[ Pricing ]

You'll know the fee before we start.

We work on fixed-fee engagements. The fee depends on the business, the entities involved, the work required and the level of support we agree on.

We scope that before we begin and put it in writing, so you know what is included and what it will cost.

Book an introductory call →See what affects the fee ↓

[ What to expect ]

Minimum ongoing engagement

$875 + GST/ month

Ongoing business engagements start from $875 + GST per month.

That is our minimum ongoing fee, not a standard package for every business.

The final fee depends on the entities involved, the accounting and tax work required, the condition of the records and any advisory or reporting work included in the engagement.

Two businesses with similar turnover can require very different amounts of work, so we still scope the engagement before confirming the fee.

One-off projects and work outside an ongoing engagement are priced separately where appropriate.

[ An example ]

What could $875 + GST per month include?

For a relatively straightforward business with around $1 million in annual turnover, an engagement at our minimum fee might look something like this.

Accounting & tax

Quarterly BAS preparation and lodgment
Annual tax planning
End-of-year financial statements and business tax work
Two individual income tax returns
Annual fringe benefits tax review and sanity check

Company & ATO administration

ASIC management
Management of ATO compliance and correspondence relating to the entities covered by the engagement
Key tax and lodgment date reminders and alerts

Advice

Annual business structure review
Annual Personal Wealth & Protection Review*
Lending Readiness and Review Snapshot*

Support

Unlimited general phone and email support and advice throughout the year
Two meetings per year with the senior manager responsible for the client relationship

* The Wealth & Protection Review and Lending Readiness Snapshot are high-level reviews only. Wakefield Pacific does not provide personal financial product advice or detailed credit advice through these services. Where specialist advice or implementation is needed, we can introduce you to an appropriate professional.

This is an example, not a fixed package. The actual scope and fee depend on the business, entity structure, records and work required. We confirm all of that before the engagement begins.

Significant projects, transactions or advisory work outside the agreed scope are discussed and priced separately before we proceed where required. That can include matters such as restructures, business acquisitions or sales, substantial financial modelling, ownership changes, major transactions or extensive one-off investigations.

[ Part of the annual review ]

Some important questions sit outside the tax return.

A business owner's position can also involve lending, superannuation, insurance and estate planning. We don't provide all of those specialist services ourselves, but we don't think they should simply be ignored either.

As part of our minimum ongoing service, we include a brief annual Wealth & Protection Review and can take a high-level look at existing lending when you're considering refinancing or new finance. You might be replacing equipment, refinancing existing debt, buying a property or funding another stage of the business. Before that conversation starts, it can be useful to understand what lending is already in place and whether anything deserves a closer look.

Where specialist advice is required, we'll help connect you with the right professional.

Wakefield Pacific is not licensed to provide personal financial advice. We do not recommend financial products, insurance or investments through this review. Our role is to ask general questions, identify areas that may need attention and, where appropriate, introduce you to a specialist from our referral network.

The lending snapshot does not include detailed lending advice, negotiating with lenders, preparing formal bank packs or completing finance applications. Specialist lending and credit advice is provided by the relevant licensed professional where required.

[ What affects the fee ]

We price the work involved, not just the size of the business.

Revenue can tell us something about a business, but it does not tell us everything we need to know. Two businesses with similar turnover can require very different work.

A $1 million business with one straightforward structure and clean records can require very different work from a $1 million group with several entities, multiple owners, complex transactions or more regular advisory requirements.

The entities involved
A business with one company and one owner is different from a group involving companies, trusts, an SMSF or several owners.
The accounting and tax work
Financial statements, tax returns, BAS, tax planning and other obligations vary between businesses and groups.
The condition of the records
Current, well-maintained accounting records are different from records that need significant correction, reconstruction or investigation before the work can begin.
The advice involved
Some clients primarily need accounting and tax work. Others also want forecasting, management reporting, modelling or our involvement in larger business decisions.
The complexity of the business
Ownership changes, debt, investments, transactions, multiple locations and group structures can all affect the work involved.

You can see the kind of work this covers across our services, including tax and accounting and business advisory.

[ Before we start ]

The scope is agreed before the work begins.

Your proposal sets out the work included and the fee for that work.

If something comes up that falls outside the agreed scope, we talk about it first and price the additional work separately where required.

You should not receive an invoice for additional work you did not know was being done.

The scope can also change over time. If the business becomes more complex, new entities are added or you need a different level of support, we can review the engagement with you.

[ How it works ]

We understand what is involved before we send the proposal.

Tell us what's happening.
The first conversation is about the business, what you need help with and why you are considering a change.
We work out what needs to be included.
We look at the entities involved, accounting and tax requirements, current records and any reporting or advisory work that may be required.
We send the proposal.
The proposal sets out the agreed scope, the fee and any one-off work separately where relevant.
You decide.
You can review the proposal, ask questions and decide whether the engagement is right for you.

More on the way we work with clients is on how we work.

[ Fixed fees ]

You should be able to call when something matters.

We do not want clients avoiding a useful conversation because they are wondering whether the clock has started.

General phone and email support included in your engagement is covered by the agreed fee. If something requires significant work outside the agreed scope, we discuss it with you first.

[ Questions about fees ]

A few things people usually want to know.

What does the $875 + GST minimum include?

There is no universal $875 + GST package. The example above shows the type of scope that may apply to a relatively straightforward business around $1 million in turnover. We still review the entities, records and work required before confirming the engagement and fee.

Do you charge by the hour?

Our ongoing engagements are generally fixed-fee. We agree the scope and fee before the work starts. Some separate or unusual projects may be priced differently where appropriate, and we will tell you that before proceeding.

What happens if something falls outside the scope?

We talk to you first. If additional work is required, we explain what is involved and agree on the additional fee before proceeding where practical.

Can the fee change during the year?

It can if the scope changes materially. For example, the business may add an entity, complete a significant transaction or require work that was not part of the original engagement. If that happens, we review it with you rather than quietly adding work to the bill.

Do I need to know which services I need before we speak?

No. Tell us what is happening in the business. We can work out what needs to be included from there.

Tell us what's happening in the business.

We'll work through what you need, what should be included and what the engagement will cost.

Book an introductory call →Explore our services →

Already working with another accountant? See how the handover works →

You'll know the fee before we start.

Ongoing business engagements start from $875 + GST per month.

What could $875 + GST per month include?

Some important questions sit outside the tax return.

We price the work involved, not just the size of the business.

The entities involved

The accounting and tax work

The condition of the records

The advice involved

The complexity of the business

The scope is agreed before the work begins.

We understand what is involved before we send the proposal.

Tell us what's happening.

We work out what needs to be included.

We send the proposal.

You decide.

You should be able to call when something matters.

A few things people usually want to know.

Tell us what's happening in the business.