Business Activity Statements
BAS preparation without the last-minute stress.
For most businesses the BAS comes around four times a year, and it is rarely the job anyone looks forward to. We prepare and lodge activity statements for businesses across Ipswich — reviewing the records behind the figures rather than simply transcribing them, so the statement stands up to scrutiny.
- Preparation and lodgement handled for you
- We work with your existing bookkeeping records
- Meticulous, on time, every time
The quarterly job that keeps everything else on track.
A business activity statement is how a registered business reports and pays several tax obligations at once — most commonly GST, and often PAYG amounts as well. It is submitted to the ATO for each reporting period, and the figures on it come straight from the business's own records.
The reason it matters goes beyond the lodgement itself. A BAS that is prepared carelessly, or from records that have not been reconciled, tends to create work later: amendments, follow-up questions, and a year-end where nothing quite ties together. A BAS that is prepared properly does the opposite — it keeps the accounts current and makes the annual work far simpler.
We prepare activity statements for businesses of a range of sizes, either from bookkeeping we handle ourselves or from records kept in-house. Susan Boyle has handled bookkeeping and business activity statements for many of our clients since 2006, and works across QuickBooks, Reckon, MYOB and other packages.
Overdue statements are worth dealing with rather than leaving. Tell us where things stand and we will work out what is outstanding and the most sensible order to bring it up to date.
What we can help you with
The full cycle, or whichever part of it you need a hand with.
- 01
BAS preparation
Preparing the activity statement for the period from your business records, with the figures traced back to the underlying transactions.
- 02
BAS lodgement
Lodging the statement with the ATO on your behalf and confirming what is payable or refundable, and when.
- 03
GST information
Working through how GST applies to your sales and purchases, including the items that are commonly treated incorrectly.
- 04
PAYG obligations
Reporting the PAYG amounts that appear on your statement, at a general level appropriate to how your business is registered.
- 05
Reviewing the bookkeeping behind it
Checking coding, reconciliations and anything that looks out of place before the statement is prepared, rather than after.
- 06
Organising supporting records
Making sure the documentation supporting the statement is in order and retained, should the ATO ever ask about it.
What goes into a BAS?
Exactly what appears on your activity statement depends on how your business is registered with the ATO. Two businesses of similar size can receive quite different statements.
In broad terms, it brings together the amounts you have collected and paid over the period so they can be reported and settled in one place. We work out which of these apply to you when we set things up, so nothing is reported that should not be — and nothing is missed.
- GST collected on sales and GST paid on purchases
- PAYG amounts, where your registration includes them
- The reporting period the statement covers
- The supporting records that sit behind each figure
How we handle each period
A routine that repeats every period, so there is nothing to reinvent each quarter.
- 01
Set up the cycle
We confirm how your business is registered, which periods apply and what information we will need from you each time.
- 02
Collect the records
Bookkeeping data, bank statements and anything unusual for the period come across to us, in whatever form you already keep them.
- 03
Review before preparing
We check the coding and reconciliations and query anything that looks out of place, because that is far easier before lodgement than after.
- 04
Prepare and confirm
We prepare the statement, let you know the outcome, and give you what you need to plan for the payment.
- 05
Lodge and keep you on track
We lodge the statement and keep an eye on what is coming up in the next period, so the cycle stays predictable.
We can work with your bookkeeping.
You do not have to hand over the bookkeeping to have us do your BAS. Plenty of our clients keep their own records — in QuickBooks, Reckon, MYOB or another package — and simply want a second set of eyes before the statement is lodged.
Equally, if the bookkeeping has become one job too many, we can take it on and prepare the activity statements from records we maintain ourselves. Either arrangement works; what matters is that the records supporting the statement are reliable.
- You keep the books and we prepare and lodge the statement
- Or we handle both the bookkeeping and the BAS
- Or we work alongside your existing bookkeeper
Who this service is for
Sole traders
Owner-operators registered for GST who would rather not spend a weekend each quarter on the statement.
Small businesses
Businesses with staff, suppliers and a steady flow of transactions to be coded and reconciled each period.
Companies and trusts
Structures with activity statement obligations alongside their annual reporting and tax return.
Businesses with in-house bookkeeping
Owners whose records are kept internally but who want the statement reviewed and lodged by their accountant.
Businesses that have fallen behind
Anyone with outstanding periods who wants to get back on top of it without a lecture.
Newly registered businesses
Businesses that have just registered for GST and want the first few periods set up correctly.
Important considerations
Reporting periods vary
Whether you report quarterly, monthly or annually depends on your registration and circumstances, and it can change as the business grows.
Not every registration is the same
What appears on your statement depends on what your business is registered for. It is worth confirming rather than assuming.
The statement is only as good as the records
Figures come from your bookkeeping. Where coding or reconciliations are unreliable, the statement will be too — which is why we review first.
Lodgement and payment are separate things
Lodging a statement and paying the amount owing are distinct obligations. If cash flow is tight, tell us early so it can be discussed.
This information is general in nature. Requirements can depend on your circumstances and current legislation — speak with our team for advice relevant to your situation.
Useful ATO resources
Published by the Australian Taxation Office. Useful background on how activity statements and GST work.
These are external government resources, published and maintained by their respective agencies rather than by Bachmann Robinson. Links do not imply a recommendation of their content. For anything specific to your circumstances, speak with our team.
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Common questions about BAS
How often do I need to lodge a BAS?
Can you lodge a BAS if you do not do my bookkeeping?
What if I have overdue activity statements?
Which bookkeeping software do you work with?
I cannot pay the full amount this quarter — what should I do?
We advise on your systems. Our IT partner builds them.
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Whether you have a straightforward question or a more complex financial situation, our team is here to help.
Level 1, 265 Brisbane St, Ipswich QLD · Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm