⭐ Featured
EOFY
May 2026
5 min read
Your EOFY checklist — 5 things every Perth small business should do before 30 June
End of financial year is one of those things that sneaks up fast. One minute it's March, the next it's June and your accountant is chasing you for records you haven't touched since last July. Sound familiar?
The good news is that with a little preparation in the next few weeks, you can head into EOFY in good shape — and potentially save yourself money in the process. Here's exactly what to do.
1. Reconcile everything
This is non-negotiable. Every bank account, credit card, loan, and line of credit needs to be fully reconciled before 30 June. Every transaction needs to be categorised correctly in your accounting software — not sitting in "uncategorised" or "suspense" accounts.
Why does this matter? Because your profit and loss report — the one your accountant uses to lodge your tax return — is only as accurate as your reconciliation. Messy books mean an inaccurate P&L, which means you could be overpaying tax or missing deductions you're entitled to.
Reconciliation checklist
- All bank accounts reconciled to statement balance
- Credit card accounts reconciled to statement
- Any loans or hire purchase accounts reconciled
- No unreconciled items sitting in suspense
- All transactions categorised correctly in Xero
2. Review your debtors list
Pull up your accounts receivable report and look at every unpaid invoice. If you have clients who owe you money that is unlikely to be paid, you may be able to write those off as a bad debt — which reduces your taxable income.
More importantly — chase everything that can be paid. Outstanding debtors at 30 June affect your cash position, your reported revenue, and your tax liability. Don't let invoices sit unpaid when a quick follow-up email or phone call could get them cleared.
"Outstanding debtors at 30 June affect your cash position, your reported revenue, and your tax liability."
3. Confirm your super is paid — and received
This is one of the most commonly missed EOFY deadlines. To include superannuation contributions in the current financial year, the super payment must be received by the fund by 30 June — not just lodged or sent.
Super clearing houses can take 3–5 business days to process. If you're cutting it close, pay now. Don't wait until the last week of June.
⚠️
Important: Super must be received by the fund by 30 June to be included in this financial year. Paying on 28 June through a clearing house may not clear in time. Check your processing times.
4. Gather and code your receipts
Go through your emails, your phone, your filing cabinet — wherever receipts go to hide. Every business expense you've paid for but not yet entered into your accounting software is a potential deduction you're missing.
Common ones that get missed: vehicle expenses and logbook entries, home office costs, subscriptions and software, professional development courses, work-related equipment purchases, and bank fees.
If you use Xero, use the receipt capture feature or connect your bank feed and work through the uncategorised transactions now — before 30 June.
5. Lodge your Q4 BAS on time
Your Q4 BAS covers the period 1 April to 30 June and is due 28 July 2026. While this is technically after 30 June, the BAS preparation needs to happen after your books are finalised — so getting your reconciliation done the first few days of the new financial year means your BAS is ready to lodge on time in July.
Late BAS lodgement attracts Failure to Lodge (FTL) penalties from the ATO. These start at $330 for small businesses plus GIC (General Interest Charges) and increase the longer the BAS remains unlodged. Not worth it.
Free consultation
Need help getting EOFY-ready?
I offer catch-up bookkeeping services to get your books sorted before your BAS is due. No judgment — just clean books and a BAS lodged on time.
Book a free 15-min chat
Payroll
May 2026
4 min read
Same Day Super starts 1 July 2026 — is your payroll ready?
If you employ staff, there's a significant change coming to how and when you pay superannuation — and it kicks in on 1 July 2026. Here's what you need to know and what to do before the deadline.
What is Same Day Super?
Currently, employers are required to pay superannuation quarterly — by 28 October, 28 January, 28 April and 28 July each year. From 1 July 2026, this changes significantly.
Under the new rules, super must be paid on the same day as wages — meaning every time you run payroll, super needs to be calculated, processed, and received by the employee's super fund on that same day.
📅
Key date: Same Day Super obligations begin 1 July 2026. Employers who continue paying super quarterly after this date will be non-compliant and may face ATO penalties.
What does this mean for your business?
This is a fundamental shift in how payroll works. It's not just about paying super more often — it's about your cash flow, your payroll software, and your processes all needing to work together seamlessly on payday.
