Articles

When you work for yourself, no one pays your super for you. Between the tax deduction and decades of compounding, contributing deliberately is one of the smartest moves you can make.

No one takes tax out of a sole trader's income before it lands. Set some aside as you go and the bill stops being a shock. Here's a simple system that works.

The rule sounds simple: if you spend money to earn income, you can claim it. The reality is messier. Here's how to tell a real business expense from a private one.

Is your new hire an employee or a contractor? You can't decide it just by calling them one. Getting it wrong means back pay, penalties and unpaid super. Here's how the line is drawn.

Every June the same question comes up: should I buy that equipment now to save on tax? A deduction isn't a discount. Here's how to decide whether it's actually worth it.

June 30 catches people off guard every year. A little prep beforehand turns the scramble into a simple wrap-up. Here's a straightforward end-of-financial-year checklist.

The work is done, the invoice is sent, and the money still hasn't landed. Late payments quietly kill cash flow. Here's how to get paid without damaging the relationship.

You can be profitable on paper and still unable to pay your bills. Understanding the gap between profit and cash is one of the most useful things you can learn about your business.

Taking on your first employee is a milestone, and the moment your admin gets serious. Super, PAYG, workers comp and Fair Work all kick in. Here's what actually changes.

Missed a tax deadline? Here's what actually happens, from failure-to-lodge penalties to interest, and why lodging on time matters even when you can't pay the bill.

You don't need a finance degree to run your business by the numbers. You need to check a handful of the right ones every month. Here are the five that matter most.

Record-keeping is boring until the ATO asks a question you can't answer. The rules are simple: keep records five years, digital is fine, and if you can't prove it you can't claim it.

Most small business owners set prices by guessing, and most guess too low. Pricing is the fastest lever you have on profit. Here's how to set rates that actually pay you.

Bookkeeper and accountant get used interchangeably, but they do different jobs. Here's what each one actually does, and how to work out which you need.

Use your car for work? The ATO gives you two methods and they give very different results. Here's how logbook and cents per kilometre compare, and which suits you.

The BAS deadline stresses out most small business owners, but the panic comes from leaving it late, not the lodgement itself. Here's how to make it routine.

Do you have to register for GST? The rule is simpler than most think: $75,000 in turnover. Here's when it's compulsory, when to register early, and what changes once you do.

Should you stay a sole trader or set up a company? A company's flat tax rate only helps in specific situations. Here's how to tell when the switch actually saves you tax.

Starting a business feels more complicated than it is. Here are the four things you actually need to get going in Australia, and what can safely wait.

Nobody starts a business to do bookkeeping, so it slips. Falling behind costs more than time. Here's what messy books really cost you and how to catch up.

Plenty of profitable businesses run out of cash. It's a top reason small businesses fail. Here's why profit and cash differ and how to keep your business solvent.

Turn over more than $75,000 and GST registration is compulsory. Here's how the system works, why the GST you collect isn't yours, and how to stay on top of it.

Most small businesses can't justify a full-time CFO. What they need is the CFO function: pricing, margins, cash runway. Here's what that looks like and how to get it.

A lot of sole traders claim the home office deduction, and claim it wrong. Here's how the fixed rate and actual cost methods compare, and which one suits you.

Most sole traders think about tax once a year, and it costs them. Here's why tax is a year-round habit and how staying current saves you money at lodgement.

Operating through a company or trust brings real advantages and real obligations. From Division 7A to the June 30 trustee resolution, here's what you can't ignore at tax time.

Running your business through a personal bank account is one of the most common mistakes sole traders make. Here's why a separate account saves you time, money, and stress at tax time.

Most sole traders start as sole traders because it's easy. Here's when tax, liability and growth make it worth restructuring into a company or trust, and when it isn't.

The ATO publishes its compliance priorities every year and most owners never read them. Here's where the scrutiny is landing and how to keep your records audit-ready.