Some signs that your small business needs an Accountant

During the early phases of a company's lifespan, important people of the business, especially the owner, may be required to wear multiple hats. Depending on the needs of the company, you could be the CEO, secretary, salesman, accountant, or even an intern on any given day.
While this balancing act may succeed at first, it will become unsustainable as the company grows. Taxes and financial planning, for example, become substantially more complicated and time-consuming, especially if you work in an area with strict regulatory or compliance requirements.
To that end, every expanding business eventually reaches the point when hiring an accountant in Melbourne is a must. How do you know when it's time to hire an accountant, though? Paying attention to the indicators is a good way to start.

·       Bookkeeping needs much time

Your time as a business owner is limited. You can't afford to be pushed in a million different directions forever. It becomes prohibitively expensive to spend your time and energy on things that aren't a suitable fit for your skillset like bank reconciliations. Transactions become more sophisticated as the company's revenue grows.

Consider all of the things an accountant could do that would likely take up a lot of time each week, such as:

·         Responsibility of regular transactions

·         Variance analysis and cost accounting

·         General ledger maintenance

·         Preparation of financial statement

·         Cash Management and treasury that includes bank reconciliations

·         Fixed asset accounting and payroll

·       Tax Season

If you've ever got a huge refund or owing a big amount in back taxes, these are red signals indicating you're not properly addressing your business taxes.

As a result, even for experts who are familiar with the complexities and nuances of tax rules, rules, and regulations, tax season may be one of the most stressful periods of the year. However, if you're in charge of making sure your finances are in order, you can feel completely out of your element.

It only takes one blunder to get you into trouble with the ATO. Even minor blunders and oversights can result in a penalty from the ATO. Simply not comprehending the regulations could result in you missing out on deductions or business credits that could decrease your tax liability.

By hiring an accountant, you could have someone capable of:

• Tax planning
• Personal tax planning
• Compiling and submitting taxes
• Filing financial reports and paperwork to IRS
• Ensuring you maximize your deductions and credits

Even though the accountant's hourly pay is higher than yours, the small business accountants complete the work in a fraction of the time and with more accuracy.

·       Planning for out of state expansion

There will be new rules and regulations governing your firm and its taxes as soon as it leaves the protection of its existing state. You'll most likely encounter the following things during this expansion:

·         Hiring new employees

·         Opening a new location

·         Doing the business across the state 

If that's the case, an accountant can make sure you're following all of the state's income, sales, and payroll tax reporting regulations. They can also go over your papers and look for any incentives you may have overlooked.

·       Other Situations

There are some situations in which hiring an accountant becomes crucial includes:

At the time of Audit

You'll need taxation accountants if you're being audited. Even if the ATO sends you a simple request for more information about your tax returns, you should engage a professional. Accountants are familiar with dealing with the ATO and can guarantee that you act appropriately to address the problem. You may find yourself in hot water if you handle it on your own and make a mistake.

Unusual Scenarios

Personal matters might sometimes have an impact on the destiny of your company. For example, if a business partner leaves or if the firm is deemed a marital asset in the event of a divorce, both of these events could alter the trajectory of a company. An accountant may assist with tax planning, business structures, estimating the value of a firm, and preparing financial documents for a sale.

Taking out a business loan 

 An accountant can assist you in determining whether or not taking out a loan is in line with your business goals. If this is the case, they can advise on the optimal loan structure, amount, and payment plan while providing the required financial statements.

·       Assistance with financial reporting

Is your firm at a point where it's time to bring in more capital? If that's the case, the financial records of your company will be crucial in the investor pitch and decision-making process. For your P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements, you need reliable reports.

An accountant can quickly prepare the documents, ensuring that they are accurate and include all pertinent information. As a result, you position your company for success and raise the possibility that outside investors will be ready to put their money into it.

Additionally, once you have enlisted funding, you will need to create financial accounts and reports on a regular basis to present with your stakeholders.

We are the best accountants that your business needs

 With Reliable Melbourne Accountants, you can choose the ideal accountant for your company— one who has the relevant industry experience and accounting expertise.

We have the solutions your business requires to flourish, whether you need a single accountant or an accounting team. We ensure you that we are the best result of your search “best tax accountant near me”.

Contact us today to see how we can help!

