INPRACTICE

For accountants in public practice

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The Fothergill family on board their yacht, Torea VI.

01 May 2021 Careers

Truly remote: How Kris Fothergill FCPA works from his family boat

Kris Fothergill FCPA and his family planned to take their work remote - literally - before enforced remote working began, and have not looked back since.

The sooner an insolvency practitioner is made aware of a client’s financial difficulties, the more options become available to the accountant and client.

Insolvency: How to recognise the signs

Learning to recognise early signs of trouble, and partnering with an insolvency expert, can help public practitioners save their clients from going under.

01 Dec 2020 INPRACTICE Accounting

Digital transformation: Top tips from finance professionals

If you want to put technology to better use in your work life, these early adopters have practical tips for successful digital transformation.

01 Sep 2020 Technology INPRACTICE

Because Hot Toast’s business model is centred on offering outsourced CFO services, Sarah Lawrance has been able to develop deeper relationships with her clients.

Thriving accounting practice credits close client relationships

Sarah Lawrance CPA credits leaning into challenges and having close relationships with clients to not just surviving, but thriving through difficult times.

01 Aug 2020 Leadership Strategy

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Tax agents: Know your lane to stay out of trouble

09 Sep 2021

SPONSORED CONTENT: When advising clients, accountants need to stay in their scope of engagement and their expertise. Take these steps to avoid breaking tax laws.

Darren Smith FCPA, founder of Financial Advice Matters and Financial Wellness Matters. Photo: Luke Marsden.

How Darren Smith FCPA builds financial wellness

01 Sep 2021

Darren Smith FCPA delivers financial wellness programs to employees to reduce the cost of stress.

My Client and Me: Working with creative clients

01 Sep 2021

Being a sounding board and talking through opportunities are just some of the ways Paul Luczak CPA works with his singer-songwriter client Holly Rankin.

Kylie Thompson FCPA, who started Sorrento Strategic Accounting in her lounge room in 1998. Photo: Philip Gostelow.

Kylie Thompson FCPA on the business of music

01 Aug 2021

For Kylie Thompson FCPA, fine-tuning her clients' finances is all about understanding and appreciating the full picture of a person's business while taking the stress out of the numbers.

Manish Trivedi (left) and Raj Rana FCPA. Photo: Anthony Geernaert.

Raj Rana FCPA on the power of communication

01 Jul 2021

A shared heritage is an important part of the dynamic in the working relationship between Raj Rana FCPA and his client, Manish Trivedi.

People want flexibility, and they want to be able to work from home where they can.

How to structure and manage flexible teams

01 Jun 2021

The pandemic has been a catalyst for big changes - not only in the way we work and the technology we use, but also in how teams are structured and managed.

Truly remote: How Kris Fothergill FCPA works from his family boat

01 May 2021

Kris Fothergill FCPA and his family planned to take their work remote - literally - before enforced remote working began, and have not looked back since.

Peter Brindley CPA, one of the four founders of Sword+Stone Capital Management.

Good energy: Moving to renewable power

01 Apr 2021

Peter Brindley FCPA uses the lessons learned from being a CPA to drive projects that help make renewable energy more commercially viable.

Financial counsellors often support clients free-of-charge as they make changes to their living expenses and address debts.

How accountants can work with financial counsellors

01 Apr 2021

As government stimulus measures begin to taper off and the real impact of the pandemic begins to emerge, financial counsellors and accountants have a joint role to play in helping clients get back on their feet.

Sainyog Prajapati CPA (left) and Andrew Seinor FCPA.

My Client and Me: Building a strong partnership

01 Feb 2021

Mutual trust and respect are the hallmarks of Andrew Seinor FCPA and Sainyog Prajapati CPA’s professional relationship.

HELPFUL LINKS

Best accounting software: measuring the pros and cons

Is you accounting software the right fir for you?

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT: Practical advice and tips for running a practice

Businesses merely amplify the ordinary challenges of relationships, and those issues become more obvious.

