We don’t box ourselves into a “certain size” client.

We work with:

> One-man bands just starting out.

> Small teams doing $500k–$1M.

> Growing operators pushing through $3M–$5M.

> And established trade businesses turning over 8-figures.

For smaller operators, that often looks like:

> Getting the structure right from day one.

> Understanding cash flow.

> Avoiding common tax mistakes.

> Learning how to pay yourself properly.

For larger businesses, it becomes more strategic:

> Group structures.

> Trusts and bucket companies.

> Profit improvement.

> Succession planning.

> Asset protection.

> Cash flow forecasting and tax planning at scale.

Because we specialise exclusively in trade and construction businesses, we’ve built systems that scale with you.

You don’t “outgrow” us when you hit $2M. You don’t “become too complex” at $10M.

We’ve intentionally built the team depth, technical capability, and advisory frameworks to support you at every stage.

So whether you’re on the tools yourself, or leading a team of 40+ staff across multiple projects, you’re working with a firm that understands how trade businesses actually grow, and knows what the next level looks like.

Yes we do. And it’s actually one of the biggest advantages of how we work.

We’re not tied to a single city or postcode.

We built Trade Business Accountants as a virtual firm because we believe trade and construction business owners should be able to work with a specialist – regardless of where they’re located. That means you’re not limited to choosing an accountant who just happens to be within a 20-minute drive of your office.

Instead, you can take advantage of today’s technology and work with a firm that specialises in your industry, full stop.

The same applies on our side too. Because we work virtually, we’re not limited to hiring whoever happens to live nearby.

Every time we advertise a senior role nationally, we receive close to 1,000 applications on average.

That means we’re not settling. We’re selecting the very best people in the country. So you’re not getting a generalist. You’re getting a senior tax accountant who understands how trade businesses actually operate  and works with them every single day.

From a practical point of view, it also makes things much easier for you.

You don’t need to:

> Drive to an office.

> Sit in traffic.

> Take time off work.

> Or lose half a day for a meeting.

All meetings are online. So you can join from your office, your car, a job site, home – or even while you’re travelling. Wherever suits you best.

It’s flexible, efficient, and built around your schedule.

We specialise exclusively in trade and construction businesses.

That includes plumbers, electricians, builders, landscapers, HVAC businesses, solar installers, earthmoving contractors, and other construction-related trades.

In short, if you're in the trades, we can help you!

Because this is all we work with, we understand the financial realities of running a trade business, things like job costing, labour recovery, subcontractors, equipment purchases, and managing cash flow through busy and quiet periods.

This specialised focus allows us to provide advice that’s actually relevant to how trade businesses operate.

We provide a complete tax and compliance service for trade and construction businesses, with different levels of support depending on how proactive you want your accounting to be.

At the most basic level, all of our packages include the core compliance work every business needs, such as:

• Tax returns and financial statements

• BAS and IAS lodgements

• ASIC compliance support

For business owners who want a more proactive approach, our higher-tier packages also include:

• Annual tax planning

• Dedicated senior tax accountant support

• Direct access to your accountant for advice

• Ongoing tax advisory throughout the year

For businesses that want the highest level of support, our premium service also includes specialist tax advisory and quarterly strategy meetings to help guide bigger financial decisions.

Most of our clients choose the Proactive package, as it provides the right balance of compliance, tax planning, and ongoing advisory support to ensure they’re not simply reacting at tax time.

Our primary focus is working with trade and construction business owners, such as plumbers, electricians, builders, landscapers, HVAC businesses and similar industries.

We built Trade Business Accountants specifically around the needs of these businesses, so the systems, advice, and experience within our firm are heavily geared toward how trade businesses actually operate.

That said, we do work with businesses outside the trade sector, particularly if they’ve been referred to us or are looking for a more proactive level of accounting support.

If you’re currently unhappy with your accountant because communication is poor, advice is reactive, or you feel like you’re just another number, we’re always happy to have a conversation to see if we might be able to help.

Our goal is always to make sure business owners end up with the right advisor for their needs.

Both. But it depends on the level of service you choose.

Some businesses simply want help staying compliant with the ATO. Our Essentials package covers the core requirements such as tax returns, financial statements, BAS lodgements, and ASIC compliance.

However, many trade business owners want more than just compliance. They want guidance throughout the year to ensure they’re making smart financial decisions and not overpaying tax.

That’s where our Proactive and Premium packages come in.