Best tips to prepare for the tax-filing season

Tax preparation is unquestionably a time-consuming job. However, taking a few minutes now to review your accounts will go a long way towards assisting you in saving money and reaping the rewards of deductions earlier. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has billions of dollars to return to taxpayers. All you have to do to boost your refund is to think beyond the box. The ATO is capable of detecting unreported wages, bank interest, share dividends, and other forms of income. Unfortunately, it has no way of alerting you of a missed deduction for work-related expenditures, investment costs, or other irrational expenses.

Preparing your company documentation for the end of the financial year entails a lot of work. Even if you've done a bad job of record-keeping so far, it's not too late to get your company ready for tax season.

Below are the tips to get prepared for the tax-season by our professional accountants for small business:

1.   Analyze bank transactions closely

According to a poll, 66% of company owners misunderstand bank statements. And if you've completed the majority of your submissions, it's not too late to use a software tool to help you catch errors. Accounting software should have built-in controls to ensure that data is properly accounted for, even while maintaining a user-friendly interface.

2.   Stay Organized

According to the report, 58 per cent of company owners and administrators struggle to keep up with their accounting and financial statements regularly during the year. One of the most common causes of business failure is disorganization or a lack of knowledge about where essential documents are kept. Intuitive and user-friendly that can combine accounting with other business management functions (such as sales, storage, point-of-sale, payroll, field management, and so on) means less work for you because these functions can interact with one another and keep your accounts up to date. Our bookkeeping services provider always keeps your business organized.

3.   Evaluate the GST liability

For a reporting period, you may need to adjust your GST net liability. Depending on their circumstances, business owners may increase or decrease changes. The software will assist you in assessing the condition and ensuring that you comply.

4. Superannuation

If you have to make superannuation contributions for your employees, do so in June so you can subtract them this fiscal year. A sophisticated accounting software programme can assist you in staying within your contribution limits.

5.  Respond to the additional information

When questioned, approximately 49% of business owners fail to report or update details. Take care of any "loose ends" and wrap it up as quickly as possible, accounting firms always take care of this aspect for your business.

6.  Take the assistance of a professional

And if your paperwork isn't quite ready to file, meeting with an accountant who can help you organize and strategize is a good idea. If your reports for this year aren't up to date, company data from previous years will provide insight into your finances to your accountant. At tax time, accounting software ensures that prior year reports and returns are readily available.

7.  Look at the wider picture

Don't think of June 30th as tax day; instead, think of it as a time to evaluate your company and your financial future. Not only can enterprise accounting software assist you with last-minute tax details, but it will also provide you with insight into other critical details such as taxes, savings, and retirement planning.

8.  Check how the accounting software can assist you

Smart business software keeps track of data that you would otherwise overlook. No one can recall all of the information required to keep up with a busy office's complicated accounting data. However, 46% of company managers are unable to use the tools they have chosen to their full potential. This may defeat the intent of using accounting or tax software in the first place.

We have MYOB EXO and MYOB Advanced Consultants who can provide customized training and support to your team. MYOB Exo and MYOB Advanced, for example, are automated and fully supported ERP systems that provide reporting and enforcement capabilities for business owners and managers to confidently make decisions and predictions to ensure good financial management and the ability to exploit market opportunities.

Take our Assistance

Keeping good records will save you time and, in the case of a professional preparer, money if you do your taxes or employs someone else to do them. The earlier you begin, the more smoothly the process can go, and the faster you'll be done with it for another year.

With experienced tax return agents, we at Reliable Accountants Melbourne ensure you that your return will be looked after by a tax expert who will secure all offsets and deductions you are entitled to. We provide the perfect combination of professionalism and service  

We challenge that we are the best result of your search “Tax Accountants near me”. 

TIPS TO MAXIMIZE TAX REFUND EVERY YEAR

While trying to maximize the tax return, many people fail to take benefit of potential deductions either being disorganized or by simply not knowing.

The ATO has billions of dollars to hand back to the taxpayers. You must improve your refund by thinking creatively.

The average tax return of Australia is $2,574, and learning how to increase the amount in your pocket is an appreciable way to make the most of your refund. Getting familiar with some deductions rules, you’ll lower the stress that moves with getting the financial life together.

Below are some tips provided by tax return accountants to make the tax season hassle-free: 

1.Check the tax bracket

The first method for maximization of tax return is to assure that you work out your tax bracket efficiently. Without having an idea of a tax bracket, you’ll not understand the full extent of your tax obligations.

The tax brackets change every year. Just take a few minutes to review the individual and married income tax rates from the Australian Taxation Office to understand where you stand. When you’’ have complete knowledge of tax bracket, you’ll be in a better place to review the deductions. 

