Think Big Tax & Business Advisory

ATO isn't auditing you at random. If you've found yourself on their radar, there's usually a reason for it.

They're usually looking for patterns of behaviour that attract attention over time.

Consistently lodging late. Leaving income off your return. Claiming deductions you can't support. Reporting business losses year after year. These are the kinds of things that start raising questions.

The best way to avoid unwanted attention is pretty simple. Keep good records. Lodge on time. Declare all of your income. And if you're ever unsure, ask before you lodge.

People always say, "Get yourself a great accountant."

We could tell you why our clients stay with us. But we'd rather you hear it from the people who experience what it's like to work with us.

If you've been thinking about changing accountants, we're always up for a coffee.

The new $1,000 tax deduction has caused a fair bit of confusion. Here’s what you need to know: it won’t apply to the tax return you’re lodging this year.

It starts from the 2026–27 financial year. If you’re eligible, you won’t need receipts for the first $1,000 of work-related expenses, and it’ll be applied automatically.

We’d still recommend? Keep your records. Unexpected work-related expenses can come up, and if you end up claiming more than $1,000, you’ll need them.

Not sure what applies to you? That’s exactly what your accountant is there for. 👋🏼

If paying yourself usually means checking your bank balance and transferring whatever you need... this one’s for you.

A lot of people get caught in the trap of transferring money across when they need it. It might work short term, but long term? Managing cash flow, GST and tax gets messy if you’re not factoring them in first.

How you pay yourself will look different depending on your business structure, so it’s worth checking what’s feasible for you.

Before you pay yourself, you need to know:

• what your business is bringing in
• what it costs to run
• what needs to be set aside for GST and tax
• what’s actually left over.

Because picking a random figure that sounds “good enough” isn’t a long-term solution.

You didn’t start your business to work for free, but paying yourself from money meant for something else is a quick way to create unnecessary stress.

Having a conversation with an accountant and understanding what you need to know early on can help you make better, more informed decisions. And yes, you still get paid at the end of the day!

ChatGPT is great for getting a quick answer. It’s not a replacement for your accountant.

The thing with tax is, the right answer is rarely based on one question.

If you ask ChatGPT, “Can I claim this?” or “Should I do this?”, it’ll answer based on what you’ve told it. The problem is, it doesn’t know what you’ve left out.

Your accountant isn’t just answering the question. They know what to ask, what to check, and what actually applies to you.

It’s fine to use ChatGPT to learn. Just don’t let it be the final word on your tax.