Things Every Business Owner Should Know About Their Bookkeeping And Finances
As a business owner, it’s likely that there’s a lot on your plate besides your bookkeeping and business finances.
You’re busy managing customers, keeping up with your marketing and doing the day-to-day tasks involved in running your business. And, when you’re wearing all the hats, it can be tough to find the time to sort out your numbers and manage your cash flow (especially if numbers aren’t your thing).
However, the reality is that there are some core things you need to know about your bookkeeping and finances, to ensure your business is compliant and profitable.
To help you narrow down where to prioritise your precious time and headspace, we’ve put together some of the bookkeeping essentials you need to know.
1. Simplify your bookkeeping: keep business and personal accounts separate
Whilst it can be tempting to mix your personal and business finances together, it’s important to separate them from day one.
Why?
Firstly, for some business structures having separate business accounts is compulsory.
Secondly, as your business grows it will become increasingly difficult to accurately track your business income and expenses, leading to headaches and potentially costly mistakes at tax time.
Once you have separate accounts for your business finances, make sure to keep records of every transaction that happens within your business (including keeping records of all receipts and invoices).
2. Use a bookkeeping process to track your business expenses
In the early days of your business, it may feel difficult to predict exactly what your expenses will be. However, spending some time recording each expense you know (or can anticipate) will help you to understand your running costs, and keep track of your tax deductible expenses.
Many of the day-to-day costs involved in generating income and running your business are tax deductible. However, purchases that are just for you, or are only partially used by the business, can’t be claimed or claimed in full.
If you’re unsure about the expenses that are appropriate to claim, you can find out more information from the Australian Taxation Office, or an accounting or bookkeeping professional.
3. Structure your business finances to account for tax payments
As a business owner, you’re responsible for paying tax on your business earnings. It’s important to budget a portion of your income towards tax expenses to avoid expensive surprises at the end of the financial year.
Depending on what is right for your business situation and the tax bracket that you sit within, putting aside a percentage of each sale into a separate ‘tax payment’ account means you avoid the stress of trying to come up with the money when your tax bill is due.
4. Know the basics of bookkeeping and business finances
Even if you decide to use an automated accounting software or outsource your bookkeeping to a professional, it’s still helpful to understand the basics.
Whilst professional support can reduce your risk of running into tax problems, it’s always best if you also understand the basics of your tax obligations.
There’s plenty of resources online covering different business structures and their legal obligations. The information relevant to you and your business will depend on whether you’re registered for GST, paying corporation tax, and the structure of your business. For example, registered companies have different taxation rules to sole traders or partnership structures.
Having a basic understanding of the tax rules that relate to your business could save you from serious fines and penalties.
5. Regularly review your financial reports
Whether you keep manual records or use cloud-based accounting software, make sure you have a way to run reports that can give you a clear snapshot of your finances at any point in time.
Running bookkeeping reports monthly ensures all outstanding customer invoices are paid, and any gaps in your records are addressed.
You might also want to run in-depth reports at the end of each quarter to identify growth or loss trends in sales, follow up on outstanding money you’re owed, and gain valuable data that can inform your business plan and goals for the next quarter.
6. Outsource to a professional bookkeeping services professional
Managing your bookkeeping and business finances is crucial to the health and compliance of your business.
Yet, it’s also time intensive and there’s a lot of complex information to understand. That’s why many business owners choose to invest in experts to manage their business bookkeeping.
Bookkeeping professionals live and breathe everything business finances, and thanks to the help of automation tools their services are often more affordable than you might think.
Outsourcing to an experienced bookkeeper can offer several benefits, including:
- Freeing up your time and energy to focus on what you do best
- Ensuring your books are always up to date and organised
- Meeting all compliance requirements, including BAS and tax obligations
- Peace of mind knowing that your business finances are in experienced hands.
7. Get professional help
If you’re ready to streamline your bookkeeping and finances, finding the right fit in business bookkeeping services can be a game changer.
Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping provides a complete Bookkeeping, BAS Lodgement and Payroll Service for small business owners. As we work virtually, we service business owners from anywhere in Australia. From bookkeeping services through to payroll services, we’re here to help you take control of your bookkeeping and compliance functions so that you can focus on growing your business.
To find out more about how a professional bookkeeping service can save you time and money, phone Maree today on 0429 363 047.
Why Payroll Is Critical To Get Right
Payroll, or the process of managing employee wage payments, is a critical task for all businesses to get right.
As a small business owner, it’s likely that you’re currently handling payroll yourself, but as your team grows, investing in professional payroll services will save you a lot of time and help you avoid the unexpected costs and hefty penalties that come with getting your payroll wrong.
In this article, we explain the essentials any business owner needs to know about payroll.
1. The critical role payroll plays in your business
If there’s one area of your business to get right, it’s payroll.
Not processing payroll correctly can affect the morale and trust of your employees, who are relying on reliable and timely access to their wages.
Payroll errors can also impact your compliance and have a negative impact on your business’ reputation and financial stability.
2. So, what does payroll compliance mean?
As outlined by government regulations, a business meets payroll compliance by:
- Making accurate payments and deductions to its employees
- Providing employees with a detailed payslip showing the minimum requirements as outlined by the Fair Work Australia laws
- File and pay withholding taxes on time to the Australian Tax Office (ATO)
- For larger businesses: file and pay payroll tax to the relevant state authorities on time
- File and report STP to the Tax Office on time
- Pay other deductions – such as superannuation contributions by the due dates
- Keep payroll records for at least seven years.
3. Common mistakes to avoid when processing your payroll
Doing payroll to the level required these days can be complicated and time consuming, especially if you’re not a trained payroll services professional.
With so many legal requirements to keep track of, we often see the same payroll mistakes happening, including:
Incorrect wage payments
As an employer, you’re responsible for ensuring that your employees receive the correct wage payments, including all relevant entitlements under their award or employment agreement. This includes any overtime, penalty rates and allowances.
You can find comprehensive information about pay rates and entitlements via the Fair Work Australia website, including their pay calculator.
Incorrect leave accruals
This often occurs when a new employee is set up in the system.
When setting up your employees, remember that leave accrual only applies to full time and part time employees and part time employees need to be set up with pro-rata leave entitlements.
One other step to prioritise is ticking the option for annual leave to be paid out upon employee termination – this will ensure the final payslip calculates the leave owed.
Incorrect or late superannuation payments
Including:
- Incorrectly calculating super or missing key situations where super is payable, such as for contractors, people under 18, and sometimes for shift loadings and leave loading
- Not setting up a default employer super fund (or sometimes setting one up but having the incorrect type)
- And, not paying superannuation by the quarterly due date.
Being clear on these steps, or investing in a payroll services professional, can help you avoid some of the most common payroll mistakes.
4. What happens when you make a payroll mistake?
Payroll is such a critical process for businesses to get right, and unfortunately the consequences for payroll mistakes can be both costly and have a negative impact on your business, including:
- Being audited by the ATO
- Receiving penalties and paying interest for superannuation underpayment
- Receiving penalties and paying interest for late superannuation payments
- Issues with cash flow due to incorrect employee wage payments and trying to catch up by paying them back pay
- Fines from Fair Work Inspectors.
5. How to reduce payroll errors and set yourself up for clear and efficient payroll processing
If you’re feeling a bit daunted by all there is to know and get right with your payroll, these simple tips can help to streamline the process for you.
Payroll processing tips:
- Before you start your payroll processing, it’s essential to make sure you have all the necessary documentation and details prepared and readily available. Taking some time to do this first can save on costly mistakes
- Setting up a system that tracks all the payroll hours worked will give you clarity and confidence that all employees are paid accurate and timely wages
- And last but not least, make sure you clearly communicate wage details with each of your employees so they know how much they will be paid and when to expect their paycheck.
