Every figure below is made up — nothing here is a real client's data.
What you're being compared to
We take every other CPA4IT client that looks like you — same business size, same province, over the period shown — and work out what's typical for that group. That group is your peers. The peer count is always shown, because a comparison against 12 businesses means far less than one against 1,200.
"Typical" means the middle, not the average
Six peers, sorted by what they spend on travel
The average is $4,983 — dragged up by one business that spent $28,000.
The typical (middle) figure is $500, which is what almost everyone actually spends.
We lead with the middle figure because one unusual business shouldn't define what's normal.
Green and red
Green means favourable, red means unfavourable — not simply higher or lower. Earning more than your peers is green. Spending more than your peers is red — so the same direction means opposite things depending on the row.
How to read the distribution bar
lowest peermiddlehighest peer
The red marker is you. The grey block is where the middle half of your peers sit — inside it is unremarkable. The grey line is the typical peer. Sitting well outside the grey block is what's worth a conversation.
Why we show % of income
Dollar amounts don't compare well between businesses of different sizes. Spending $9,000 on rent is very different for a business earning $80,000 than for one earning $800,000.
What this is not
These are averages of other businesses' filings, not a target, a rule, or tax advice. Being different from your peers isn't automatically a problem — it's a prompt for a conversation with your accountant about whether there's a reason.
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