Frequently asked questions

How long do you take to respond to our questions?

Many people are frustrated with their accountant taking several days, weeks or even months to get back to them.  That doesn’t happen here, we will always respond to any of your emails or phone calls within 24 hours of receiving them.  Plus, you won’t have to worry about being charged a fee every time you contact us.  It is part of a working relationship.

What people and/or industries do we work with?

We don’t limit ourselves to any specific industries or people but below are some of the individuals and businesses we deal with on a daily basis:

• Professional consulting and marketing businesses
• Lawyers
• Doctors and dentists
• Music and video production businesses
• Builders
• Information Technology specialists
• Investors (in all types of investment)
• Automotive
• Retailing and equipment hire businesses
• Recruitment
• Events

Where are you based?

Our office is in the Sydney suburb of Mascot right next to the Qantas Building in Coward Street. Parking is available and we are conveniently located close to buses and trains.  We service clients from all over Australia.

I am behind in my tax returns. What should i do?

You should get in touch with us as we can help you get up to date with your obligations. Through our relationship with the ATO we can also negotiate payment arrangements and if there have been circumstances that have caused you to fall behind then we can also apply for a remission of any penalties and interest that may arise.

How long will it take for me to receive my refund?

If you are owed a refund from the lodgement of your tax return, then you should allow up to two weeks for the ATO to process this.

How can i pay off my mortgage sooner?

There are a number of strategies that can be utilised in order to pay down your mortgage faster. These include reviewing cash flow, increasing frequency of repayments, making additional repayments, finding a lower rate and utilising offset accounts. We are more than happy to discuss these options further with you.

What expenses can i claim as a deduction in my personal tax return?

An expense is an allowable deduction if it is incurred in the gaining or producing of assessable income or it is necessarily incurred in the carrying on of a business for the purposes of gaining or producing assessable income.

Expenses that are private in nature (including home to work travel and ordinary clothes worn to work), capital in nature or incurred in gaining non-taxable income are not allowable as a deduction.

Please contact us to discuss your possible deductions further.

Should i use accounting software?

We encourage our business clients to utilise appropriate accounting software. This will assist us with the preparation of business activity statements, financial statements and income tax returns. Each business is different so please contact us to discuss further.

Do i need to register for GST?

If you or your business entity expects to have business turnover of more than $75,000 per year then generally yes. However, please contact us so that we can advise you specifically.

Can you help me set up my own business?

Yes, we can. We take pride in both educating our clients and taking away tax and compliance headaches so that anyone starting out in business can concentrate on what they do well. We will save you time.

How do you charge for your services?

Fees are discussed and agreed upon before the commencement of work. This is fairer on you, the client, as it means that everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises upon completion of the work as opposed to the traditional approach of using hourly charge out rates.

How do i minimise my tax liabilities?

This will depend on your situation.  It could be something as simple as ensuring you are claiming all the deductions you are entitled to or it could be more complex and involve structuring and the use of entities such as companies and trusts.  We recommend you contact us to discuss your financial position.

What sets you apart from other accounting firms?

We are a wholistic firm that is focused on forward thinking rather than the reporting of historical results.  In becoming a client of Devoir Accounting you will be dealing with professionals with a range of industry knowledge who will always have your best interests at heart and understand your situation.

How easy is it to change accountants?

The process is quite straight forward. Once you have decided that you would like to work with us all you need to do is inform your previous accountant that you are moving. We will also contact them to request any relevant information. Details of you and your entities will then be added to our systems. From there we can start working on meeting your financial needs.