6. How outsourcing payroll to a payroll services professional benefits businesses
With payroll playing such a critical role in the health of your business (and being a time-intensive activity), many business owners choose to invest in experts to manage their payroll.
Because payroll service providers live and breathe payroll (and thanks to the help of automation tools), their services are often more affordable than you might think.
This can be a great investment in healthy payroll, and can give you more time back to do what you do best and the peace of mind of knowing that your payroll is in experienced hands.
Depending on who you choose, many payroll professionals can support you with:
- Working out pay (including benefits and reimbursements)
- Deducting employee income taxes
- Sorting out other deductions such as retirement contributions
- Paying employees
- Maintaining your payroll records, and
- Filing taxes with the ATO.
7. Get professional help
So, if you’re ready to spend less time worrying about whether your payroll is accurate, finding the right fit payroll services support can be a game changer.
Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping provides a complete Bookkeeping, BAS Lodgement and Payroll Service for small business owners. As we work virtually, we service business owners from anywhere in Australia. From bookkeeping services through to payroll services, we’re here to help you take control of your bookkeeping and compliance functions so that you can focus on growing your business.
To find out more about how a professional bookkeeping service can save you time and money, phone Maree today on 0429 363 047.
Why The New Financial Year Is Always The Best Time To Get Your Finances And Bookkeeping In Order
The new financial year is always the best time to get your finances and bookkeeping in order. In this article, we explain what bookkeeping things you need to consider for the new financial year.
1. Ditch The Spreadsheets And Get The Right Bookkeeping App
One of the main reasons some businesses fail is because they don’t have a good bookkeeping system. With the right bookkeeping, you’ll receive enough warning if it looks like your business might run out of cash.
Using the latest bookkeeping software is the most efficient choice. The most popular bookkeeping apps include Xero, MYOB and Quickbooks, which you can trial each one for free and see what works better for you.
The new financial year is the perfect time to switch to a bookkeeping app so by the time this financial year is over, you’ll have a full financial year worth of data.
2. Make Sure Your GST And Other Registrations Are In Order
The new financial year is a good time to assess if you need to register for GST.
You must register for GST if:
- Your business has a GST turnover of $75,000 or more
- You provide taxi or limousine travel (including ride-sourcing services like Uber, GoCatch, Didi or OLA) regardless of your GST turnover
- You want to claim fuel tax credits for your business, regardless of your GST turnover
Other registrations you may need include:
- Tax File Number (if you’re operating as a partnership, trust or company) – required
- Australian business number (ABN) – recommended
- Pay as you go (PAYG) withholding – required if you employ staff
- Payroll tax – required in certain circumstances
- Fringe benefits tax (FBT) – required in certain circumstances
3. Get Your Bookkeeping Processes In Order
Do your bookkeeping weekly no matter how busy you are. If you genuinely cannot keep up, you are far better off to outsource the bookkeeping to a professional to keep on top of.
Regular bookkeeping means that your BAS preparation and lodgment will be much easier to keep on top of too. Make note of the BAS lodgment and payment due dates and pop these into your calendar so you won’t forget to lodge on time: https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Business-activity-statements-(BAS)/Due-dates-for-lodging-and-paying-your-BAS/
Your financial reports are only useful if your bookkeeping is up to date and accurate, so don’t let this get out of hand. Make sure your bookkeeping is done weekly (minimum) so you can see the financial state of your business at a glance.
4. Review Your Financial Reports Regularly
It’s important to keep a close eye on your business performance. Good accounting software will let you quickly generate useful reports, such as:
- Profit and Loss Reports – these show your company’s income, expenses and profits over time.
- Balance Sheet Reports – these show assets, liabilities and equity
- Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Reports – these show how much money is owed by, and to, your company.
5. Keep Your Business And Your Personal Finances Separate
This is essential if you want to understand your business cash flow and forecast how it might change. Mixing your business and personal finances can leave you uncertain about business performance. If you continue to combine your personal and business transactions, you’ll end up doing unnecessary bookkeeping for your personal transactions, as these still need to be processed in order to balance your bank account at month-end.
