Imminent Cessation of JobKeeper Highlights Challenges for Accountants

In the ESS BIZTOOLS’ Business Advisory Services Webinar/Conversation on Wednesday 10th March 2021, Peter Towers, Managing Director, ESS BIZTOOLS will discuss with Priscilla Bea Smith, Director, Cloud Nine Associates some of the important issues on which small business and medium-sized enterprise owners and CEOs are seeking advice:

• Preparation of Budgets and Cashflow Forecasts for the next 12 months and beyond.

• Determination as to whether the business needs some extra funding and, if so, giving consideration to the “Australian Government 50% Guaranteed Loans” that are for loans of up to $1 million to be repaid over a 5 year period at a low interest rate.

Applications need to be made to banks and financial organisations that are responsible for the documentation and the actual lending of the money that is being provided, by the Reserve Bank and the Australian Government, to the banks at very low interest rates.

• Review of charge out rates that have been determined for tradies and professional services firms. Do these rates adequately incorporate the productivity being achieved, the business’ overhead expenses, the amount of external purchases being made for clients and the markup on those purchases? – Is the profit that is emerging in line with the business’ Budget?

• Research and development shouldn’t be in the “too hard” basket! – we’ll discuss this issue and, in particular, comment on how small and medium-sized accountants can take advantage of the Research and Development Tax Incentive to assist clients to create and produce innovative products and, in so doing, claim a significant taxation benefit from the government.

You can register for this free webinar on Wednesday, 10th March 2021 commencing at 11.30am AEST (12.30pm AEDT) by clicking here.

Predictive Accounting Should Be Compulsory!

In our last Business Advisory Services Webinar/Conversation, Paul Barnaby, Australasian Manager of PlanGuru and an experienced Chartered Accountant indicated that Predictive Accounting should be a key service being made available by accountants to business operators and, in fact, it should be compulsory!

Paul Barnaby and Peter Towers discussed a range of issues relative to accountants effectively utilising Predictive Accounting in the supply of a range of value-added services for their SME clients.

Predictive Accounting is a “complete approach” to the task of preparing financial forecasts which reflect what the decisions being made today will create in one, two, three, four years’ time.

Far too many Budgets and Cashflow Forecasts are prepared without analysing the key components, known as the “key drivers”, impact on the business will be.

“It is not appropriate to just take last year’s figures and add a percentage of variation to cover what might happen in the next financial year”.  It needs more thinking and planning than that.

The predictive accounting process has 4 key components:

• Key Drivers – which should involve the leadership team meeting with the accountant to look at virtually every line of the Budgets and Cashflow Forecast and ensuring that appropriate documentation has been prepared so that this is the information on which the Budgets and Cashflow Forecast of being based. For example debtors’ days outstanding, stock turn rates, capital expenditure, payment of dividends, number of team members, productivity of team members, purchase schedules for acquisition of raw materials etc.

• Budgets – basically reflect the financial amount that has been calculated, based on information contained within the key drivers.

• Cashflow Forecast – this is also based on information contained within the key drivers. The Cashflow Forecast will indicate whether the business requires additional funding which could be supplied by loans or perhaps raising additional capital – Crowd Sourced Funding Equity Raising – Early Stage Innovation Company Capital Raising – Capital Raising under Section 708 of the Corporations Act.

• Projected Balance Sheets – this is a very important document because it is outlining a “picture” as to what the financial position will look like in a number of years’ time.

You can listen to the 30 minute conversation between Paul Barnaby and Peter Towers by clicking here.

Upcoming Webinars

Brad Smart’s Third Tip Of The Week (“Selling the Message”)

“A few weeks ago, I suggested emailing out newsletters to your clients to keep them up-to-date with changing tax laws, or perhaps, some of the services you now offer and that you’d like to promote.

Newsletters are also a good way to introduce your staff and add a more human face to your practice.

I see this form of distribution as a low-cost or no-cost way to reconnect with your customer base post-COVID.  It gets your clients thinking about your practice and keeps you top-of-mind.

A number of people have been in touch with me regarding this idea and some are now looking at launching their newsletter in the near future.

Others have been a little concerned about how to go about it and are not quite sure where to start.

If you fall into this category, perhaps you’d like more than just some friendly advice.

To help out, I’m happy to write and design your first newsletter, without charge, although I’ll have to limit this offer to ten firms.  First in - best dressed! 

If you like the idea, give me a call and let’s talk about your needs – 0418 311 011”.

Challenges Ahead

You are most welcome to visit our websites – www.essbiztools.com.au or www.essbizgrants.com.au where you can obtain information on government grants that are available for an individual client.

If you are interested in obtaining a free, no obligation overview of the Business Advisory Services Product Packages developed by ESS BIZTOOLS to assist accountants to deliver a wide range of Business Advisory Services without you having to reinvent the wheel by spending hundreds of hours in writing the material, please “Book A Demo” on the ESS BIZTOOLS homepage – www.essbiztools.com.au or contact Peter Towers:

Email:

Telephone: 1800 232 088

Stay safe!

Have a great day.