Frequently Asked Questions

We offer a comprehensive range of accounting, tax and business support services, including individual and business tax returns, BAS and GST, bookkeeping, payroll and STP, business setup, tax planning, business advisory, Virtual CFO services and ongoing accounting support.

Yes. Our tax services are provided by a Registered Tax Agent in Australia. We are committed to maintaining professional standards and providing reliable, compliant and professional tax and accounting services.

Our details:

• Registered Tax Agent Number: 26304916
• ABN: 20 913 287 718
• Office: 4 Buin Place, Glenfield NSW 2167
• Phone: 0403 672 596
• Email: [email protected]

Getting started is simple. Contact us to arrange an initial consultation by phone, email or through our website. We will discuss your circumstances, understand what you need help with, answer your questions and recommend the most suitable approach for you or your business.

We keep the onboarding process simple and guide you through each step. Once you decide to work with us, you will need to complete the required identity verification process, sign an engagement letter confirming the services and scope of work, and provide any relevant existing financial or accounting records.

As a registered tax agent, we are required to comply with relevant Tax Practitioners Board requirements, including client identification and verification obligations. We will guide you through the process and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Fees depend on the type of service, complexity of your affairs and level of ongoing support required. We aim to provide clear pricing upfront so you understand what is included before commencing.

Tax return due dates can vary depending on your circumstances, the type of entity, and whether you lodge your return yourself or through a registered tax agent.

For most individuals and small business taxpayers, the standard self-lodgment deadline is 31 October following the end of the financial year on 30 June.

When you lodge through a registered tax agent, you may be eligible for a later lodgment date under the ATO's tax agent lodgment program. For many taxpayers, this can be 15 May of the following year.

If you are unable to lodge your tax return by the 31 October deadline, please contact us as soon as possible or complete our Tax Form so we can add you to our tax agent lodgment system.

If you are also unable to meet your applicable tax agent lodgment date, please stay in contact with us. We can review your circumstances and, where appropriate, liaise with the ATO to request additional time to lodge your return.

Yes. If you are unable to pay your ATO debt in full by the due date, you may be able to arrange a payment plan with the ATO, subject to their eligibility requirements and approval. Interest generally continues to accrue while a tax debt remains outstanding.

You can contact the ATO directly or use the relevant online services to arrange a payment plan. Individuals can contact the ATO on 13 28 61, while business taxpayers can contact the ATO on 13 28 66.

Alternatively, SmartBridge Accounting can assist you in arranging the payment plan on your behalf:

• New payment arrangement: $65 service fee
• Payment arrangement after a previous arrangement has been breached: $120 service fee, as additional assistance may be required when dealing with the ATO directly.

Before arranging a payment plan, we can review your outstanding balance and circumstances and help you understand the available options. Our aim is to make the process easier and help you manage your ATO obligations in a structured way.

At SmartBridge Accounting, we go beyond preparing tax returns and keeping your books up to date. We take the time to understand your goals, provide clear and practical advice, and use your financial information to help you make better business decisions.

You will have a dedicated accounting partner, responsive communication and proactive support across tax, accounting, compliance and business advisory. Our goal is simple: make accounting easier, give you greater clarity over your finances, and help your business grow with confidence.

Employers are generally required to finalize their Single Touch Payroll (STP) information by 14 July each year. We recommend waiting until your employer has finalized your payroll information before lodging your tax return, as this helps ensure the income and PAYG withholding details reported to the ATO are accurate.

If your employer has not finalized the STP information and you need to lodge your return, we can review your circumstances and advise you on the best approach. Please be aware that if your employer later updates the reported income or tax withheld, the ATO may amend your tax return, which could result in an additional refund or tax payable.

If you were not eligible for Medicare for all or part of a financial year, you may be entitled to a Medicare levy exemption for the period you were not eligible. However, simply not having a Medicare card does not automatically mean you are exempt. Your Medicare eligibility needs to be confirmed.

To claim the exemption, you will generally need a Medicare Entitlement Statement (MES) from Services Australia. The statement confirms the period during the financial year that you were not eligible for Medicare, and a new statement is required for each financial year for which you claim an exemption.

You can apply for a Medicare Entitlement Statement online, and processing can take up to 8 weeks.

Once you receive your MES, provide it to us when we prepare your tax return. We can use the information to claim the applicable Medicare levy exemption for the period you were not eligible.

If you became eligible for Medicare during the financial year, you may still be entitled to an exemption for the earlier period in which you were not eligible.

If you believe you may have been entitled to a Medicare levy exemption in a previous financial year but did not claim it, contact us. We can review your previous tax returns and advise whether an amendment may be appropriate.

Our approach is not simply to maximize your refund at any cost. We review your circumstances carefully and make sure you claim all legitimate deductions and tax offsets you are entitled to while keeping your return compliant with Australian tax law.

If you have sold shares, managed funds or other investments during the financial year, please provide your purchase and sale transaction records from your broker or investment platform.

Where available, we prefer transaction data in CSV or spreadsheet format. To accurately calculate any capital gain or loss, we generally need details such as the purchase date, purchase price, sale date and sale proceeds. We will use this information to determine the applicable capital gains tax treatment.