6. Get Your Cash Flow In Order And Build A Cash Reserve
Access to cash will make or break your business. The ultimate step to managing cash flow like a pro is to build a cash reserve. A cash reserve provides the cushion you need to manage unexpected events. It also gives you the confidence and finances you need to grow your business. It’s not always possible to build a large cash reserve. But if you do, it can insulate you from the economic cycle and the whims of banks and other lenders. It will also let you take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.
7. Get Professional Help
Doing bookkeeping and payroll to the level required these days can be complicated and time-consuming. Plus there are a lot of legal requirements, which means there are serious risks to getting things wrong. For these reasons, many business owners prefer to leave it to the experts. It can free up their time and give them extra peace of mind.
In addition, professional bookkeeping services providers are often able to do your bookkeeping at a lower cost than you may realise, as they use software to automate many of the tasks involved.
Expert bookkeeping and payroll services are worth their weight in gold. When you find the right outsourced bookkeeping and payroll service, you’ll spend less time thinking about your bookkeeping and more time doing what you do best – running and growing your business!
Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping provides a complete Bookkeeping, BAS Lodgement and Payroll Service for small business owners. As we work virtually, we service business owners from anywhere in Australia. From bookkeeping services through to payroll services, we’re here to help you take control of your bookkeeping and compliance functions so that you can focus on growing your business.
To find out more about how a professional bookkeeping service can save you time and money, phone Maree today on 0429 363 047.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Why you should outsource payroll?
There are a number of reasons why you should outsource your payroll to Maree Punzet, Bookkeeper with over 20 years’ experience.
- Do you know the changes to the threshold for Superannuation are increasing?
- Do you know that STP 2 is changing too?
- The reporting side of Bookkeeping is getting more complicated each month, with new reporting changes that the ATO are after, there are more chances of you making mistakes, gone are the days when payroll was easy.
Does this sound all too familiar?
Then why don’t you outsource your payroll to Maree today.
Let her take care of this for you.
Give her a call today on 0429 363 047.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Have you outsourced your bookkeeping in the past?
Have you ever outsourced your bookkeeping but decided to do it yourself?
Was the reason that you felt you lost that control?
We have recently completed a survey and asked business owners the main reason why they won’t outsource their bookkeeping.
The majority of people answered that they felt like they would lose control of what was happening within the business.
Isn’t it strange, as a business owner, we like to control every facet of our business, from working on the product or service, to delivery, to pricing, to writing content, to social media, we like to stay and control and do it all?
Well, sometimes you just can’t do everything as a business owner.
It just isn’t possible.
You don’t have the time.
Which means an area of your business, which is probably the most important aspect, either doesn’t get done, or it gets done, but in a hurry and errors are made.
Have you thought that Maree your bookkeeper could do this for you, in half the time and she will keep you informed of what she is doing, so you still feel like you have that control?
Does that sound pretty good to you?
Then give Maree a call today on 0429 363 047.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
How will COVID affect your business in 2022 and into the future?
Many business owners have not been affected since 2020 when the first case was detected and Australia started going into lockdown.
Though on the end of the spectrum, I have lost some clients myself (not many) because COVID did contribute to a few businesses closing.
How will it affect your business in 2022?
I feel more business owners are optimistic when it comes to their own business this year. Over the last 2 years, many business owners have refocused, pivoted into other areas of their business.
Some have closed one part of their business and ventured into another area which has been of financial benefit.
If anything, business owners are becoming more creative.
What they thought wasn’t possible, is possible.
Many cafes that had a bustling business are now only doing takeaway and remaining doing takeaway. They felt with the wages of staff for waitressing, was better spent in keeping the remaining staff on for cooking and delivery.
How will your business go into the future?
Have you been able to sustain your business during the pandemic?
What have you done to keep it going?
