Who can work as a Book keeper
- Thread starter nev
- Start date
Any employee can do the books for a business, my assistant does mine and she doesn't have any formal qualifications.
I believe you do need to meet some more extended requirements if you're going to do book keeping if you're doing it professionally however.
I believe you do need to meet some more extended requirements if you're going to do book keeping if you're doing it professionally however.
Anyone can do the books, but to SIGN and LODGE a BAS you must be the authorised person for the account.
ie: your staff can do the books and prep the BAs but you must sign it and lodge it. ( in theory) what that means is if your staff make a mistake, it all comes back to you.
who can sign a BAS
Do I need a CertIV
I got my Cert IV just to get the piece of paper for the work I have been doing since GST came in in 2000 (and book work long before that). Wthout a Cert IV I could "do" BAS for my business but not for husbands
pfft like he would have any clue where to start
ie: your staff can do the books and prep the BAs but you must sign it and lodge it. ( in theory) what that means is if your staff make a mistake, it all comes back to you.
who can sign a BAS
Do I need a CertIV
I got my Cert IV just to get the piece of paper for the work I have been doing since GST came in in 2000 (and book work long before that). Wthout a Cert IV I could "do" BAS for my business but not for husbands
pfft like he would have any clue where to start I got my Cert IV just to get the piece of paper for the work I have been doing since GST came in in 2000 (and book work long before that). Wthout a Cert IV I could "do" BAS for my business but not for husbands
LOL. I do everything property related, paying bills, balancing money in and money out and hubby wouldn't have a clue. But that is fine. I just put a bit of paper under his nose, a pen in his hand and say "sign here".
When I have to ask an insurer, or bank anything, I hand the phone to him to identify himself and he hands it back to me. At times, I've had to tell him the answers to the questions he has been asked, especially if they want to know what loans we have etc. He doesn't even know the questions I need to ask, let alone want anything to do with the answers.
Suits me, suits him... and I never mow the lawn or clean the garage
Slightly off topic..
I hated doing the books when I was in business several years ago, so hired a bookkeeper to do them for me.
After a 7 year break from self employment I'm now back at it again, we do our own books and use XERO which is a pleasure to use, I almost look forward to doing the books.
I've used several accounting packages and XERO is by far the most simple to use. It will put more then just a few book keepers out of work.
I hated doing the books when I was in business several years ago, so hired a bookkeeper to do them for me.
After a 7 year break from self employment I'm now back at it again, we do our own books and use XERO which is a pleasure to use, I almost look forward to doing the books.
I've used several accounting packages and XERO is by far the most simple to use. It will put more then just a few book keepers out of work.
Anyone who provides "tax agent services" must be registered as a tax agent or a BAS agent. There is a "for a fee" requirement. However an employee cant always provide tax services either. Yes they can do a BAS for their employer. Yes thay technically can complete atax return for their employer company. But its a bit like asking a work experience nurse to assist in surgery. I had a client who used a unqualfiied bookkeeper doing his BAS'. One day he explained he seemed to be going broke working in his business. It didnt make sense and I reviewed everything. In a hour I found she wasnt claiming GST credits on his imports which amounted to millions of dollars over four + years. I amended these and recovered $850,000 "cash"...Such a simple mistake. Undetected because he trusted her. She nearly sent him broke sucking his cashflow and giving to the tax office.
The terms "accountant", "bookkeeper" and "financial planner" are UNREGULATED employment descriptions. ASIC have written Regulations to have some financial planner descriptions limited to holders of an AFSL / RG146 qualification etc. But its not law as far as I know due to the election.
In the world of accounting and bookkeeping anyone can call themselves anything they like except claim to provide tax services. So an unqualified and inexperienced kid can describe themselves as a Finance Director / Financial Controller, Accountant etc and apart from "misleading and deceptive" provisions applying to consumer law there isnt a thing to block it. Obviously that what interviews and CV's are all about. And checking the claimed qualifications too !! There are unqualified people, TAFE quaifications, private colleges, uni's etc. But posessing a piece of paper doesnt make you are practicing professional. Then there may be further qualfiifactions / studies etc such as Chartered Account, CPA, CTA etc....Then there is the experience issue. A CA (Chartered Acct) can hold same designation as his mate. One knows jack about tax and the other is a absolute wiz. Experience counts.
