FAQs
Do you have a question about our services, or your finances in general? Chances are, we’ve answered the same question before. Check out our frequently asked questions here.
Switching accountants
We’ve made it as easy as possible for you to partner with us. To start with, get in touch and we’ll organise a free introductory meeting to discuss your needs and confirm that we’re a good fit for each other. If you decide to make the change, we’ll manage the process of switching accountants for you.
Tax – individual and business
It depends on the complexity of your tax return. At Accura, our fees are competitive and compare favourably with others around town. As a boutique practice we’re also often able to put in more personalised work to secure you a higher tax refund so that it’s worth the investment.
Our handy tax return checklist will guide you through what you need.
The Australian Taxation Office requires you to keep your tax records, including written evidence of your income and expenses (usually in the form of receipts), for five years for a business and between two and five years for an individual. All companies need to keep their receipts and paperwork for seven years.
A face-to-face meeting at tax time is a great way for us to build a relationship with you and understand your broader financial affairs. We’re about people—not just numbers. During our conversation, other issues may emerge where we can offer you valuable advice.
And if you can’t come in for a meeting about your tax return, we can sort things out via phone and email too.
Turnaround times vary, but usually it won’t take longer than four weeks. We’ll be sure to let you know if these timeframes change.
We can negotiate with the ATO on your behalf. They’re surprisingly reasonable, and take extenuating circumstances into account. If there are legitimate reasons for late lodgement we can apply for remission of any penalties. If you do ever have to pay a fine, it’s likely not to be as harsh as you expect.
If you’ve got a significant tax debt we can help you manage it, and negotiate a payment plan on your behalf.
There may be. We can review your situation and make suggestions about the strategies available to you that can help you legally reduce your tax.
Advice beyond tax
That’s how we work with many of our business clients at Accura. Whether you want some ad hoc advice or a virtual CFO, we can be involved as much or as little as you like.
Typical business advisory services include help with buying a business, structuring new and existing ventures, business forecasting, business health checks (including regular or one-off reviews), and business mentoring.
We can also help you set up a bookkeeping system that suits your business, and provide regular bookkeeping support. We’ve also helped many of our clients make the switch to Xero.
Absolutely. You may be a micro business that can operate with even simpler bookkeeping. Or you may be happy with your existing small business accounting platform.
Whatever your situation, we’ve seen the time, efficiency, and cost-saving benefits that Xero has delivered for many of our clients who have made the switch.
Absolutely. We specialise in audits for not-for-profit organisations. Contact us today to find out more.
There are four business structures widely used in Australia: sole trader, partnership, company, and trust. Each has its pros and cons. Depending on the nature and scale of your business, some structures may be a better fit for you than others.
At Accura, we can prepare an advice document that outlines the best structure for your situation, taking into account tax minimisation, asset protection, and succession planning.
Superannuation and personal wealth
If you need mortgage broking or complete financial planning services, we’ve partnered with other trusted professionals to provide these services for you. This allows us to assist you with a fully-integrated accounting service that covers everything from starting and growing a business, to buying a home and building wealth for retirement.
At Accura, we’re SMSF specialists. We can review your situation and advise whether an SMSF is the best superannuation vehicle for you.
If it is, we can set it up and complete the annual returns on your behalf. Complying with the annual return requirements is crucial, as penalties for non-compliance can be steep. We’ll ensure everything is done properly, and your future wealth remains safe, secure, and successful.
We deal with many estate planning issues involving multiple relationships, complex family situations, and different business succession scenarios.
We’ll work with you to make sure your wishes are met, and help safeguard your estate from unnecessary tax. We can also assist in setting up philanthropic trusts and foundations either during a person’s lifetime or as a lasting legacy.
Get in touch with us to have your SMSF questions answered.
