How to Choose the Right Accountant or Bookkeeper As A New Small Business Owner in Australia
- Prabashini Lohishwara
- Jul 13
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 18
Table of contents
1. Introduction
If you search online for advice on choosing an accountant or bookkeeper, you will usually find the same recommendations:
Check their qualifications.
Look at how many years of experience they have.
Compare their fees.
Confirm whether they belong to a professional body such as CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, or the Institute of Public Accountants.
Check whether they are a registered tax agent or BAS agent.
Find out whether they have experience in your industry.
All of these factors are important. However, they do not necessarily tell you whether an accountant or bookkeeper will be the right person to support you during the early stages of your business.
Let us be honest: when you start your business, you are often learning as you go. You may understand your product, service or industry very well, but accounting, bookkeeping, tax and compliance could be completely new to you.
In many cases, you simply do not know what you do not know.
That is why the first quality you should look for is not necessarily the longest list of qualifications or the biggest accounting firm. It is whether the accountant or bookkeeper is approachable, responsive and willing to explain things clearly.
2. Choose Someone You Can Approach Without Hesitation
Your accountant or bookkeeper should be someone you feel comfortable contacting when you have a question.
You should be able to send a message, make a quick phone call or write an email and say:
“I have a quick question. Is this how it works?”
“Do I need to keep this receipt?”
“What do I need to do before hiring my first employee?”
As a new business owner, these questions will arise regularly. Some may feel small or basic, but they can still affect your bookkeeping, tax obligations and business decisions.
A good accountant should never make you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed for asking.
Of course, this level of trust may not develop during the first conversation. However, after a few discussions, you should begin to feel that you can speak openly and ask questions without worrying that you are wasting their time.
3. Test Their Responsiveness Before Engaging Them
Before choosing an accountant or bookkeeper, contact them with a few genuine questions.
You could send a message such as:
“I am starting a new business and looking for an accountant or bookkeeper to work with. I have a few questions about how your service works. Could we go through them when you have some time?”
Pay attention to how they respond.
Do they reply within a reasonable period?
Do they sound interested in understanding your situation?
Do they invite you to explain your business?
Do they answer clearly, or do they provide a short response that feels dismissive?
Their response before you become a client can give you an indication of the service you may receive later.
4. Understand How They Charge for Questions and Advice
Accountants and bookkeepers provide professional services, and their time has value. It is reasonable for detailed consultations, tax planning, advisory work or complex problem solving to involve a fee.
However, you should understand how everyday questions are handled before signing up.
Some firms charge separately for every phone call, meeting or email. Other firms include reasonable ongoing support within their monthly or annual service fee.
Neither approach is automatically wrong, but you need to know what you are agreeing to.
Ask questions such as:
Are general questions included in the service fee?
Will I be charged every time I call or send an email?
What type of advice attracts an additional fee?
Will I be told before extra charges are incurred?
Is there a monthly package that includes ongoing support?
The last thing you want is to avoid contacting your accountant because you are worried that every small question will result in another invoice sent to you.
A good working arrangement should allow you to ask reasonable questions while also respecting the accountant’s time.
5. Look for Someone Who Treats Small Questions Seriously
A suitable accountant or bookkeeper should understand that what appears simple to them may be completely unfamiliar to you.
Pay attention to how they explain things.
Do they use plain language?
Do they take time to ensure you understand?
Do they sound impatient or irritated?
Do they give one-word answers simply to end the conversation?
Do they make you feel that your question is not important?
You should look for someone who believes that no question is too small, particularly when working with new business owners.
6. Find Someone Who Understands the Startup Stage
A startup should not always be treated in the same way as an established business with employees, high revenue and complex transactions.
When starting out, your income may be limited and unpredictable. Your priority is usually to control costs and spend money carefully in areas that help the business grow.
That means your accounting and bookkeeping arrangement should be appropriate for the size and stage of your business.
For example, if your business is earning less than $3,000 per month, an accounting package of $500 per month may not be sustainable.
You should feel comfortable explaining:
“I have only recently started. This is approximately how much revenue I am currently receiving. Can you provide a service and pricing option that suits the current stage of my business?”
A good accountant or bookkeeper should listen to your circumstances rather than pushing you into a package designed for a larger business.
7. Ask for Pricing That Can Grow With Your Business
Many accounting and bookkeeping firms offer pricing based on factors such as:
Business revenue
Number of transactions
Number of employees
GST registration
BAS frequency
Payroll requirements
Number of bank accounts
Complexity of reporting
Level of ongoing support
This approach can be reasonable because a larger business generally creates more accounting and bookkeeping work.
For a startup, look for someone who can offer a basic and affordable service initially, with the option to increase support as the business grows.
The right accountant should be able to work with your current situation while also helping you prepare for the next stage.
8. Choose Someone Who Works With Your Business, Not Just for It
The best accountants and bookkeepers do more than process documents and submit forms.
They try to understand:
How your business earns income
What your major expenses are
What stage the business is currently in
What challenges you are facing
What systems you are using
What you are trying to achieve
They should feel like someone working alongside your business rather than an external provider who only appears when a payment or lodgement is due.
This does not mean they need to be involved in every daily decision. It means they should understand your business well enough to provide relevant and practical support.
9. Do Not Be Afraid to Change Accountants or Bookkeepers
Choosing an accountant or bookkeeper is not necessarily a permanent decision.
There are many accounting and bookkeeping service providers across Australia. If the relationship is not working, you can consider changing to someone who is better suited to your needs.
You may need to change if:
They rarely respond.
You do not understand their explanations.
Their fees are unclear.
You feel uncomfortable asking questions.
They do not understand your business.
Mistakes keep occurring.
You feel that the service no longer suits your business.
Changing providers may involve transferring records and providing authority to the new accountant, but it is often better than remaining in an unsuitable long term relationship.
10. Final Thoughts
Qualifications, registrations, industry experience and pricing are all important when choosing an accountant or bookkeeper.
However, for a new business owner, the relationship itself is equally important.
You need someone approachable, reliable and willing to explain things clearly. You should be able to ask questions without hesitation and receive practical guidance that helps you make informed decisions.
The right accountant or bookkeeper should not make accounting feel more complicated. They should help make running your business simpler, more organised and less stressful.
Looking for an Approachable Accountant or Bookkeeper?
Team Rectitude supports Australian small businesses with bookkeeping, BAS and IAS lodgements, payroll, tax returns, business setup and ongoing accounting services.
We understand that new business owners often have many questions, particularly during the startup stage. Our aim is to provide clear, practical support and pricing that reflects the size and needs of your business.
Contact Team Rectitude to discuss your business and the support you require.
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