Information for Business Owners
Quality Assurance Review and Lodgement of BASs.
Through our sister entity, ABN BAS we can offer invaluable support to BAS Agents and non-BAS Agents alike. The main service offering of ABN BAS relates to Activity Statements and is two fold: firstly, they perform Quality Assurance Reviews of Activity Statements for both BAS Agents and non-BAS Agents; and secondly, they act as the BAS Agent for clients of ABN members who are not BAS Agents themselves, and attend to the electronic lodgement of their client’s BAS with the ATO.
Who We Are
ABN is headed by five directors who have the very enjoyable role of driving forward the company at the strategic level and innovating its ever growing range of products and services. The directors have been actively involved in the bookkeeping industry for nearly a decade. Of these five directors, two are Chartered Accountants and two are CPAs. The fifth director, Leanne Lewis, is the operational lifeblood of ABN and the primary contact point for our members. In addition to the five directors, ABN also boasts an enthusiastic team of five staff in our Member Services division. Please visit our Meet the ABN Team page for further details.
What We Do
For an affordable membership price of $38.50 per month, ABN provides you with access to a vast range of products and services which:
- Improve your knowledge;
- Streamline your business;
- Increase your profit;
- Expand your horizons; and
- Provide member benefits.
For a more detailed description, either download our membership guide titled Making the Most Out of ABN, or choose from within the Products & Services menu of this website.
Benefits of an ABN Membership for your Bookkeeper
As a business owner, there is a lot to be said for making sure your bookkeeper is a member of ABN. Here are some of the key reasons why:
- Enables bookkeepers to legally prepare and lodge BASs. Currently, Section 251L of the Tax Act prohibits bookkeepers from providing BAS services unless they are a member of a Recognised Professional Association (which means the accounting bodies) or are working under the direction of a registered tax agent (according to strict Tax Office guidelines). Our BAS Wizard Partner Program, a quality assurance framework which is in accordance with Tax Office guidelines, is used by over 700 bookkeepers around Australia to enable them to legally prepare and lodge BASs for their clients. If your bookkeeper currently prepares your BAS, check with them to ensure that they are aware of the legal limitations imposed by Section 251L of the Tax Act. If your bookkeeper would like to be able to do your BAS but can’t due to the fact that they can’t meet the legal requirements of Section 251L, an ABN membership will open the door for them.
- Bookkeeper-Client Connect. ABN members have free access to our state-of-the-art file transfer facility, Bookkeeper-Client Connect, which will enable them to streamline their dealings with you. We all know that MYOB or QuickBooks files can often become very large and the use of email to transfer these files is not a secure means of transferring the file. In addition, more often than not the file can be too large for email to cope with. ABN’s file transfer facility is a web based solution that allows you and your bookkeeper to send large files quickly and securely using a password system. To find out more on how this process works, go to our Bookkeeper-Client Connect page.
- Your business will benefit from the technical resources which ABN provides your bookkeeper. The technical information which ABN provides is written especially for bookkeepers who look after small to medium businesses. Our technical bulletins keep our members up to date with quality information on coalface issues such as GST treatments, BAS treatments and pro forma journals. The more informed your bookkeeper is, the greater the likelihood that their work will be correct.
- Professional support. If your bookkeeper is stuck on a technical issue, whether it is bookkeeping, income tax or GST related, they can email their questions to us and receive professional support from our team of qualified accountants. This is a good alternative for bookkeepers who would otherwise remain unsure about an issue or need to go to your accountant for guidance.
- Networking opportunities. Bookkeeping can be isolated industry. ABN changes that because our discussion forum gives your bookkeeper the opportunity to network with, and post questions to, other members all around Australia. But we also realise some face-to-face contact is nice, and for this reason, we regularly stage coffee clubs and workshops around the country, as well as our annual conference. Your bookkeeper will benefit from being in touch with other bookkeepers and will remain up to date with what is happening in the industry.
More Information
Either download our membership guide titled Making the Most Out of ABN, or choose from within the Products & Services menu of this website.
Joining ABN
ABN’s vast range of products and services are relevant to both new and established bookkeeping businesses and, at only $38.50 per month, our membership offers unparalleled value for money.
To find out more about an ABN Membership, please explore our website or download our products & services guide, “Making the Most Out of ABN”.
When you are ready to join as an ABN Member, click here.