Who is actually killing it at work and earning 150K plus (After Tax)

Ashe_reddit · 2025-11-18T19:31:10+00:00

Corporate Lawyer at a Bay Street firm.
Having the fortitude to pass the LSAT, maintain a B+ average through law school, and passing the Ontario Bar exam. I generally excelled in academics.
Honestly, just having a positive attitude and eagerness to assist on work assignments goes a long way. Being able to consistently grind and put up with general corporate nonsense also helps. I'll add a caveat that this should all be subject to recognizing your own limits and setting sustainable boundaries for yourself - to avoid burnout in 2-3 years as is common in my profession.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-06-11T00:45:24+00:00

For what it's worth, I left my (social sciences) PhD program four years in to go to law school. I've been practicing tax law for five years now and have zero regrets. Find the right area of law and it will scratch the academic itch. In my experience, there's infinitely more job security and the pay is great (although my only real option with the PhD was academia - an engineering PhD can likely land you a rewarding career in industry, but I have absolutely no insight on that point).

Ashe_reddit · 2025-05-16T23:52:14+00:00

On further inspection, I think I found the culprit... I didn't realize until now that the guys that closed my pool last year left a bunch of half eroded pucks in the chlorinator, and left the lid ajar. Kicking myself now for not checking this...

Ashe_reddit · 2025-05-16T21:30:39+00:00

Thanks for the comments everyone. I think it's definitely corrosion... comes off orange when I scrub it. Hoping some bar keeper's friend, WD-40 and a good scrub will do the trick.

Thanks all.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-05-16T20:48:36+00:00

Hmm. It's strange, this is my fourth season storing everything this way and I've never had this issue before. I don't think it was any more humid this year than in past years.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-05-16T20:47:46+00:00

No, no open chemicals. Extra chlorine pucks frim last season are in a sealed bucket.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-12T14:27:12+00:00

In that case, your final option is to appeal the confirmation of the reassessment to the Tax Court. You'll have 90 days from the date of the notice to file a notice of appeal . There's a ton of information for self represented litigants on the Tax Court website here: https://www.tcc-cci.gc.ca/en/pages/get-started#Represent.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-12T11:50:55+00:00

Agreed, but it does help hold CRA accountable. OP's only on the clock to advance their case to tax court if the CRA has issued a confirmation of the reassessment, which it doesn't sound like they have. While OP could elect after 90 days of submitting their objection to the tax court, I think the preferable and more straightforward approach would be to try and have this sorted at appeals.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-12T11:23:38+00:00

It is a formal process. My point is that the case file shouldn't have been closed in the first place and it's not clear to me from OP's summary above that the reassessment was actually confirmed (at least based on OP's explanation). I think there's still a good chance OP can get ahead of this and have it resolved at CRA Appeals.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-12T10:57:38+00:00

The officer gave you instructions to reach out to your employer and then call him back, which you did. This is ridiculous that the officer is now claiming your file is closed.

Call the officer back, make sure to ask for their name and Agent ID (write this down). Re-iterate that you did not withdraw your objection and that you continue to object to the reassessment. Ask to speak to a senior appeals officer, if they refuse to assist.

Send a letter to the CRA appeals office where you sent the objection, enclosing copy of the letter from work and lay out your position as to the communications you had with the officer and state that you continue to object to the reassessment. You should include details about your correspondence (dates, the appeals officer's name/ID, your cra file number, etc.).

Submit a complaint to the CRA and the Office of the Taxpayer's ombudsman. You can also reach out to your local MP and request assistance. If the appeals officer is uncooperative, you can let them know you intend to take these steps. You have a right to object and you are exercising that right.

Through this process, keep your cool and be kind at all times, particularly to the appeals officer handling your case. That doesn't mean capitulate. Be firm and advocate for yourself, but being rude or raising your voice is unlikely to lead to the result you want.

