak to me at all. The only reason I have not pursued aggressive legal action yet is because my father in law has repeatedly asked me not to and told me it’ll all work out. I am done listening to either of these guys. All I have needed from this guy for 8-10 months is a single letter from the doctor confirming what he is saying.
I know I made a ton of mistakes here, many red flags, etc. But at this point I am just looking to see if there is any possible way I can recover these penalties. I have spoken to a caseworker at the CRA who is sympathetic to my case but she needs to see some kind of document from him. I have an email chain where it’s very clear he is delaying and not intending to co-operate. Because he was independent, there was no firm I could go to. I am going to file a complaint with CPA Ontario as well. I know I am probably incredibly fucked here, but just hoping there is something more I can do.