GST is one of those things you can't put off and can't afford to get wrong. I file your returns properly, catch what you can claim, and flag what you can't - so you stay current with the IRD without thinking about it.
File every cycle, on time
2-monthly or 6-monthly, whichever you're set up for. I file early as a rule so there's no deadline panic.
Find what you can claim
Going through every transaction with an eye for claimable GST. Most clients realise they've been missing things they didn't know counted.
Flag what you can't
Personal use, zero-rated supplies, entertainment - the rules have edges. I'll keep you on the right side of them.
Keep the IRD happy
Returns submitted properly, payments scheduled, correspondence answered. You don't think about the IRD unless you need to.
Claiming GST on entertainment
Client lunches, drinks with prospects, business shouts - GST on entertainment is only 50% claimable, and there are extra rules. Easy mistake to make, easy to fix once you know.
Forgetting the personal-use split
Phone, internet, vehicle - if you use it for personal and business, only the business portion is GST-claimable. The exact split depends on the asset and how you use it.
Missing zero-rated supplies
Exports, going-concern sales, some financial services - zero-rated isn't the same as GST-free. Treating them wrong messes up your return.
Mixing up the dates
GST is on invoice date, not payment date (unless you're on the cash basis). People filing on payment date get themselves in tangles - especially around the cycle boundary.
GST returns are filed as part of the Starter and Plus monthly packages from $315/month, or $70/hr for one-off returns.
You must register if your business turns over more than $60,000 in any 12-month period. Below that, registration is optional - and worth thinking carefully about. Registering lets you claim GST back on business purchases, but adds filing obligations. We'll work out which side of the line makes sense for you.
Most NZ businesses file 2-monthly, which is the IRD default. Smaller businesses (turnover under $500,000) can opt for 6-monthly filing - fewer returns, but bigger balances each time. Filing frequency is set with the IRD and we'll pick what suits your cashflow and admin appetite.
Returns and payments are due on the 28th of the month following the end of your taxable period. So for a 2-monthly period ending 31 March, your return is due 7 May. We file early as a rule, so you're not staring down deadline week.
Most business expenses where GST was charged - inventory, equipment, services, the GST portion of phone and internet bills for business use, vehicle costs if you're using GST claim rules. There are exceptions (zero-rated supplies, entertainment, personal use). The settling-in period is where we go through these in detail for your specific business.
Late filing attracts penalties and interest from the IRD, and they compound. If you're already behind, talk to me - we'll get you caught up cleanly. The IRD is more flexible than people expect when you're upfront about being late and have a plan.
Mistakes happen and they're fixable. Small errors can be adjusted in the next return. Larger ones get corrected via a formal amendment. If you're worried something's off, better to flag it early than discover it during an IRD audit - I can review past returns and find the cleanest path forward.
For day-to-day GST filing, yes - I file your returns and handle routine IRD correspondence. For tax-agent work (representing you in disputes, formal IRD investigations, complex determinations) that's a registered tax agent's role, not a bookkeeper's. I'll point you to one if the need arises.
Whether you're behind on filing, unsure about registration, or just want someone to take it off your plate - tell me where you are and I'll come back within a working day.
Or call me on 027 283 5312