These include things like:

• Annual tax planning

• Ongoing tax advisory

• Direct access to a dedicated senior tax accountant

• Strategic guidance when making financial decisions

In other words, instead of only hearing from your accountant at tax time, you have access to advice throughout the year so you can make better decisions as your business grows.

For this reason, most of our clients choose the Proactive package, as it provides the right balance between compliance and proactive tax strategy.

Yes. We work with businesses at all stages of growth, including:

• sole traders

• partnerships

• companies

• trusts

• more complex group structures

Many of our clients actually start as sole traders and later transition into company or trust structures as their business grows.

We help guide those transitions to make sure the structure supports the long-term goals of the business owner.

Yes. We offer professional bookkeeping services for businesses that want their financial records managed properly throughout the year.

Our bookkeeping team can assist with things such as:

• Bank and credit card reconciliations

• Transaction categorisation and account maintenance

• Invoice and bill processing

• Payroll processing and STP compliance

• Monthly financial reports

• Accounts receivable and payable tracking

For businesses that want a higher level of support, we also offer advanced bookkeeping services that include customised reporting, supplier payment management, and finance system integration.

Many of our clients choose to have both their bookkeeping and accounting handled by the same firm, as it ensures the numbers are accurate, the reporting is consistent, and tax planning can be done with reliable financial data.

However, if you already have a bookkeeper in place, we’re also happy to work alongside them.

Absolutely.

Many of our clients already have an internal bookkeeper or an external bookkeeping service, and we’re happy to work alongside them.

The bookkeeper handles the day-to-day data entry, while we focus on the higher-level tax strategy, reporting, and advisory support.

On the surface, most accounting firms look the same. They lodge tax returns. They prepare BAS. They answer emails.

But the difference isn’t in the compliance. It’s in the intent behind the service.

Most firms are built to be reactive. They focus on recording history and reporting what has already happened. The work is backwards-looking, deadline-driven, and centred around lodgement.

We’re built differently.

We’re proactive by design. That means structured planning before year end, regular performance conversations, and clear visibility over your tax position throughout the year, not just at the end of it. You don’t get silence for 11 months and a bill in June.

We also specialise exclusively in trade and construction businesses. That means we understand how your margins actually work, how labour impacts profit, how progress payments affect cash flow, and how fast growth can create tax pressure if it’s not planned properly.

You’re not educating us on your industry, we’re already working in it every day.

And finally, we’ve built the firm nationally, which means we’re not limited by postcode when it comes to hiring. We recruit senior-level talent from across Australia, not just whoever happens to live nearby. That allows us to maintain depth and quality as your business grows.

In simple terms, most firms focus on keeping you compliant. We focus on helping you pay only what you should through a proactive, responsive, specialist service.

A remote accounting service works exactly the same way a traditional firm does — just without the need to sit in an office together.

All documents are shared securely through cloud software and client portals. Your bookkeeping runs through platforms like Xero or MYOB, which means we both have live access to the same real-time data. There’s no posting folders back and forth or dropping paperwork into reception.

Meetings are done via video call or phone, whichever suits you. You can join from your office, your car, a job site, or at home. There’s no driving across town, no sitting in traffic, and no losing half a day for a one-hour conversation.

Signatures are handled digitally and are fully compliant. Engagement letters, tax returns, trust resolutions and company documents can all be signed securely online.

Communication is faster, not slower, because everything is cloud-based, so questions can be answered quickly without waiting for files to be physically located or appointments to be scheduled weeks out.

From a practical point of view, it’s more efficient, more flexible, and better suited to busy business owners — especially in trade and construction where you’re rarely sitting behind a desk all day.

Being remote also means we’re not limited by postcode when it comes to hiring. We recruit senior-level talent from across Australia, not just whoever happens to live nearby. That allows us to hire the best talent in the country to deliver the best service, advice and strategy available in the market.

Most of our communication happens through phone calls, video calls, and email.

In practice, many clients find this more convenient than traditional accounting firms because they can speak with us from the office, the job site, or even from their work vehicle.

We also use secure cloud systems to share documents and information, so everything can be handled quickly and efficiently without needing to visit a physical office.

We work primarily with modern cloud accounting software.

Most of our clients use platforms such as:

• Xero

• MYOB

• QuickBooks

• Reckon

If your business is already using one of these systems, we can simply integrate with your existing setup.

