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Running a business comes with plenty of dates to remember, and you don’t want your annual return slipping through the cracks. For incorporated businesses, staying on top of your annual filing helps keep your corporate information current and your business in good standing.
Fortunately, annual return filing in Edmonton doesn’t need to become another complicated item on your to-do list. Once you know what’s required and have your information ready, the process is usually pretty straightforward.
At Riverbend Registry, we’re here to help make the paperwork side of running your business a little easier. Here’s what Alberta business owners should know.
About Annual Returns
An annual return is a filing used to keep your corporation’s information up to date with the Alberta Corporate Registry. It helps confirm important details about your business, including its current address and corporate information.
One important distinction: an annual return is not the same thing as your corporate tax return. Your annual return deals with your corporate registry information, while your corporate income tax return is a separate filing.
Think of it as your corporation’s yearly check-in with the registry.
When Do You Need to File an Annual Return?
Staying on top of your annual return filing in Edmonton each year helps keep your corporation’s registration current. Alberta sends annual return reminders about two weeks before the return is due when an email address is on file, giving you a helpful heads-up before the deadline.
Rather than waiting until the last minute, it’s a good idea to make annual return filing part of your regular business calendar. That gives you time to review your information and take care of any changes that may need to be made.
For more information about deadlines and the filing process, check out AMA’s Annual Return Guide.
Things You’ll Need
Before completing your annual return filing in Edmonton, take a few minutes to make sure your corporate information is accurate.
Depending on your corporation, you’ll want to have information such as:
- Your corporation’s legal name and Corporate Access Number
- Current registered office and records addresses
- Current director information
- Current shareholder information, where applicable
- An email address for the corporation
- Details of any corporate changes that need to be updated
If something has changed since your last filing, such as your corporate address or directors, let the registry know. Certain changes may need to be filed separately rather than simply corrected through the annual return.
Want to double-check everything before you file? Business Alberta’s Annual Return Checklist provides a helpful breakdown of the information and documents you may need.
What Happens If You Don’t File?
Putting off an annual return can create bigger problems than a little extra paperwork. If required annual returns remain outstanding, your corporation can eventually be struck from the Corporate Registry. That can create unnecessary complications when you’re trying to prove your corporation is active, complete business transactions, or access certain services.
The easier option? Keep an eye on your filing date and take care of it each year before it becomes a problem.
Where Can You File an Alberta Annual Return?
Annual returns are among the corporate services available through authorized Alberta registry agents. When filing, a registry agent reviews your information and records it in Alberta’s Corporate Registry system.
Keep Your Business in Good Standing With Riverbend Registry
There’s already enough to keep track of when you own a business. Your annual return doesn’t need to keep you up at night.
At Riverbend Registry, our team can help with annual return filing and a range of other corporate registry services in Edmonton, whether you’re maintaining an established corporation or need help updating your corporate information.
Visit us when you’re ready, and we’ll help you get the paperwork sorted so you can get back to running your business!