Home-Based accountant for small businesses

Sole traders, tradies, small companies, trusts, landlords and individuals with more complex tax affairs.

Fixed fees for tax returns and annual accounts, plus monthly or quarterly fees for ongoing BAS and advisory work. Regular clients give steady repeat income each year.

• Accounting and tax knowledge
• Careful attention to detail
• Explaining money matters in plain language
• Keeping to deadlines

• Registration with the Tax Practitioners Board is generally needed to charge a fee for tax agent services, so check before taking any paid work
• BAS services may need separate BAS agent registration, check the current rules
• Professional indemnity insurance and ongoing professional education requirements
• Client data security and privacy obligations
• Check whether your council requires approval for a home-based business
• Work is heavily bunched around tax time and BAS deadlines, so plan your workload

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on software, insurance, registration and your home office setup. Most work is done online, so premises costs can stay low.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your client numbers, fees and hours. Work is heavily bunched around tax time and BAS deadlines, so income may vary through the year.

Check before taking paid work. Registration with the Tax Practitioners Board is generally needed to charge a fee for tax agent services, and BAS services may need separate BAS agent registration. Also check insurance, education requirements and council rules.