Bookkeeping is where your tax return starts
Every number on your BAS and your tax return comes from the bookkeeping. If the coding is wrong, the GST is wrong. If the reconciliations are months behind, the profit figure is fiction. Fixing it in July costs more than doing it right each week.
We treat bookkeeping as the foundation of everything else we do. Current, accurate records mean BAS is a formality, tax planning works from real numbers and year-end is a tidy-up rather than a dig.
It also means you get something out of it during the year. Profit by month. GST set aside. Who owes you money. That's information, not just compliance. It's also the difference between a quick, cheap tax return and an expensive one.
What's included in our BAS and bookkeeping service
We scope bookkeeping to the size and shape of your business. A sole trader with a dozen transactions a week needs something different to a construction business with subcontractors, retentions and progress claims.
Everything feeds straight into the tax return and tax planning work, because it's the same team on the same file.
- Bank and credit card reconciliations in Xero, weekly or monthly
- Coding of income and expenses with correct GST treatment
- Accounts payable and receivable tracking
- Payroll processing, Single Touch Payroll reporting and superannuation
- BAS and IAS preparation, review and lodgement
- Monthly or quarterly management reports you can actually read
- Liaison with the ATO on BAS matters, including payment arrangements
BAS lodgement without the quarterly panic
A Business Activity Statement reports GST collected and paid, PAYG withholding on wages and PAYG instalments on your own income. It sounds simple. In practice it's where businesses get tripped up: GST-free items coded as taxable, private expenses claimed, wages reported inconsistently with payroll.
When we handle BAS, we review the quarter before lodging. We check the GST coding, reconcile payroll to the withholding figures and look for anything odd. Then we tell you what's owing and when, well before the due date, so the cash is there.
If you've been lodging your own BAS and the numbers feel shaky, it's worth having a look. Fixing errors early is generally straightforward. Letting them compound for a few years is not.
Xero bookkeeping with a Platinum Partner
We're a Xero Platinum Partner, which means most of our clients and workflows live in Xero. Bank feeds, bills, invoicing, payroll and reporting all sit in one place, and we can see your file at the same time you do.
That matters for speed and cost. Bookkeeping in a well-set-up Xero file takes a fraction of the time of a spreadsheet or an old desktop package, and that difference shows up in your fees. It also lets us answer questions on the spot rather than waiting for documents.
If you're not on Xero yet, we can set it up, migrate your data and show you the handful of things you need to do each week. Most owners are surprised how little that is.
Catch-up bookkeeping if you're behind
Plenty of good businesses have messy books. Growth gets in the way, a bookkeeper leaves, the shoebox fills up. If you've got a backlog of unreconciled transactions or unlodged BAS, the first step is to stop worrying and let us look.
We'll scope the catch-up, give you a fixed quote and get through it in order. Where lodgements are late, we can talk to the ATO about a sensible arrangement. Once you're current, the ongoing service keeps you there.
Who our bookkeeping service suits
Owner-operated businesses in Brisbane, Logan and the Scenic Rim that have outgrown doing it themselves. Trades and construction, real estate agencies, allied health, franchise operators, transport and NDIS providers are all industries we see week in, week out.
As Mitch and Kelsey from Lovelock Contracting put it: "From day one, Acquire Strategic Accounting have been nothing short of amazing and have greatly surpassed our expectations." That starts with the bookkeeping.
Questions we get asked
How often should I do my bookkeeping?
Weekly is the sweet spot for most businesses. It keeps reconciliations small, catches errors while you still remember the transaction, and means your profit and GST figures are always close to current. Monthly can work for very simple businesses. Quarterly, just before BAS is due, is where the problems tend to hide.
Can you lodge my BAS for me?
Yes. We prepare, review and lodge BAS and IAS on your behalf, and we tell you the amount and due date in advance. Lodging through an agent can also give you access to extended lodgement dates under the ATO's current arrangements, which takes some pressure off cash flow each quarter.
What's the difference between BAS and IAS?
A BAS covers GST plus PAYG withholding and instalments, and is lodged by businesses registered for GST. An IAS is the simpler monthly or quarterly statement for PAYG obligations when there's no GST to report that period. Which one you lodge, and how often, depends on your registrations and turnover.
Do you do payroll as part of bookkeeping?
Yes. Payroll processing, Single Touch Payroll reporting to the ATO and superannuation calculations can all be included. Payroll is where small errors have big consequences, so we reconcile it to the BAS withholding figures every quarter rather than assuming the software got it right the first time.
I'm years behind on my BAS. Can you help?
Yes, and sooner is better. We'll scope the backlog, quote a fixed fee for the catch-up, and work through the periods in order. With your authority we can liaise with the ATO about outstanding lodgements and payment plans. Most clients find the reality is a lot less scary than the avoidance.