2.Creation of a receipt system

If you are simply stuffing your receipts into an envelope or a hidden drawer, you’re not alone. It is very easy to lose the receipts so you have to make a system. To save money during tax season, tracking and saving receipts is one of the best ways. You’ll be surprised just how many things you can claim that might have not known. Fortunately, there are different applications available that assist you to digitize receipts if you prefer modern solutions to keep them safe. The bookkeeping services providers always mention such tip to maximize the tax return. 

3.Make a charity

Doing well for someone always pays you off, but did you know it could also pay off during tax season? Making a charity here acts as a double-edged sword, on one hand, you are doing a good deed and on another hand you are lowering the taxable income. You may consider setting up a monthly donation to a charity of your wish. 

4. Home and Car expenses

If you have a home office or drive your car to work, you may claim some additional expenses. When you are using your own car for work or have dedicated a room in your home for your office, you are taking on the cost of running or working for a business.

You must create a strategy for the calculation of your car allowance. To calculate the cost and distance throughout the year, you may use a mileage tracker app. You could be entitled to claim a number of home office expenses like utilities, equipment, etc. 

5. Travel Expenses

While you enjoy yourself with your family on the beaches, you might be able to qualify for some travel expenses and it is specifically for work travel. If it is a requirement of your job to travel, you can deduct a number of expenses, especially if you stay overnight. You can also deduct the meals as long as your employer is not reimbursing you. 

Enrol now with the best accounting firm to get your tax returns maximized. 

6. Get paid to read news and magazine

If you read an industry magazine or journal online, you might be entitled to a deduction. If you subscribe to an online or offline publication that assists you to stay up to date in your line of work, you may show a direct link to the subscription and your assessable income, then you may likely claim a deduction. 

7.  Keep your money in a super fund

Super contributions might be the best way to make the most of the tax return. This is especially for workers who earn less than $52,000 a year. For every $1 put in your super, the government will contribute 50 cents. In addition, if you are married and one partner makes less than $40,000, the higher-earning partner can contribute up to $3000 to the lower-earning partner’s super fund. This results in a tax offset of 18%. This kind of saving pays off in a long run. 

Start your preparation for the tax season

With the tips mentioned above, you can maximize your returns. You could be hoping to save the money for a family holiday or for paying off the debt. Making the most of your yearly tax return can assist you to reach your goals faster.

Contact now Reliable Melbourne Accountants for maximizing your tax returns. Our dedicated small business accountants in Melbourne work closer with the clients to provide a higher level of customized service.

We ensure you that we are the best result for your search “best tax accountants near me”

Is your tax return accountant liable for mistakes?

If you have hired a tax return accountant to complete your return, you expect that the work will be done properly. However, sometimes either intentionally or unintentionally, the tax return accountant could make a mistake on your tax return that may get caught by the ATO which could result in certain tax penalties.
After some alterations in law over a decade ago, anybody who prepares a tax return could be held liable for mistakes in the preparation of a return for someone else. A tax return accountant who made mistakes in your return could be subjected to an ATO monetary penalty. The accounting services provider may also get a non-financial penalty, like being unable to prepare any returns for some time.
This is an informative blog on the topic of what you must do if your accountant makes a mistake, and what is their liability?

Tax Return Accountant made a mistake – What may happen?

Here lies the twist! If the tax preparer makes a mistake, you must bear the penalties. If the mistakes were caused due to the omission of data from your end, you must work with your accounting services professional to make the corrections.
On the other hand, if the mistakes were caused by the tax preparer, you would be required to notify him about the correspondence that you’ve received from the ATO.
The professional accountant must analyze the mistakes by taking necessary measures. Such measures include filing an amended return at no extra charge. You must check the contract that you have already signed with the tax return accountant that mentions their liabilities.

As per ATO, below are some examples in which you may report your tax return accountant:

·       * Creating some alterations in the tax return data

·        * Creation or omission of income

·        * By creating false exemptions, generating large refunds

·        * Failure in signing tax returns they file and prepare

·        * Inability to provide a copy of the tax return to the client when they ask

·        * Waiting or holding the record of the client for some time for the preparation fee    to get paid

It depends upon you that how well you may convince the ATO about the negligence of a tax return accountant.
The ATO may then investigate and if it finds anything wrong, the license of a tax return accountant could be rescinded.

