Areas we serve · Elwood
Accounting for Elwood freelancers & small business
Elwood runs on independents, freelancers, creatives, consultants, café owners and side-hustlers. I'm the plain-English, fixed-fee accountant who helps you keep more of what you earn without drowning in admin.
Individual returns from $390 · Business tax & advisory from $250/month.
Freelance income is lumpy, quarterly tax feels random, and the GST threshold sneaks up fast. Most of my Elwood clients start with one messy year and stay because everything after it is predictable: what to set aside, what to claim, when to register, and when it's time to become a company. All handled over Meet or phone, no office visit required.
- 443 Nepean Hwy, Brighton East
- CPA Australia member & Registered Tax Agent
- Fixed fees, no lock-in contracts
Small business in Elwood
Elwood's business character is shaped by who lives there. Ormond Road anchors the retail and hospitality side with independent cafés, bars and small shops, but the larger economy is invisible from the street: designers, developers, writers, photographers, marketers and consultants working for themselves from home or a shared space, often for clients well outside Bayside.
Self-employment brings a specific kind of financial stress. Income arrives unevenly, there's no employer withholding tax along the way, and the first real tax bill often lands as a shock alongside the first PAYG instalment notice. Then the $75,000 GST threshold arrives, usually mid-year and usually unnoticed. None of it is complicated once someone shows you the mechanics, but almost nobody is shown.
What that usually means for your tax
- GST registration timing and the first BAS lodgements, before the threshold catches you out
- PAYG instalments explained, so the first notice isn't a shock
- A simple percentage-aside system so tax stops being a once-a-year emergency
- Deductions that actually apply to creative and consulting work, including home office, equipment and software
What I do for Elwood businesses
Tax & compliance
Business and personal returns, lodged on time.
BAS & GST
Prepared, checked and lodged for you.
Bookkeeping & payroll
Clean books, wages and super done right.
Tax planning
Know your number before 30 June, not after.
Business advisory
A proactive CPA in your corner all year.
Xero setup & support
Set up properly, migrated, and supported year-round.
Questions I hear from Elwood
You're required to register for GST within 21 days of hitting (or expecting to hit) $75,000 turnover in a 12-month period. That means charging GST, lodging BAS, and being treated like the business you now are. I handle the registration and set you up so BAS is a non-event, from $250/month all-in.
You're not alone, and it's fixable. I work out what you actually owe, negotiate a payment arrangement with the ATO if needed, then set up a simple percentage-aside system so next year is boring in the best way.
Once you've lodged a return showing decent business or investment income, the ATO asks you to pre-pay next year's tax in quarterly instalments rather than in one hit. It isn't an extra tax, it's the same tax earlier, and the amount can be varied if your income has genuinely dropped. I'll set the rate sensibly so you're not funding the ATO ahead of time.
Usually not. Services exported to a non-resident client outside Australia are generally GST-free, but the conditions matter and getting it wrong in either direction causes problems. If a meaningful share of your income is from overseas clients, it's worth confirming the treatment once and then applying it consistently.
- On time, every time. Every lodgement in on time, provided your records reach me by the date on your calendar.
- The price you agreed, and no other. Your fee is agreed in writing before any work starts, and it doesn't go up for 12 months.
- Never locked in. No fixed term. If it isn't working, end it with 30 days' notice and I'll hand your file to your next accountant promptly.
These promises are in addition to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Ready to stop worrying about your tax and bookkeeping?
In a free 30-minute strategy session, I'll personally review your situation and we'll map out a clear plan together. If it feels like a good fit, I'll send you a straightforward, fixed-fee proposal. No pressure, no surprises.
Book Your Free Strategy Session