Quick answer
The best small business accountant in Perth for you will:
- be a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) and appear on the Tax Practitioners Board register;
- work in Xero or another cloud platform;
- charge a fixed monthly fee, not hourly bills;
- plan your tax before 30 June, not just lodge it afterwards.
In 2026, most Perth sole traders pay about $330 to $1,150 a month for ongoing accounting, BAS and tax. Pty Ltd companies usually pay $400 to $2,000 a month. Reacco's monthly packages start from $400 + GST. This guide covers what to pay, what to ask and which red flags to avoid.
Choosing an accountant is one of the highest-return decisions you'll make as a business owner. A good one saves you more in tax, penalties and wasted hours than they cost. A bad one costs you twice: once in fees, and again in missed deductions, late lodgment penalties and decisions made on numbers that were three months old.
I'm Colm Delaney, a Chartered Accountant and the founder of Reacco. Our Perth practice looks after small businesses, sole traders, companies and trusts across WA. This is the guide I'd want a friend to read before hiring anyone, including us.
What does a small business accountant in Perth actually do?
A small business accountant keeps you compliant with the ATO and helps you keep more of what you earn. For most Perth businesses, that covers:
- Bookkeeping and Xero management. Bank reconciliations, coding transactions, and supplier and customer records.
- BAS and IAS lodgement. GST, PAYG withholding and PAYG instalments, lodged on time.
- Payroll and super. Single Touch Payroll, super guarantee and Payday Super compliance.
- Tax returns. Individual, sole trader, partnership, company and trust returns.
- Tax planning. Structuring your income, deductions, super contributions and asset purchases before 30 June.
- Business advisory. Cash flow forecasts, pricing, profit reporting and growth decisions. Some firms call this "virtual CFO".
- Business structure. Advice on sole trader vs company vs trust, plus ABN, GST, TFN and ASIC registrations.
See our full small business accounting and tax returns and tax planning services.
Bookkeeper vs BAS agent vs tax agent vs Chartered Accountant
These titles get used interchangeably, but they are different by law. Here is what each one can legally do for you:
| Role | What they can do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | Record transactions and reconcile accounts. Cannot lodge BAS or tax returns for a fee unless registered. | Data entry and day-to-day admin |
| Registered BAS agent | Bookkeeping plus preparing and lodging BAS, payroll and STP, and advising on GST and PAYG | Businesses that need BAS handled |
| Registered tax agent | Everything above, plus income tax returns, tax advice and dealing with the ATO for you | Tax returns and tax advice |
| Chartered Accountant (CA) | A professional qualification with ethical and education standards. Tax services still require TPB registration. | Tax planning, structuring and growth advice |
Pro tip: Before you sign anything, look the person or firm up on the free Tax Practitioners Board register. If they aren't listed, they can't legally charge you to lodge your BAS or tax return.
The 2026 compliance checklist for Perth small businesses
The rules change every year. These are the ones catching Perth business owners out right now:
| Area | What you need to know in 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| Payday Super | From 1 July 2026, super must reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of each payday. Quarterly super payments no longer meet the rules. |
| Super guarantee rate | 12% of ordinary time earnings. |
| GST registration | Compulsory once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 a year. Taxi and rideshare drivers must register from their first dollar. |
| Quarterly BAS due dates | 28 October, 28 February, 28 April and 28 July. Lodging through an agent may give you extra time on some quarters. |
| Instant asset write-off | Eligible businesses with turnover under $10 million can generally deduct assets costing less than $20,000 each. Check the current rules before you buy. |
| Company tax rate | 25% for base rate entities (turnover under $50 million and no more than 80% passive income). Otherwise 30%. |
| WA payroll tax | Applies once your Australia-wide taxable wages go over the WA threshold, currently $1 million a year. |
| TPAR | Due 28 August for businesses paying contractors in building and construction, cleaning, courier, road freight, IT and security. |
An accountant worth hiring tells you about these changes before they hit your bank account, not after the ATO sends a letter.
How much does an accountant cost in Perth in 2026?
Accountant fees in Perth vary widely. The biggest factors are your structure, your transaction volume, payroll, and how tidy your books are. Here is a realistic guide based on our fixed-fee packages:
| Service | Who it suits | Reacco fixed fee |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials monthly package | Tax return, annual financial statements, BAS, ASIC annual review, pre-30 June tax review and an annual tax planning session | From $400 + GST / month |
| Sole trader tax return (one-off) | Self-employed individuals and sole traders | From $850 + GST |
| Company tax return and financial statements (one-off) | Pty Ltd companies | From $1,600 + GST |
| Trust tax return (one-off) | Discretionary and unit trusts, including distribution minutes | From $600 + GST |
| BAS lodgement (one-off) | Quarterly or monthly BAS prepared and lodged | From $295 + GST |
| Xero setup and migration | Chart of accounts, bank feeds and a walkthrough session | From $500 + GST |
| Add-ons: bookkeeping, payroll, accounts payable | Bolt on only what you need | Fixed fee, quoted at your free consultation |
See our fixed-fee pricing for full inclusions.
Fixed fee vs hourly: why it matters. When an accountant bills by the hour, you think twice before picking up the phone. That is exactly when mistakes happen. A fixed monthly fee spreads the cost across the year, makes it predictable, and means you ask the question before you sign the lease, buy the ute or hire the employee.