What changes from 1 July 2026
- Super must be received by the fund on payday — not just sent
- Quarterly super payments will no longer be compliant
- Cash flow must accommodate super being paid with every pay run
- Payroll software must support same-day super processing
- Processing times through super clearing houses must be accounted for
3 things to do before 1 July 2026
1. Check your payroll software. Xero, MYOB, and most major payroll platforms are updating to support same-day super. Log into your software now and check whether it's ready — look for announcements or updates in the payroll or super section.
2. Review your cash flow. Paying super with every pay run means you need cash available more frequently. If you currently pay wages weekly or fortnightly, super will now need to be funded at the same intervals. Review your cash flow projections and make sure you're not caught short.
3. Talk to your bookkeeper before 1 July. Your payroll processes will likely need updating. Your super clearing house setup may need to change. The earlier you address this, the smoother the transition will be.
"Every time you run payroll from 1 July 2026, super needs to be received by the fund on that same day."
Payroll support
Questions about Same Day Super?
I help Perth small businesses get payroll right. If you're not sure whether your setup is ready for 1 July, let's talk it through.
Book a free chat
Bookkeeping
May 2026
3 min read
5 signs your books need attention before 30 June
Not sure whether your bookkeeping is actually in good shape? Here are five signs that things need attention — and what to do about each one before EOFY.
1. You don't know your profit
If someone asked you right now "how much has your business made this financial year?" — could you answer? If the honest answer is "I'm not sure" or "I'd have to check," your books are not up to date. Your profit and loss report should be current and accurate at all times, not just at tax time.
2. Your BAS figures feel wrong
If your GST collected doesn't seem to match your sales, or you're not sure whether you've captured all your GST credits, that's a reconciliation problem. BAS errors can result in either overpaying GST (bad for cash flow) or underpaying (which triggers ATO interest and penalties).
3. You have a pile of unprocessed receipts
Receipts sitting in a drawer, a folder, your email inbox, or your phone's camera roll are deductions you haven't claimed yet. Every unprocessed receipt is a potential missed deduction. Before 30 June is the time to get these into your system.
4. Your payroll hasn't been reconciled
If you run payroll, your STP figures, super payments, and payroll tax obligations all need to reconcile against each other and against your books. Mismatches at EOFY create problems when you finalise your Single Touch Payroll and when your accountant lodges your tax return.
5. You're avoiding opening your accounting software
This one is the most telling. If you feel a knot in your stomach every time you think about logging into Xero — that's the sign. The books are behind, things feel overwhelming, and avoidance has taken over. That's completely fixable. It just needs someone to come in and sort it out.
Catch-up bookkeeping
Any of these sound familiar?
Catch-up bookkeeping is one of my specialties. I'll get your books current, your reconciliations clean, and your EOFY sorted — without the judgement.
Let's sort it out
BAS Agent
May 2026
3 min read
BAS Agent vs bookkeeper — what's the difference and why does it matter?
A lot of small business owners assume all bookkeepers are the same. They're not — and the difference matters, particularly when it comes to your BAS.
What is a BAS Agent?
A BAS Agent is a bookkeeper who is registered with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) and is legally authorised to prepare and lodge Business Activity Statements on behalf of clients. They are also bound by a Code of Professional Conduct and must meet ongoing continuing professional development requirements.
What can an unregistered bookkeeper do?
An unregistered bookkeeper can maintain your books, categorise transactions, and prepare internal reports. What they cannot legally do is prepare or lodge your BAS on your behalf, or charge a fee for BAS-related services. If they do, they are operating illegally under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009.
✅
Count The Beans is a registered BAS Agent. Registration No. 26358963. You can verify any BAS agent's registration at tpb.gov.au.
Why does this matter for your business?
When you engage a registered BAS Agent, you have legal protections. The agent is accountable to the TPB, must carry professional indemnity insurance, and is required to act in your best interests. If something goes wrong, there is a formal complaints and disciplinary process.
With an unregistered bookkeeper handling your BAS, you have none of those protections — and you may be engaging someone who is operating outside the law.
Registered BAS Agent
Work with someone properly registered.
Count The Beans is a registered BAS Agent serving Perth small businesses and sole traders. Transparent pricing, no lock-in contracts.
Book your free consultation