Who Uses a Bookkeeper? Are they just for larger businesses?

Everybody uses a bookkeeper to take care of their finances and to lodge quarterly BAS, year end income tax returns, payroll processing, superannuation calculation and STP reporting. It may be the business owner, the wife or partner, an in-house bookkeeper or a contract bookkeeper or tax agent or accountant.

As a tradie, builder or small business owner, you would probably prefer to work in your business rather than on your accounts.

The last thing you want to do is come home from a hard day on the tools to a pile of receipts and other bookkeeping issues that need your urgent attention.

Builders and tradesmen also need to be aware of if and when they need to register for GST, how much money needs to be put aside for the GST, PAYG and income tax liability accruing whilst they go about their business earning money. No one likes a huge tax bill so it is best to be on top of your bookkeeping so you can see these figures very clearly on a current basis.

If you choose to use a contract bookkeeper like Northern Beaches Bookkeeping Solutions, they can set you up with an easy system to gather your paperwork and receipts. They will contact you when your quarterly BAS is due, request any other information they may need so they can prepare your BAS accurately and efficiently and on time. They will also let you know how much you need to pay and when so you are all up to date and fully compliant with no risk of any penalties or late fees.

A good bookkeeper is an investment in your business and an integral part of your business growth and success.

Top Tips for Hiring the Right Small Business Bookkeeper

You want to hire a bookkeeper who understands your small or mid size business, one who will become an integral part of your business, somebody you can rely on to keep your accounts up to date and in order. They should have the necessary qualifications and experience.

A Registered BAS Agent needs 30 hours of continuing professional education to maintain their BAS Agent licence. A bookkeeper needs to be a Registered BAS Agent if they are charging you to prepare and lodge business activity statements or BAS.

You can check that your bookkeeper is a certified Xero Advisor on the Xero page making sure they actually understand how Xero works so they are using it accurately and most efficiently. Our Northern Beaches Bookkeeping Solutions bookkeepers are experienced bookkeepers, registered BAS agents and Certified Xero Advisors and a Xero Gold Partner.

You may want a local bookkeeper but these days with cloud based accounting software, everything can be taken care of online via apps, emails or telephone calls. At Northern Beaches Bookkeeping Solutions we prefer to specialise in Xero accounting software, we also use Dext which is a great and easy way to provide us with your paperwork via an email or on the app on your phone.

What is the difference between a Bookkeeper and an Accountant?

A bookkeeper tends to take care of your everyday bookkeeping services coding off and reconciling your daily transactions, making sure your bank accounts reconcile to the actual bank balances and preparing and lodging your monthly or quarterly business activity statement or BAS. A good bookkeeper should provided regular financial statements so you can understand how your business is performing on a current up to date basis. An accountant will review your accounts, give financial advice and tax planning at year end and prepare and lodge your income tax return and provide official financial statements.

How much does a Good Bookkeeper charge in Sydney Australia?

So how much should you be paying for a bookkeeper? In Australia, a good bookkeeper charges in a range of $25 to $95 per hour depending on the experience and qualifications of the bookkeeper. A bookkeeper does need to be a registered BAS Agent to prepare and lodge BAS on your behalf. A BAS agent is required to undertake 30 hours of continuing professional education so this needs to be taken into account. At Northern Beaches Bookkeeping Solutions we do not charge by the hour but prefer to offer a valued based set fee package that covers all of the services you require giving you peace of mind. We take advantage of and pay for the latest technology in our business so that you can provide paperwork to us in the most efficient and easiest way.