Employees may be entitled to claim deductions for certain expenses incurred in earning their employment income, provided the relevant ATO requirements are satisfied.

We can help identify deductions that may apply to your circumstances and ensure that legitimate claims are properly considered when preparing your tax return.

For a more detailed guide, please read the ATO's Deductions you can claim. After reviewing the information, let us know which expenses may apply to you and our team can discuss the details with you before your tax return is finalized.

Not necessarily. You can operate as a sole trader using an ABN registered in your own name. If you would like to trade under a business name, you can also register a business name with ASIC.

The most suitable structure depends on your individual circumstances and business goals. Sole traders, companies, fixed trusts and discretionary trusts each have different tax, legal and compliance considerations. We can help you understand the options and choose a structure that suits your business.

For a small business, we recommend keeping your business finances separate from your personal transactions. Ideally, maintain a separate bank account for business income and expenses and use it only for business-related transactions.

When you need money for personal use, transfer it from the business account to your personal account rather than paying personal expenses directly from the business account.

If you are registered for GST and lodge BAS quarterly, you can provide us with your bank transaction records, preferably in CSV format, and we can assist with reviewing and categorizing the transactions for your accounting and BAS requirements.

You can claim a tax deduction for most operating and capital expenses directly related to earning your assessable income, provided they meet the relevant ATO requirements.

Eligible expenses can vary depending on the type of business and how the expense is used. For more information, please read the ATO's Deductions for business.

We can also review your individual circumstances and help identify legitimate deductions that may apply to your business.

If you have sold shares, managed funds or other investments during the financial year, please provide your purchase and sale transaction records from your broker or investment platform.

Where available, we prefer transaction data in CSV or spreadsheet format. To accurately calculate any capital gain or loss, we generally need details such as the purchase date, purchase price, sale date and sale proceeds. We will use this information to determine the applicable capital gains tax treatment.

Yes. We can assist with rental property tax returns, rental income and expenses, depreciation information, capital gains calculations and other tax considerations relating to property and investments.

If you own a rental or investment property, please provide the relevant income and expense records for the financial year. Depending on your circumstances, please provide:

• Rental income statement from your property manager, or details of all rental income if the property is self-managed
• Out-of-pocket property expenses, such as strata levies, council rates, water charges, repairs, maintenance and land tax
• Annual loan interest statement for any investment property loan
• Depreciation schedule, where applicable
• Settlement statement if the property was purchased during the financial year
• Loan statements
• Property and landlord insurance records

We will review the information you provide and make sure all legitimate rental property deductions applicable to your circumstances are considered in your tax return. Providing complete records allows us to accurately calculate your rental income and eligible deductions.

If you sold an investment property, please provide the relevant purchase and sale settlement statements from your conveyancer or solicitor.

We may also require the original purchase contract and sale contract, particularly where we need to confirm the ownership period and determine whether the property may qualify for the 50% capital gains tax discount.

If you have previously claimed depreciation or capital works deductions, please also provide your depreciation schedule. This helps us correctly account for previous claims when calculating the capital gain on sale.

Once you decide to appoint us as your accountant, we will guide you through a simple onboarding process.

For companies and trusts, you will generally need to:

• Set up myID on your mobile device. You can follow the ATO's client-to-agent linking guide.
• Log in to Online services for business and nominate us as your registered tax agent. Our Tax Agent Number is 26304916.
• Review and sign our Engagement Letter, which explains the services we provide, your responsibilities, and our agreed fees.
• If you use accounting or other business software, provide us with the appropriate advisor's access so we can manage and review your accounts efficiently.

Once the onboarding is complete, we can take care of your ongoing accounting, tax and compliance requirements.

Yes. We can assist with establishing a range of business and investment structures, including companies, fixed trusts and discretionary trusts, depending on your circumstances and objectives.

Before setting up a structure, we recommend reviewing the tax, compliance and long-term implications to ensure it is appropriate for your plans.

Yes. We provide a range of ASIC compliance and administration services for an additional fee.

This may include changes to directors, shareholders and registered office or address details, as well as other company record updates. We also recommend appointing us as your ASIC agent where appropriate so we can assist with ongoing company compliance requirements.

Yes. We offer bookkeeping services for businesses, including transaction processing, reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, reporting and other ongoing bookkeeping requirements.

Our accounting clients may also receive preferential pricing when they combine bookkeeping and accounting services with us. Keeping these services together can improve efficiency and make it easier for us to maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records.

Division 7A is an Australian tax rule designed to prevent private company profits or assets from being provided to shareholders or their associates for personal use without being properly taxed. It can apply to certain company payments, loans, debt forgiveness and private use of company assets.

Where Division 7A applies, an amount may be treated as an unfranked deemed dividend and included in the shareholder's or associate's assessable income. This can result in unexpected personal tax liability.

A complying Division 7A loan generally requires a written agreement, the applicable benchmark interest rate and a maximum term of 7 years, or 25 years in certain circumstances where the loan is secured by a registered mortgage over real property.

We can review your company and shareholder transactions, identify potential Division 7A issues, calculate required repayments, prepare appropriate loan documentation and help you manage the tax implications before they become a problem.