Our first meeting is our opportunity to get to know you, your business or organisation, your financial affairs, and of course for you to get to know us. We will have a discussion about your business, it’s history, structure, ownership, trading and future opportunities. We will clearly explain the role we can play, and can give you an indication of costs.
Once you make the decision to appoint FAJ as your accounting or audit firm, we will prepare an engagement letter that sets out our respective obligations and expectations. From there we will contact your previous accountant or auditor as a courtesy and gather any information required for handover and change your details with the Australian Taxation Office or other regulatory bodies.
Please refer to our ‘contact us’ page for full details of where to park.
Firstly contact us for an appointment. Following this you will receive an email confirming the appointment time and providing details.
If you are a new client, you will need to bring suitable identification (such as a driver's licence) to your first appointment.
Next, read the FAQ on what to bring and ensure you bring the information needed. If you are unsure, you are always better off bringing in more than less, and we can review your documents and work out what is required.
Please feel free to call prior to your appointment if you are unsure about anything.
The ATO has strengthened guidelines around client verification following increases in taxation fraud through identity theft in recent years, including identity theft through tax file numbers. To assist in reducing fraud we now require to sight suitable ID for clients new to the firm before we will lodge an income tax return.
Suitable ID includes photographic evidence such as a valid WA Drivers Licence or a current passport. Without a photographic ID, we require two secondary documents, such as a tax assessment, bank statement, or utilities notice confirming your name and current address.
Please refer to the Tax Practitioners Board factsheet for more information about proof of identity checks.
There are several trading structures available and each has various pros and cons that suit differing circumstances. The main structures are:
Sole traders and partnerships may be suited to smaller businesses, including family businesses.
Trusts and companies are often used for larger businesses or those wanting to raise capital or define ownership. These entities may provide some taxation advantages but come with a higher level of compliance and complexity.
Unfortunately, there’s no rule for choosing a structure that fits all circumstances, however getting the structure correct right from the start is essential – getting it wrong can be very costly down the track.
The best option is to make an appointment with us at FAJ. We will ensure we understand your business and your plans for the future before advising you on the optimal structure.
We lodge all tax returns electronically, so your return is lodged with the ATO on the same day it is completed. The ATO suggests they will issue refunds for electronically lodged returns within 12 working days (but it’s often much less), so you’ll likely have your refund within this time frame. However, the ATO issues the refund, and from time to time, they will hold the issue a refund for reasons unknown to us and outside of our control.
We cannot complete and lodge your tax return until we have received all the requested information.
It is preferable that you make an appointment to have an accountant prepare your personal income tax return. We try our best to accommodate clients that arrive without an appointment; however, to avoid delays, we do recommend that an appointment is made where possible, as there are periods when all accountants are fully booked, especially during the months of July to October.
FAJ is Fremantle’s leading accounting and audit firm.
For individual clients - we prepare around 5,000 Tax Returns each year and have decades of experience. Unlike some of our competitors, our team members are experienced degree qualified accountants who specialise in tax. Each of them commits to regular training on current issues, provided by a firm that has been preparing tax returns since 1930. When you choose FAJ to prepare your personal tax return, you have peace of mind that your return will be prepared accurately, and that you will get every deduction you are entitled to.
For business clients - we aim to build a life-long relationship with you. Most of our team have been with us for decades, meaning you deal with the same accountant - someone who knows and understands your business. We can take care of your annual compliance as well as providing you with strategic planning and advice, or just acting as a professional sounding board. We are practical, caring, we think outside of the box and we love solving problems.
For audit clients - we go the extra mile to identify strengths and weaknesses of your organisation, determine ways to improve productivity and reduce costs, and give you the tools you need to build in your success. And we never miss a deadline.
For bookkeeping clients - we ensure that you have organised and up to date record keeping so that you can make informed decisions, and take the drama out of quarterly and year-end reporting. We understand and utilise the latest technology and systems to streamline data entry, saving you time to get on with growing your business.
Your SMSF audit must be completed before you lodge your fund’s annual return with the ATO. Typically, this is due by May 15 for most funds, but deadlines may vary based on lodgement history.
As a registered tax agent we receive automatic extensions for lodgement of our clients’ tax returns. Our lodgement dates are spread throughout the year and depend on the type of structure, tax level and lodgement history.
Taxpayers with a poor lodgement history may be due for lodgement as early as 31 October. Most entities however will be due for lodgement in May, with a lesser amount due in December, February and March.
Yes – we will generally prepare your individual tax return while you wait, usually a 30 minute process. However if your return is complex, missing information, or you are lodging multiple returns, we may take your information for later preparation.
If you are a new client to our firm you will need to bring suitable proof of identity documents to your first appointment. See our FAQ in ID for new clients for more information.
For individual clients - please click this link for a downloadable list of information you may need to bring to your appointment. Please note that the list is not exhaustive.
For business clients - your accountant will advise you of the information we require to complete your engagement, but will often include access to your accounting software, certain expense invoices and bank statements.
For audit clients - our Audit Admininstrator will provide a detailed list of the information required from you for us to complete your audit.
An audit ensures your financial records are accurate, comply with legal requirements, and provide transparency for stakeholders. Some entities are legally required to undergo audits (either as legislated, as required by a regulatory body, or as prescribed by the organisations's constitution), while others choose them for added credibility and financial oversight.
Yes we do. If your your not for profit organisation, club, school or child care centre operates with the help of funding through grants or other mechanisms, a condition of the funding will require substantiation of the receipt and expenditure of the money. Our team can perform this as part of your annual audit, or we can arrange a separate audit if you prefer.
Our preference is to meet in person where possible as for many clients it results in a more personalised experience. However we are more than happy to consult via alternate methods including video, telephone, email or mail.
