Finance, Tax & Accounting
Find the job you need to finish: organise the books, prepare a BAS, work out a price or plan the next few months of cash. Each section puts the explanations and practical checks together.
Choose help and organise the records
Decide which work you'll handle and which needs a registered practitioner. Keep the documents and responsibilities clear before a deadline approaches.
9 guidesHow to Do Your Own Bookkeeping: A Monthly Routine for Owners
You can do your own bookkeeping with a separate bank account, software with bank feeds, 20 minutes a week and a monthly close checklist. Here's the routine.
9 min readRecord Keeping for Small Business: What to Keep and for How Long
How long must you keep business records in Australia? The ATO's 5-year rule, the 7-year company rule, what to keep, and whether photos of receipts count.
9 min readWhat is a BAS agent? Services and registration explained
Learn what a registered BAS agent does, how the role differs from bookkeeping and income tax work, and what information to prepare before getting help.
4 min readBAS agent vs tax agent: who can do what?
Compare BAS agents and tax agents, see who can handle GST, payroll and income tax, and work out how to divide the jobs in your small business.
5 min readBAS agent for small business: how to choose one
Find a BAS agent for your small business. Search the directory, check TPB registration, compare fees and services, and prepare a clear enquiry and handover.
6 min readHow to check a BAS agent's registration with the TPB
Check a BAS agent on the TPB register, match their legal name and registration type, and know what to ask about conditions, staff and renewal dates.
4 min readBAS agent fees: compare quotes and first-year costs
Compare BAS agent fees for your small business. Separate bookkeeping, BAS lodgement, cleanup and software costs, with a worked first-year quote comparison.
4 min readContacting a BAS agent: enquiry checklist and email template
Get a useful BAS agent quote with a clear brief. Use this enquiry checklist and email template to explain your records, software, payroll and support needs.
4 min readSwitching BAS agents: a practical handover checklist
Change BAS agents with a clear cutover date, records checklist and access plan. Agree who handles each period, pending questions, subscriptions and lodgement.
4 min read
Work through GST and your BAS
Start with registration and the reporting basics, then move to transaction treatment, lodgement and dates. Use the official sources for your own circumstances.
5 guidesHow to Register for GST in Australia (and Whether You Should)
Do I need to register for GST? The $75,000 rolling threshold, the 21-day rule, how to register for free, cash vs accruals, and when to register early.
10 min readGST and BAS Explained: Plain-English Guide for Small Business
GST and the BAS explained simply: the $75,000 threshold, how to register, what goes in each label, GST credits, due dates and the mistakes that cost money.
8 min readGST-Free vs BAS Excluded vs Input Taxed: The Tax Codes Explained
BAS excluded meaning, GST-free vs BAS excluded, input taxed and Simpler BAS explained in plain English, with a 27-transaction coding table for Xero and MYOB.
16 min readHow to Lodge Your BAS Online (Step by Step)
Lodge your BAS online step by step: myID login to ATO Online services for business or myGov, the G1, 1A, 1B and W1/W2 labels, paying, and fixing mistakes.
10 min readBAS Due Dates 2026-27: Every Quarterly, Monthly & Agent Deadline
Every BAS due date for FY 2026-27: the 28 Oct, 28 Feb, 28 Apr and 28 Jul quarterly deadlines, extra time for online and agent lodgement, and monthly dates.
8 min read
Get paid and plan your cash
An invoice, a payment and money available for next month's bills are different things. Work from the payment paperwork through to a cash forecast.
6 guidesTax Invoice Requirements: What Every Invoice Must Include
What an ATO tax invoice must include, the $1,000 and $82.50 thresholds, what to do if you're not GST registered, and the errors that delay payment.
9 min readeInvoicing Explained: Get Paid Faster and Dodge Invoice Scams
What eInvoicing is, why it beats emailed PDFs, how it blocks payment redirection scams, and how to switch it on free in Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks.
9 min readHow to Chase Unpaid Invoices (Without Losing the Customer)
How to chase unpaid invoices: reminder templates, phone script, enforceable late fees, letters of demand, debt collectors and small claims by state.
9 min readCash Flow Management: How Australian Small Businesses Stay Ahead
Practical cash flow systems for Australian small businesses: 13-week forecasts, faster invoicing, chasing late payers, tax set-asides and seasonal buffers.