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10 questions to ask before hiring an accountant in Perth
- Are you a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) or CPA, and are you on the TPB register?
- How many clients do you have in my industry and at my size?
- Do you charge a fixed fee, and exactly what does it include?
- Do you work in Xero, and will you tidy up my file?
- Will you do tax planning before 30 June, or just lodge my return?
- Who will actually do my work: you, a junior, or an offshore team?
- How quickly do you reply to emails and calls?
- Will you deal with the ATO for me if I get an audit, review or debt letter?
- Is my business structure (sole trader, company or trust) still right for me?
- How will you help me improve cash flow, not just compliance?
7 red flags to avoid
- They are not on the Tax Practitioners Board register.
- You only hear from them once a year, at tax time.
- Invoices arrive with "time spent" charges you didn't expect.
- They still ask for paper receipts and spreadsheets instead of using cloud software.
- They "guarantee" refunds or promise aggressive deductions with no paperwork behind them.
- Lodgments are regularly late, and you're the one paying the penalties.
- They can't explain your profit and loss in plain English.
Why Perth small businesses choose Reacco
We built Reacco around one idea: your accountant should make you money, not just send you an invoice. Here is what that looks like in practice:
- Chartered Accountants with 15+ years of experience. You deal directly with a CA, not a junior.
- Fixed monthly fees. No hourly billing and no surprise invoices.
- Xero specialists. We set up, clean up and automate your file so your numbers are always current.
- Proactive tax planning. We meet before 30 June to legally cut your tax, not after the year is already locked in.
- Local and responsive. We are Perth-based, work AWST business hours, and reply fast.
- Registered tax agent. TPB registration number 26342980.
Run a construction or trades business? Our sister practice specialises in construction and trades accounting for WA builders, contractors and tradies.
Areas we serve across Perth
We look after small businesses across the Perth metro area and regional Western Australia, including Perth CBD, Joondalup, Wanneroo, Stirling, Osborne Park, Balcatta, Warwick, Scarborough, Midland, Fremantle, Cannington, Rockingham, Mandurah and Armadale. Meet us in person in Warwick or online. Everything runs through Xero, so your location doesn't slow anything down.
Industries we work with: trades and construction, retail and eCommerce (including Shopify merchants), hospitality, health and allied health practitioners, professional services, consultants, property investors and startups.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business accountant cost in Perth?
Most Perth small businesses pay a fixed monthly fee for ongoing accounting, BAS and tax work. At Reacco, monthly packages start from $400 + GST per month. One-off sole trader tax returns start from $850 + GST, and company tax returns with financial statements start from $1,600 + GST. The price depends on your turnover, how many transactions you have, payroll, and whether you use a company or trust.
Do I need an accountant or just a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records your transactions. A registered BAS agent can also prepare and lodge BAS. Only a registered tax agent can prepare and lodge your income tax return for a fee, or give you tax advice. Most growing businesses need both: clean bookkeeping every month and a Chartered Accountant who plans the tax before 30 June.
What is the difference between a Chartered Accountant and a regular accountant?
Anyone in Australia can call themselves an "accountant". A Chartered Accountant (CA) is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). That means they hold a degree, have completed the CA Program and supervised experience, and must follow continuing education rules and a code of ethics.
How do I check if an accountant is registered?
Search the free public register on the Tax Practitioners Board website (tpb.gov.au). It shows whether a person or firm is a registered tax agent or BAS agent, and whether conditions apply to them.
When is my BAS due?
Quarterly BAS is generally due on 28 October, 28 February, 28 April and 28 July. Businesses that lodge through a registered tax or BAS agent may get extra time on some quarters. Monthly BAS is due on the 21st of the following month.
What is Payday Super and does it affect my business?
From 1 July 2026, employers must pay super at the same time as wages. The contribution must reach the employee's super fund within 7 business days of payday. If you have employees, your payroll software, cash flow and processes need to be set up for this.
Can I switch accountants part way through the year?
Yes. Your new accountant will ask for a signed authority, contact your previous accountant for the handover, and get access to your ATO records and Xero file. At Reacco we handle the handover for you, so most businesses switch in a few days.
Do you work with businesses outside the Perth CBD?
Yes. Reacco works with small businesses across Perth, including Joondalup, Wanneroo, Stirling, Osborne Park, Balcatta, Scarborough, Midland, Fremantle, Rockingham and Armadale. We also work with regional WA clients, because everything runs through Xero and online meetings.
What software do Perth accountants use?
Most modern Perth practices, Reacco included, work in Xero. Cloud software gives your accountant live access to your figures. That means faster BAS, fewer emails, and tax planning based on real numbers instead of a shoebox of receipts in July.
When should I switch from sole trader to a company?
There is no single turnover figure where this happens. As a rough guide, once your profit is consistently above about $120,000 to $150,000, or you are taking on real business risk, it is worth modelling a company or trust structure. A Chartered Accountant should run the numbers for your situation before you restructure.
About the author
Colm Delaney, CA is a Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) and the founder of Reacco Chartered Accountants in Perth, Western Australia. He works with small business owners, sole traders, companies and trusts on tax planning, compliance, Xero and business advisory. His focus is helping WA business owners keep more of what they earn.
General information only: this article is not personal financial or tax advice. Rates and thresholds are correct as at 17 September 2026 and may change. Speak to a registered tax agent about your own circumstances.