Accounting That Understands Memberships.
Recurring revenue, class packs sold now and delivered later, trainers who may or may not be contractors. Gym books have specific problems, and generic bookkeeping misses them.
The problems generic bookkeeping misses.
Revenue you've collected but not earned
A ten-class pack sold in January isn't January's revenue. Deferred revenue done wrong makes a good month look great and a bad one look fine.
The contractor question
Whether your trainers are contractors or employees is a CRA determination, not a preference. Getting it wrong is one of the most expensive mistakes in this industry.
Membership churn hiding in the numbers
Recurring revenue looks stable until you separate new joins from cancellations. Most gym P&Ls don't.
Equipment and fit-out
Large purchases that should be capitalised and depreciated, not expensed — which changes both your taxes and your borrowing position.
Set up properly, from the start.
Membership and deferred revenue recognised correctly
Class packs and prepaid sessions tracked to delivery
Trainer classification reviewed before the CRA does it
Payroll for staff and instructors
Equipment capitalised and depreciated properly
Year-end tax planning around large purchases
You asked. We answered.
Are my trainers contractors or employees?
The CRA has a specific test for this: who controls the work, who supplies the tools, who carries the risk of loss. Getting it wrong is expensive, because the assessment lands on you and not on the trainer. We will work through it with you and get the answer on record.
Do I charge GST/HST on memberships and personal training?
Yes. Memberships and personal training are taxable services, so once you are registered GST/HST applies to them at your provincial rate. It is worth checking that your booking or membership software is actually charging and recording it, because that is usually where the gap turns up.
How should I account for class packs?
As deferred revenue. The money is a liability when it comes in, and it becomes revenue as the member uses the pack. It is the thing studios most often have backwards, and it changes what your margins actually look like.
Can I write off equipment in the year I buy it?
It depends on the value. Above a certain point the CRA wants the cost capitalized and claimed over several years rather than expensed all at once. We will work out which side yours falls on.
Six tax-saving moves before year-endWe've done this before.
A 30-minute call. Tell us how your business actually works and we'll tell you straight whether we're the right fit.