8 min readHow to Build a 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast (Free Template)
Build a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast in a simple spreadsheet: opening balance, weekly receipts and payments, BAS and super dates, and spotting the dip.
10 min readBusiness Loans Without a House: Your Real Options
No house to put up as security? Compare unsecured loans, equipment finance, invoice finance and more — with real costs for Australian businesses in 2026.
9 min read
Set prices and understand the reports
Check what a sale contributes, what you need to earn and what the reports are telling you. Use your own figures alongside the worked examples.
5 guidesPricing Strategy for Small Business: Cost-Plus vs Value Pricing
Cost-plus vs value pricing for Australian small businesses: work out your true hourly cost, set margins that stick, and know when to raise your prices.
10 min readHow to Calculate Your Hourly Rate as a Sole Trader
Set a sustainable hourly rate using income, overheads and realistic billable hours. Worked Australian example, free calculator and a quote-check checklist.
5 min readBreak-Even Analysis Explained (With a Simple Formula)
Break-even analysis in plain English: split fixed and variable costs, work out your contribution margin, and see how much you must sell to cover costs.
8 min readHow to Read a Profit and Loss Statement (Plain English)
Learn to read a profit and loss statement in plain English: gross vs net margin, depreciation, why profit isn't cash, and what to check every month.
9 min readHow to Read a Balance Sheet (Small Business Edition)
How to read a balance sheet for a small business: assets, liabilities and equity in plain English, working capital, the quick ratio and what to check monthly.
9 min read
Prepare for tax and paying yourself
Separate the business's records from the owner's tax position. These guides help you gather the information for the decisions that need an adviser.
7 guidesHow to Pay Yourself: Sole Trader Drawings vs Company Wages
How to pay yourself as a sole trader (drawings) or company owner (PAYG wages, dividends), how much tax to set aside, plus $80k and $150k worked examples.
10 min readSmall Business Tax Deductions: The Complete Australian List
Every tax deduction an Australian small business can claim, category by category, with 2026-27 ATO rates, what's not deductible and the records to keep.
15 min readSole Trader Tax: What You Can Claim and How Much You Pay
How much tax a sole trader pays in Australia (2026-27 rates, Medicare levy, offsets) and what you can claim: home office, car, tools, super and more.
15 min readInstant Asset Write-Off Explained: The $20,000 Rule
How the $20,000 instant asset write-off works from 1 July 2026: who qualifies, the GST and car limit rules, the small business pool, and worked examples.
11 min readPAYG Instalments Explained: Why the ATO Wants Tax Early
What PAYG instalments are, why the ATO put you on them, amount vs rate methods, how to vary down without copping interest, and how they credit at tax time.
10 min readSuper for Sole Traders: Why, How Much and the Deduction
Sole traders don't have to pay super, but you can claim a tax deduction for it. Caps, carry-forward, the notice of intent and 30 June timing for 2026-27.
10 min readCompany Tax Rate: 25% or 30%? The Base Rate Entity Test
Your company pays 25% if aggregated turnover is under $50M and 80% or less of income is passive — otherwise 30%. Both tests explained, with examples.
9 min read
Run payroll and keep up with super
Connect the payroll process with reporting and payment dates. Check the guide for the change or obligation affecting your next pay run.
4 guidesSingle Touch Payroll (STP) Explained for Small Employers
What Single Touch Payroll is, who must report, how STP Phase 2 works, low-cost software options, end-of-year finalisation and how payday super fits in.
9 min readPayday Super Explained: The 1 July 2026 Rules for Employers
Payday super starts 1 July 2026: super due within 7 business days of each payday, 12% SG rate, qualifying earnings, new SG charge and SBSCH closure explained.
15 min readPayroll Changes 2026-27: Payday Super, Wages, Rates, Dates
Every FY 2026-27 payroll change for Australian employers: payday super, the 12% super guarantee, the new minimum wage, wage theft penalties and key dates.
8 min read27 Fortnightly Pays in 2026-27: What Employers Need to Do About It
Does 2026-27 have 27 fortnightly pays? Only for Wednesday pay days. Check your payroll calendar, the ATO extra-withholding rates and what employers must do.
12 min read
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