Can I sue a tax return accountant?
It is often the last resort as the taxpayer has to pay a certain legal fee. But, if the tax return accountant is not registered by the ATO or state-licensed, the only step is to take legal action. You may file a standard professional malpractice complaint with the state court in your jurisdiction.
To avoid dealing with such problems, it is the best option to research the candidate and find the best that suits your requirements. Like, if you deal with complex financial situations, you might need regular consultations by accounting services professional. 

If the tax return accountant has made a mistake, who will pay?
Originally the taxpayer is held responsible for additional income tax, but the tax return accountant could be held liable for the additional penalties in the form of interest and liabilities. According to economics, the tax preparer is left with certain small claims court as the only viable economic option.

What you must do if your tax return accountant makes a mistake?
Bring the matter to the attention of the tax preparer and quite often an amended return is warranted to correct the mistake. The reputable preparers cover the penalties and interest related to their own mistakes. 

Contact us to get the services of our tax return accountants
The tax laws are quite complex. So it is understood that mistakes may occur. But the ATO is not forgiving. Therefore, an efficient accountant must stay alert while filing the taxes.
The tax return accountants at Reliable Melbourne Accountant are enthusiastic enough that they are focused during the tax season and assure that you never have to face any hurdles in the path of success for your business. We know how to sort out the law and certain facts in tax controversy and take care of your rights with the ATO.

Call us now to grab our incredible services.

Tips for accounting in Melbourne to keep the books balanced

Accounting plays a crucial role in businesses of all sizes; however, it is of less priority for small business owners. Although it’s a matter that fetches less attention, it must never be treated as an afterthought.

In case things get tougher, the right accounting could assist you to save your business. In this post, we’ll put the best and proven tips by small business accountant Melbourne to keep the books balanced by avoiding the mistakes that could be detrimental to your business. 

·       Keep an eye on Cash Flow

When it’s all about small business accounting tips, education is everything. Consider producing a cash flow statement, as you perform weekly or monthly financial reviews. Such statements give you a complete understanding of cash movement within the company. A cash flow statement analyzes the income direction. It also involves an element of time, enabling you to visualize the payment cycles and seasonal expenses.

Cash flow statements may provide you the knowledge you require to anticipate expenses and allocating income. These are also quite useful in building financial trajectories. Your small business accountant Melbourne can do this for you.

You don’t have to generate a cash flow statement but in order to understand monetary motion. Just make use of an efficient technology that may get a holistic vision of the method in which the cash is functioning in the business model.

·       Record the cash expenses

It is important for you to track the expenses that are related to your business. This is the way these costs could be eliminated from the amount of the total income when it’s all about doing taxes. 

This will provide you more accurate and efficient sense of overall profitability for the year. It is quite easier to look at expenses paid for in cash. You must ask for the receipt from your vendor or log the expense immediately to assure that it makes it on the books.   

·       Understand the difference between Receipts and Invoices

Mixing up receipts and invoices is a common way for small business owners to manage their books. To follow the difference between the two is the simple piece of accounting advice by tax return accountants. After receiving the services, the invoice is the bill that is sent to the customers.

These are the detailed bills that must outline everything that the customer has received from the company.  The invoices remind the customers that they owe you money. They are also helpful for speeding up the cash flow, ensuring you are getting paid and keeping the financial records.

A receipt shows the proof that the transaction has happened and it is what you provide your customers after the transaction gets over.

When the receipts and invoices get mixed up, it makes accounting in Melbourne a nightmare. You cannot mention what’s completed and what’s still in progress. When you need to balance your books, you will just be landed in a lot of trouble.

 

·     Leverage Technology

It’s a quite complex process to keep the accounts accurate. The whole process even becomes more stressful with the growth of your business. A single transaction may make distinct entries into different accounts. It will be overwhelming to keep a record when there are numerous such transactions.

Here comes the assistance of technology. The accounting systems are quite easier to use than recording each transaction that your business makes into physical ledgers.

If you took the decision to make use of software for such accounting requirements, assure you still keep a copy of all such receipts either digitally or physically. In this manner, you may go back and analyze everything in case of any discrepancies when you need to balance your books. 

·        Communication with your tax return accountant

It is quite crucial to make clear contact with your tax agent Melbourne or small business accountant Melbourne to manage your books. While working with such professionals, you may notice the jargon is quite confusing. It is significant to let them know if you don’t understand the terms that they use. Obviously, you are an entrepreneur and not a financial professional.

You have no reason to be informed of the latest technology terms that are used in the financial industry. You must view your tax return accountant and other accounting professionals as a part of your team. They are responsible to watch your back and giving you some accounting tips that you may bank on.  