Power couples: Top tips on working with your spouse

01 Nov 2020

Working with your partner can be extremely rewarding. However, without proper planning and careful handling, things can easily end in tears. How do you make it work as a couple in business?

Will specialisation ensure your business's success?

01 Oct 2020

To specialise or not to specialise? That is the question. These public practitioners say the answer is specialisation, but not necessarily at the cost of multi-domain expertise.

The need for reliable information has increased and it is up to finance professionals to ensure that not only are statutory obligations met but also that maximum transparency is provided.

Roadmap for annual reporting in the COVID-19 era

31 Aug 2020

CPA Australia, in co-operation with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, has published Impacts of COVID-19 on Annual Report Disclosures: A Guide for Directors, Preparers and Auditors.

COVID-related scenarios can rapidly change, so organisations need to ensure their plan is relevant and addresses all factors.

Untangling COVID-19 workplace requirements

25 Aug 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has increased the complexity of workplace laws. It gets more confusing if your business is based in multiple states.

As tax agents have begun meeting with their clients, many are checking income received from the stimulus measures as part of income tax return discussions.

Tax time 2020: Economic stimulus and tax whistleblowers

22 Jul 2020

COVID-19 economic stimulus measures provided many businesses with much-needed support. However, accountants may come across clients who have rearranged their affairs in concerning ways to get access to these measures. Here are options for CPAs who encounter these situations and the protections afforded by the tax whistleblower laws introduced last year.

There’s a clear role for accountants around making the right data available on which employers can make informed, independent decisions on MySuper default fund selection, without breaking the law.

Super fund selection: accountants bridge gap between advice and guidance

01 Apr 2020

How can accountants remain the first port of call for employers looking to choose a MySuper default fund without crossing the divide into advice land?

TAKING YOUR SKILLS, AND YOUR PRACTICE, TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Many companies are moving away from performance review dependency to an informal check-in culture, which boosts performance by more than 60 per cent.

Checking in: The power of constructive feedback

01 May 2021

Forget the annual performance review - what we need instead is a new feedback culture that is consistent, respectful and two-way.

Decades of research have consistently shown that brainstorming groups think of far fewer ideas than the same number of people who work alone and later pool their ideas.

Is there a better way to brainstorm?

01 May 2021

If you are dreading your team's next brainstorming session, it is time to change your approach.

One of the biggest challenges any mentor-mentee relationship faces is allocating time to step away from day-to-day work and focus on the bigger picture.

How to make mentoring successful

01 Apr 2021

A carefully thought out, well-structured mentorship program brings benefits for both the mentee and mentor.

HOW TO: PRACTICAL OR TECHNICAL TIPS FOR YOUR PRACTICE

Insolvency: How to recognise the signs

01 Dec 2020

Learning to recognise early signs of trouble, and partnering with an insolvency expert, can help public practitioners save their clients from going under.

An area of significant concern for small business owners is the uncertainty of future consumer behaviour following the easing of restrictions, and how quickly and confidently consumers start returning to previous spending habits.

The role of accountants in providing loan advice to SMEs

01 Sep 2020

Now more than ever, professional accountants in public practice are well positioned to leverage their relationships with funding bodies to help deliver the best outcomes for clients.

Over the next five years, data analytics and AI are expected to have a growing impact on public practices.

How technology for accountants is transforming modern practices

01 Mar 2020

Technology is now the lifeblood of almost every professional organisation. Three public practitioners talk about the forward planning they are doing, their plans to use technology and how clients will benefit.

How accountants can work with financial counsellors

01 Apr 2021

What you need to know before upgrading to the new generation of laptops that support the remote working revolution.

How to pick a business laptop for your accounting firm

05 Mar 2021

Buying the best laptop to suit your accounting firm’s needs can be a tough proposition, especially as the wrong choice can prove costly. Here’s how to avoid buyer’s remorse.