Through our years of experience auditing not for profits we have gained expertise in setting up charities and providing ongoing assistance, including all registrations and applying for deductible gift status.
We can assist you to establish an SMSF on your instructions but we cannot make a recommendation as to whether or not you should establish an SMSF as we do not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence. We recommend that you seek appropriate advice before making a decision to establish an SMSF.
An SMSF can have a company or certain individuals as it's trustees. We strongly recommend a corporate trustee as it provides additional legal protection and administrative flexibility.
Yes, at FAJ we have bookkeepers that are experienced in most major bookkeeping packages. Our bookkeeping services can be packaged to include BAS lodgement, year end financials and tax returns and phone and email queries, or we can provide bookkeepers at casual rates.
A Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) is a private super fund that you manage yourself. It differs from retail and industry super funds as members are also trustees, responsible for complying with super laws and regulations.
An SMSF has many benefits but additionally comes with extra responsibility and may not suit everyone. See our FAQs on the risks and benefits of an SMSF for more information.
An SMSF can be established by individuals, typically with up to six members. All members must be trustees (or directors of a corporate trustee) and be responsible for the fund’s management.
An SMSF has many benefits but additionally comes with extra responsibility and may not suit everyone. See our FAQs on the risks and benefits of an SMSF for more information.
The benefits of an SMSF include greater control over investment decisions, access to a wider range of investments, potential tax benefits and flexibility in retirement planning.
The risks of an SMSF include legal and compliance responsibilities, admin and reporting obligations, potential for poor investment decisions and ongoing costs.
Under recent changes called Single Touch Payroll, many PAYG summaries can be accessed electronically by you through your mygov account, or by us via our tax agent portal, but only if we have been appointed as your tax agent.
Where the information is not available through these avenues, your next port of call is your employer. You should make every possible effort to obtain your summary from the employer, even if they have relocated or business has ceased. Remember that the employer has an obligation to keep taxation records for a minimum of five years. Alternatively your employer can provide a letter stating your taxable income earned and PAYG withheld.
As a last resort where you have exhausted other avenues, you will need to make a reasonable estimate of earnings and PAYG withheld by reviewing bank statements, pay slips and other relevant information.
FAJ can prepare all complex tax returns. If you consider that you have complex affairs including significant foreign investments or pensions, estate issues, complex investments, residency issues or small business income please advise reception when making an appointment and you will be given the option of seeing a senior specialist.
Please note that additional fees will be charged for complex returns as determined by your accountant during your appointment.
Our fee for preparing a basic individual tax return for the 2025 year starts from $297, including GST. Where returns require non standard inclusions such as rental properties, capital gains, business income or other complex matters, additional charges will apply based upon the complexity of the tax return.
For preparation of prior year or multiple year tax returns we require an upfront payment of our estimated fees. Your accountant will discuss this with you at the time of the appointment.
Fees for services provided to business clients are determined based upon the time taken to complete the service, and can be estimated in advance upon request.
We can audit an SMSF provided we have not been involved in the prepartion of financial statements. Where we act as the accountant for an SMSF, we can arrange for an audit to be conducted by an appropriate external auditing firm.
We provide independent auditing, financial statement reviews, compliance audits, internal audits, and risk management services for businesses, not-for-profits, government entities and self-managed super funds, including any audits that are required to be completed by a Registered Company Auditor.
One of our core values at FAJ is to charge a fair value fee, so we take a common sense approach to this. If you make a small enquiry that can be answered in a reasonable timeframe (without requiring research), there is unlikely to be an additional charge for emails or telephone calls.
Where clients make a significant number of enquiries, we reserve the right to charge based on our hourly rates. Additionally, we will charge for complex advice, research, taxation amendments and objections.
We charge a fee based on hourly rates for all meetings.
Typical documents include financial statements, bank statements, invoices, contracts and payroll records, as well as view only access to your accounting software. We will provide a detailed list specific to your organisation prior to commencing the audit.
We do not offer a fee from refund service. Fees can be paid at reception by cash or credit card or on invoice using normal payment methods.
Yes, we specialise in audits of all not for profit entities including clubs for sports such as football, cricket, yachting, golf and bowls, as well as cultural and community clubs.
These are regular one to one sessions that can address almost any aspect of your business, from issues and problems identified in financial projections, to specific compliance, market, technology, production or HR matters, to retirement and succession planning. The agenda can be set by your FAJ accountant or by you, and follow-up actions determined for either party.
Click here for more information about our planning and growth services.
Business forecasting is about looking and planning ahead for 12 months or more so that you can make pro-active adjustments. We can assist with business forecasting and to give you the tools to monitor the forecasts and how you’re tracking against these, so you know which areas of your business need the most focus. You’ll be better prepared for any challenges coming your way so that you can make well-planned decisions ahead of time.
Click here for more information about our planning and growth services.
An SMSF audit is a mandatory annual review of your self-managed super fund’s financial statements and compliance with superannuation laws. It must be conducted by an independent, registered SMSF auditor.
Simply contact our team to arrange an audit. We’ll guide you through the process and ensure compliance with all ATO requirements.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) requires all SMSFs to undergo an annual audit to ensure compliance with superannuation regulations and financial reporting requirements. Failure to complete an audit can result in penalties.
Only an ASIC-approved SMSF auditor can conduct your audit. The auditor must be independent and cannot provide financial advice or prepare financial statements for your SMSF.
If your SMSF has compliance issues, the auditor will issue a management letter outlining the concerns. In serious cases, the auditor must report breaches to the ATO via an Auditor Contravention Report (ACR). Penalties or corrective actions may be required.
An SMSF audit includes two parts: