Author: Michelle Causton, FCPA, FCGA, MBA
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What We Stop Caring About
We tend to believe that ethical failures are caused by bad people making bad choices. But what if the real issue is simpler—and more uncomfortable? This reflection explores how good people can make questionable decisions when one priority takes over and others quietly fade from view.
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The Psychology of Tax Season: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions at Tax Time
Every year during tax season I see something fascinating. Some of the smartest people I know suddenly start making surprisingly questionable decisions about their own tax returns. Consider a familiar situation. A business owner who carefully reviews contracts all year long sits down to finish their tax return on April 29. The receipts are incomplete.…
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Side Hustle Income in Canada.
There is a persistent belief that if you make a bit of money on the side, it doesn’t really count. Selling a few things online. Consulting occasionally. Driving for a platform here and there. Renting out a property a few weekends a year. “It’s not really a business.” I’ve even had people ask: *How much do you have…
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Hiring a Tax Professional Doesn’t Transfer Responsibility
Hiring a tax professional is wise. Assuming it transfers responsibility is not. A Notice of Assessment is not approval—and your return is still yours.
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When Resilience Turns Adversarial
We often admire toughness in the face of setbacks. But when resilience hardens into anger or resistance, it can quietly turn adversarial. This piece explores how easily disappointment is misread as hostility — and what real resilience asks of us instead.
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The Bare Trust Debacle
Canada’s expanded trust reporting rules were introduced with good intentions — transparency and accountability. But their application captured far more everyday arrangements than expected, leaving many Canadians confused and concerned. Here’s what happened, what changed, and why most people shouldn’t panic.
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When Rights Aren’t the Answer
I was talking about ethics at The Foundation for Critical Thinking Conference and I made this statement: “Despite a valiant attempt, sociologists have been unable to identify something that is considered universally wrong.” I think it is interesting that the closest the researchers came was that you shouldn’t take something that doesn’t belong to you.…
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Incorporation: Solution – or a New Problem?
Incorporation is often treated as a milestone for small business owners — but the tax and legal benefits are frequently overstated. This article examines when incorporation helps, when it doesn’t, and why structure alone rarely delivers protection.
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Professional Judgement Is Not a Hat
A good friend of mine used to get very annoyed with the phrase “professional judgement”. He argued that you either had judgement or not – it was not a hat you put on when you’re being professional. And in a way, he was right – but incomplete. Judgement isn’t a hat you put on, but…
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Why Good People Stay Silent in Groups
Most ethical failures don’t start with bad people.They start with pressure. A deadline.A budget.A deal that has to close.A meeting where “this isn’t the time” quietly means don’t be the problem. Silence rarely feels unethical in the moment. It feels practical. Sensible. Even responsible. And that’s why good people—competent, conscientious people—stay quiet in groups even…
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