If you’re not currently using cloud accounting, we can help transition your business onto a system that makes managing your finances easier.

That depends on the level of service you choose.

Clients on our Proactive and Premium packages are assigned a dedicated senior tax accountant who becomes their main point of contact.

This means you have someone who understands your business, your structure, and your strategy, and who you can reach out to directly when questions come up.

These packages also include direct access to your accountant and faster response times, so you’re not waiting days for answers when important decisions need to be made.

Clients on our Essentials package still receive the same high-quality compliance work, however communication is typically handled through our broader team and response times may be longer.

This structure allows business owners to choose the level of access and advisory support that best suits their needs.

This is more common than many business owners realise.

If a business is behind on lodgements or has outstanding ATO obligations, the first step is to understand the situation clearly: what’s outstanding, what’s owed, and what needs to be brought up to date.

From there we can help develop a plan to get things back on track and communicate with the ATO where required.

The important thing is addressing it early rather than ignoring it.

The honest answer is, it depends on the business. But there are very clear patterns.

We don’t go hunting for loopholes; we look for missed strategy. Most tax savings are found in areas that have simply never been reviewed properly. That often starts with structure. As businesses grow, the original setup can become inefficient, and without revisiting it, owners end up paying more tax than necessary.

We also commonly find savings in proactive distribution planning, smarter timing of income and expenses, and reviewing how the owner pays themselves. Small decisions made before 30 June can have a significant impact compared to reacting after the year has closed.

Another major area is missed deductions and simple errors. Things like incorrect vehicle claims, overlooked expenses, poor record-keeping, or deductions that were never claimed in the first place. These aren’t aggressive strategies, they’re fundamentals that are often missed in reactive environments.

In most cases, overpaying tax isn’t about doing something wrong. It’s about not having a proactive review process in place early enough to catch inefficiencies before they become expensive.

For over 90% of new clients we onboard, we find missed deductions, outdated structures and simple errors that are already costing the owners tens of thousands of dollars in overpaid tax - so the impact is typically pretty significant right off the bat.

But every business is different, so we can't guarantee specific results until we've reviewed your unique situation. However, the outcomes clients often experience include:

• improved tax efficiency

• greater clarity around their numbers

• stronger cash flow management

• better business decision-making

• increased confidence as a business owner

For many trade business owners, simply having a clear strategy and someone proactively reviewing their position each year can make a significant difference.

This depends on the level of service you choose.

Clients on our Essentials package have their position reviewed during the year as part of the normal compliance process, with tax planning generally occurring closer to the end of the financial year if required.

Clients on our Proactive package receive annual tax planning, where we review the business performance, discuss upcoming financial decisions, and implement strategies before 30 June to ensure the business is structured and positioned as efficiently as possible.

Clients on our Premium package receive a more hands-on approach, including quarterly strategy meetings. These regular reviews allow us to assess performance throughout the year, identify opportunities earlier, and provide guidance as the business grows.

This ensures the level of planning and strategic support matches the level of service each business owner is looking for.

Once you sign up, you’ll immediately receive a small number of onboarding emails that walk you through your next steps. Nothing complicated – just the essentials we need to get set up properly.

You’ll also get a call from a senior tax accountant, who’ll introduce themselves and be your main point of contact during your onboarding.

From there, we focus on getting visibility. That means:

> Access to your accounting software.

> Authorisation with the ATO.

> A clear picture of your business, structure, and tax position.

> An introduction call with your new senior tax accountant.

> And with your permission, sending a clearance letter to your previous accountant requesting the handover of your records.

Once we’ve completed an initial review of your files – we’ll book in your first virtual meeting to really dive into understanding:

> Your business and financials.

> Bookkeeping and reporting.

> Current entities and business structure.

> ATO and tax position.

> Any assets and investments.

> How money flows in and out.

> And your goals both professionally and personally.

This allows us to review what’s working, what might be being missed, and any opportunities to better align your strategy with your goals. All of which we’ll present back to you in a findings and strategy session. That’s what’s working. What’s costing you. And what we’d change moving forward.

At that point, you’ll have complete clarity – and we’ll outline exactly how we can manage things ongoing, with a clear scope and fixed monthly fee. And even if you decide not to continue, you’ll still walk away with more insight and direction than most business owners ever get from their accountant.

So the process is simple, structured, and designed to give you clarity fast, without overwhelming you.

The strategy session is designed to understand your business and family group in more detail.