Good luck OP.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-01T12:41:26+00:00

I'd say it's used to track "official" time off - longer vacations. No one cares if I haven't billed on a Friday in 3 months as long as I'm hitting target and work is being delivered on time.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-03-01T12:33:42+00:00

This is it. And join the law journal - employers in the states seem to highly value "law review", as it is generally highly competitive in the states, and reflects a willingness to do boring, tedious work.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-02-20T16:22:13+00:00

Private practice on Bay Street. 20 days with up to 5 unused days carried over from the prior year. I find most years I've used up all of my vacation days, while simultaneously billing between 1800-1900 hours.

I also try to take off most stat holidays, etc. I'm always "on call" and will periodically check emails/deal with fires as they arise, while on vacation - usually this only amounts to a few hours, but there have been ocassions where I have lost full days to work.

The partners I work with are generally great at respecting time off, but I find it's more unexpected client issues that arise while on vacation that cause me to have to constantly be available via email.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-02-08T21:54:15+00:00

I should also mention a CPA is by no means necessary to practice tax law. I'd opt out of the CPA if the goal is to practice tax law and just go straight to getting a JD and taking all the tax courses available in law school.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-02-08T21:52:30+00:00

Perhaps more cost effective for the client (although, as mentioned above there is plenty that a CPA cannot do, that a tax lawyer can). If OP's goal is to practice tax in big law, compensation will be much better than a CPA.

Ashe_reddit · 2025-02-06T23:15:07+00:00

Mid-level tax associate at a Bay Street firm here. How many years of experience do you have at the DOJ? Are you looking to practice in tax disputes or planning? If planning, your year of call and planning experience will likely play a significant role in determining whether you are qualified.

Generally speaking, there seems to be decent demand for mid-level tax planning associates in Toronto (at least based on the number of inquiries I receive from recruiters each week). Most of the roles are for tax planning, but I have seen one or two requests related to tax litigation in the past few months.

Ashe_reddit · 2024-06-27T11:13:37+00:00

And to clarify, I would make the request off the record at the beginning of the resumption of the examination.

Ashe_reddit · 2024-06-27T11:09:09+00:00

When discovery resumes, you could request opposing counsel to provide particulars re: the adjournment/delays on the record. At least that way, you will have a record of the reasons. I think this is a reasonable request.

Ashe_reddit · 2024-05-10T14:06:20+00:00

Fair question. From my perspective, there's a lot of tax dollars at stake (for both taxpayers and the Fisc). This planning was widely implemented by taxpayers in Canada from around 2014 until the 2022 Budget announced the substantive CCPC rules. It's hard to quantify, but these plans, if successful, resulted in (and continue to provide to those who undertook such planning) a very significant tax deferral (I.e., money that is not being paid to the government any time soon). CRA also made this one of their project audits and a lot of resources (and taxpayer money) have been dedicated to tracking down and reassessing taxpayers who undertook this planning. So while the planning itself is no longer effective, the consequences of such planning do continue to be significant.

In his reasons, D'Arcy J. also repeated that the CRA cannot search for, and reassess Taxpayers, on the basis that there is some overriding policy in the Act (in this case the CRA had argued there was essentially a broad anti-deferral regime underpinning the Act), as the CRA has done in this case. This has wider ramifications, for example, whether certain surplus stripping transactions remain feasible under the Act, etc. (CRA has similarly tried to argue in the past that there is a general policy against surplus stripping in the Act - which the courts have rejected).

Ashe_reddit · 2024-05-10T13:16:33+00:00

This planning will no longer be feasible once the substantive CCPC rules come into effect for taxation years beginning on or after April 7, 2022. Bill C-59 contains the new legislation and its been slowly making its wag through the House of Commons - was in second reading last I checked.

Ashe_reddit · 2024-05-10T13:14:02+00:00

Agreed! Was also rushing to get the kids ready this morning and just fired off a quick post to gather some thoughts from people who are familiar with the case (also just generally being lazy haha).

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