If you ever need help with your bookkeeping, I’m happy to have a chat.
Let’s hope the future looks more positive for all business owners.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Bookkeeping in 2022!
How will Bookkeeping look in 2022?
Over the last 2 years since COVID hit, as a Bookkeeper nothing stays the same, Bookkeeping changes weekly and monthly and that’s my job is to keep abreast of the changes.
Bookkeeping in 2022, will probably look no different.
As a Bookkeeper we are always educating on the numerous changes the Government is outlining, to policies and procedures.
Never a day goes by that Bookkeeping doesn’t change.
What doesn’t change is how I help each and everyone of my clients each day. I treat their business as if it’s my own.
If you don’t want the stress of having to keep on top of all the different changes when it comes to Bookkeeping, then outsource to me. Let me help you. Contact me anytime so I can help you in 2022 and beyond.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Outsource your bookkeeping in January 2022
Why don’t you start the New Year with a resolution that will not only save you time and money, that being, to outsource your Bookkeeping.
Wouldn’t that be a great start to the New Year.
Knowing that your business will be taken care of from BAS, to data entry, Payroll and everything else in between.
A great bookkeeper is probably the best present you will receive for your business.
Maree has been a Bookkeeper’ for over 20 years and has helped numerous clients over the this time from many different industries.
If you want to start 2022 on the right foot, then contact Maree Punzet today.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Do you know about Director ID?
Many people don’t know about Director ID and how to apply for one?
This is the eligibility criteria of those that need a Director ID.
– A company that is a registered Australian body or a registered foreign company under the Corporations Act 2001
– An Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander corporation registered under the Corporations (A&TSI) Act 2006.
In other words an eligible officer is a person who is appointed either as a director, or an alternative Director who is acting in that capacity.
For more information on the Corporations Act, visit the ASIC websiteExternal link, this information is from the link below.
‘Corporations Act directors
When you must apply for your director ID depends on the date you become a director.
| Date you become a director | Date you must apply |
| On or before 31 October 2021 | By 30 November 2022 |
| Between 1 November 2021 and 4 April 2022 | Within 28 days of appointment |
| From 5 April 2022 | Before appointment |
To be a director under the Corporations Act, you must:
- be an individual who is at least 18 years old
- not be disqualified from managing corporations, unless the appointment is made with the permission of ASIC or the Court.
To be a director under the CATSI Act, you must:
- be an individual who is at least 18 years old
- be a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person (unless the corporation’s constitution or rule book says otherwise)
- not be disqualified from managing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation, unless the appointment is made with the permission of the Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations or the Court.
For more information on the CATSI Act, visit the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) websiteExternal link’
If you use an authorised tax, BAS agent like myself, I can help you decide if you need to apply.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Lockdowns will not be forever, don’t let that deter you from outsourcing your bookkeeping
Lockdowns across the country of Australia have been a royal pain for so many.
It’s hard enough to home school, do exercise, go about your normal day, or what once was called normal.
Don’t let lockdowns deter you from outsourcing your Bookkeeping.
It could actually save your sanity.
Once you outsource your Bookkeeping, you will never go back to doing it yourself, lockdowns or not. It’s the way to do business moving forward.
The time and energy and cost you waste doing it yourself, is so much more than outsourcing.
Give Maree a call today to provide you a quote.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Don’t let shutdowns and border closures stop you outsourcing your bookkeeping.
For the last 18 months, most businesses have turned a 180 degree and are working from home.
Before COVID and shutdowns and border closures, Maree was working virtually and helping businesses all around Australia, in fact she has been doing just that for the past 20 years.
So don’t let shutdowns or borders closures stop you outsourcing your bookkeeping to Maree. She is the best in the business and will help you save money.
Call Maree today.
Maree Punzet | Maree’s Mobile Bookkeeping | 0429 363 047
You didn’t go into business to do your Payroll and Bookkeeping, BUT WE DID
Top 6 Bookkeeping Tips