During this session we typically discuss:

• how the business currently operates

• your business goals

• your current structure

• any potential tax planning opportunities

• areas where improvements may be possible

This conversation helps determine whether we’re the right fit and what the next steps might look like.

Short answer – no, it’s not hard at all. In fact, we do most of the work for you.

Once you decide to get started, we walk you through a simple, step-by-step onboarding process. Nothing overwhelming – we just focus on one thing at a time.

With your permission, we’ll contact your previous accountant, send the required clearance letter, and request the handover of your records.

We’ll also:

> Get access to your accounting software.

> Collect a bit of background info about your business.

> Get authorised as your tax agent with the ATO.

And from there – we’re off and running. In most cases, we can have everything set up within 48 hours, and you’ll be booked in for your first meeting with your dedicated senior tax accountant straight away.

What most clients tell us afterwards is that it was way easier than they expected. And that’s exactly how we want it to feel. Simple, organised, and handled properly.

So if the idea of changing accountants has been holding you back, there’s really nothing to worry about. It’s a straightforward process and we’ll walk you through it step by step.

No. Changing accountants is a very common process and does not create any issues with the ATO.

Once authorisation is provided, we can access the relevant information and work with your previous accountant to obtain any records required.

The process is generally straightforward and we will limit your involvement as much as possible to keep the transition streamlined so you can focus on what you do best: running your business!

Many business owners stay with the same accountant simply because things appear to be working.

However, one of the biggest reasons trade business owners change accountants is when they realise they’ve outgrown a generalist firm.

A specialist accountant understands the financial challenges specific to trade businesses and can often provide more relevant advice to business owners in the industry.

That’s completely fine.

We work with businesses at many different stages, including solo operators just getting started through to multi-million dollar operations.

In fact, putting the right foundations in place early can often make running the business much easier as it grows.

We don’t price blindly or do one-size-fits-all pricing. And there’s a good reason for that.

A solo operator with one entity is very different to a growing trade business with multiple companies, trusts, employees, assets, and investment plans. So instead of guessing or locking you into the wrong fee, we do this properly.

To get started, there’s a small initial investment that covers us going deep into your situation – reviewing your financials, tax position, structure, and goals – and preparing a clear Findings & Strategy session.

Once we’ve done that work, we present:

> Exactly what we’d manage for you ongoing.

> What needs to change or be improved.

> And a clear scope with a fixed monthly fee.

Everything is explained upfront and there’s absolutely no surprises or hourly billing.

This means you won’t get charged every time you want to speak to us or ask a question. And you’ll have a fixed annual fee, billed monthly, so it’s predictable and easy to plan for.

And if your situation changes over time – whether that be new entities, a SMSF, growth, or new opportunities – we’ll talk to you first before anything changes.

The key thing to understand is this:

> You’re not paying us to just lodge tax returns.

> You’re paying for proactive planning, real advice, and having a senior accountant actively involved in your business year-round.

And even if you decide to not continue after the initial review, you’ll still walk away with clarity, direction, and a strategy you can use – which is more than many ever get from their accountant.

In many cases, yes.

Most traditional accountants focus purely on compliance. They prepare the tax return, lodge the BAS, and that’s about it. That type of service is often cheaper because there’s very little proactive advice involved.

Our focus is different. We work specifically with trade and construction business owners and provide a more proactive level of support, including tax planning, access to specialist accountants when you need advice, and guidance throughout the year as your business grows.

For many business owners, the real question isn’t whether the accountant is cheaper, it’s whether the advice and strategy they receive helps them keep more of what they earn and make better financial decisions over time. And that’s where many of our clients find the biggest value.

That's great news! It means you haven't been overpaying the ATO like most trade business owners.

However, even when major tax changes aren’t required, many business owners still benefit from a far more proactive service, clearer financial insights, improved planning, and having an experienced advisor supporting their decisions.

Most accountants focus primarily on compliance, preparing tax returns and lodging BAS statements.

But lodging isn't the same as planning, and compliance isn't the same as proactive advice.

Without regular strategy reviews, businesses can remain in structures or tax positions that may not be the most efficient for their situation.

A proactive accountant communicates with you throughout the year rather than only during tax time.

They may discuss upcoming tax planning opportunities, review your financial performance, and provide guidance before major financial decisions are made.

If most communication only happens when a tax return is due, it indicates a more reactive approach.