02 Services
Nine engagements, and the fee for each one
Compliance work that has a date on it, a monthly rhythm that makes the rest cheap, advisory conversations worth having before June, and two kinds of specialist work the Downs actually needs.
Compliance 03
The work that has a date on it.
- ATO liaison and lodgement catch-up Overdue returns and activity statements brought back up to date, with the ATO dealt with on your behalf. Cost $390 to $1,900
- BAS and GST lodgement Quarterly activity statements prepared, checked against the books and lodged through our BAS agent. Cost $180 to $420
- Tax returns and financial statements Individual, sole trader, company, partnership and trust returns, with financial statements you can hand to a bank. Cost $320 to $2,400
Monthly 01
The rhythm that makes everything else cheap.
Advisory 03
The conversations that are worth having before June.
- Cash flow forecasting A twelve-month rolling forecast you can actually read, updated each quarter against what really happened. Forecast $850 to $2,200
- Tax planning A planning session before 30 June, so the decisions get made while there is still time to make them. Forecast $550 to $1,650
- Business advisory and structuring Getting the structure right for what you are actually building, and the advice that goes with it. Growth $690 to $2,900
Specialist 02
Two kinds of work the Downs actually needs.
- Farm and primary production accounting Accounting built around the seasons: averaging, farm management deposits and livestock accounts. Growth $1,450 to $3,800
- SMSF review and administration Annual administration and a plain-English review of whether the fund is still worth running. Growth $1,650 to $2,950
01Getting started
Every engagement starts the same way
Whether it is a single late return or a farming group with four entities, the first four steps do not change.
- 01
A free records review
Not a fee quoted over the phone. We look at what actually exists: the file, the lodgement history, the last return, anything outstanding.
- 02
A fixed fee in writing
One number for the year, or one number for the job. It does not move unless the scope does and you have agreed to it.
- 03
A handover we do for you
We write to your current accountant for the file, which they are professionally obliged to provide. Most transfers are done inside three weeks.
- 04
A date in the calendar
Your lodgement dates go in the engagement letter, and the planning session for April or May goes in before you leave.
02The fee
What a fixed fee covers, and what it does not
Included
- A fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts, and it does not move unless you agree to a change in scope
- Every call answered or returned within one business day, tax season included
- If we miss a lodgement date that was ours to meet, we wear the late lodgement penalty
- The first meeting is free and there is no obligation to engage us afterwards
- No charge for phone calls or short emails on a fixed-fee package
Charged separately
- ASIC fees, audit fees and government charges, at cost with no margin
- A historical clean-up of a file, quoted after the free review
- One-off work outside the package, quoted as a single number first
- Nothing else. There is no file fee, no software levy and no year-end surcharge
03Questions
The four we are asked most
The rest, on deadlines, records, audits and the portal, are on the FAQ page.
How are your fees worked out?
Almost everything is a fixed annual fee, quoted in writing after the first meeting. We do not bill by the six-minute unit, and phone calls and short emails are not charged on a fixed-fee package. One-off work like a catch-up or a forecast build is quoted as a single number before we start.
Can I switch accountants partway through the year?
Yes, any time. We write to your current accountant for the handover file, which they are professionally obliged to provide, and you do not have to have that conversation yourself. Most transfers are done inside three weeks.
What records do I actually need to keep?
Anything that supports a claim, kept for five years from lodgement. In practice, if the bank feed shows it and you can say what it was for, that is usually enough. Our sole trader records checklist lists the items that trip people up, mostly cash purchases and anything with private use.
What software do you work in?
Whichever cloud file you already have. We will not make you migrate for our convenience. If your file genuinely cannot be worked with we will show you why before recommending anything.
07The first meeting
Bring the drawer
Forty-five minutes, no charge, no obligation afterwards. Long enough for us to tell you what we would charge and whether we are the right fit. In the office, at your property or on the phone.
What to bring
- Last year's return and the notice of assessment
- Access to whatever bookkeeping file you already have
- Bank statements for any account the business uses
- A rough idea of what the business does and where it is going
- Anything you have been putting off opening
Or skip the form
(07) 5550 0080- Mon to Thu 8:30am to 5:00pm
- Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm
- Sat Closed, except by appointment from July to October
- Sun Closed
Leave a message and we return it the next business morning. Fixed-fee clients can book an evening or early-morning call through the client portal, which suits people who are on a job site or in a paddock during office hours.
Thanks, that is everything we need
Demonstration only. Nothing was sent and nothing was stored. On a live site this would reach hello@tabletopaccounting.com.au and a booking would be confirmed by phone.