Hire a Professional

Some people try to save money by just doing their taxes on their own. In reality, not hiring a professional may cost your business a lot of money down the road.

The tax return accountant at Reliable Accounting Services stays up-to-date with the changing tax laws so that you may plan ahead for tax hikes that could be coming your way in the future.

We can prove ourselves as the best tax agent Melbourne by working efficiently for your business. We claim that we are the topmost result of your search “tax accountants near me”. 

Top Reasons Your Tax Return Accountant May Face Delay In Tax Refund

 When you expect a tax refund, the last thing you intend to do is to show up. The turnaround time for the tax return processing has been speed up enormously over the years especially since the IRS electronic filing or e-file system has been introduced. Most of the tax returns in accounting services are processed within three weeks with the filers getting the funds sooner. Now days the burden to avoid delays lies on the taxpayer. Some simple errors or oversights could lead to a delay of the tax refund such as:

·        Filing tax return that is not complete

One of the common causes of delay in processing of tax return is the incomplete information on the return. As per the renowned IRS agent, “Inability to include basic data, like Social Security numbers of dependents, might hold up the refunds”. Failure to include the copies of W-2 or 1099 forms enhances the processing time, just like the missing forms or schedules.

When you make use of TurboTax for the preparation of your taxes, you will take into account some common errors before filing.

·        Computation errors on the tax return

The tax codes could be complicated with certain exceptions especially circumstances, and phase-outs of deductions, credits and exemptions. It is of no surprise that returns prepared manually include many errors. The common calculation errors include the taxable amount of Social Security income, taxable income and the Child and Dependant Care Credit.

Errors withheld in the amount of taxes, the Earned Income Credit, estimated taxes paid or the increment in the standard deduction for the taxpayers results in the computation errors on a tax returns.

Certain tax preparation software like TurboTax automatically runs the calculations and may assist you with avoiding math errors in the return. Tax return accountant also make use of these types of software.

·        Social Security Number Unmatched

It is a part of IRS to verify tax return information and assure that the Social Security Number (SSN) and the name combination on the return matches the data in the database of Social Security Administration. A mismatched data may delay the processing of your return. The e-filing process checks for some common errors such as Social Security number/name mismatch. Returns that don’t pass the e-file checks are rejected and allow you to correct these before resubmitting g the return.   

·        Filing tax return too early or late

You could be so anxious to receive your refund but sometimes filing it too early may work against you. Certain changes to the tax codes or procedures also happen at the last moment, and the refunds could be delayed while the IRS updates the tax software. Usually, such delays are minimal but these could be avoided by waiting till second or the third week of the year.

Filing done at the last moment may also delay the return. This holds if you file on paper due to the intense volume of people filing at the same time. Filing also enhances the possibility that you could be the victim to identify the theft. This holds where someone make use of your Social Security number for filing a fake return and claim a refund.

If you file first, the thief will be of bad luck as the IRS delays processing returns bearing the Social Security number that has been already filed. Therefore, if the thief files first, your refund could get delayed for a few months while the IRS analyses your data and tracks down the fraudulent return. 

·        Incorrect direct deposit information

The fastest method to get the refunds is to e-file the correct return and requests a direct deposit on the refunded amount. This is one area where you must recheck the data entry. Even the small mistake in the routing or account number may delay the refunds for weeks or months. The IRS issues a paper check once the deposit gets rejected or is returned by the bank and mail the check to you.  

You could also choose to have a paper check sent from the outset rather than direct deposit. These delay the refunds as compared to when you had it with direct deposit. The delays are limited to the amount of time it takes the IRS to issue the check and the Postal Services to get it delivered.

·        Amendment of the tax returns

After filing, if you intend to make certain changes to the tax returns, you are required to prepare an amended return. Such amended returns are ineligible for e-filing and should be mailed to the IRS. The Processing for an amendment usually takes an estimated 8-12 weeks from the date the IRS gets the return. Your Bookkeeper in Melbourne may also assist you in such matters.

Amendment will not have any such influence on the original refund. You could want to wait to amend a return with such minor errors until you get the original refund.

 HIRE US

If you need any assistance and don’t want to get bothered to get the tax refunds, Contact Reliable Melbourne Accountants. We can assist you for all the matters either bookkeeping for small business or to get the best accounting services in Melbourne. We are professionals in our field. We are the superior result for your search, “accountant near me”.