29/09/2026
What is the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?
One of the questions I get asked most, especially from new business owners here in Australia. A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day - recording transactions, reconciling accounts, and keeping your books in order. An accountant tends to focus on the bigger picture - tax returns, EOFY reporting, and overall tax strategy.
Here's the part people often don't know: not every bookkeeper is a registered BAS agent, but a registered BAS agent can legally lodge and give advice on BAS, GST, PAYG withholding, and other indirect taxes on your behalf - an unregistered bookkeeper can't. Only a registered tax agent can lodge your income tax return. If your bookkeeper isn't a registered BAS agent, it's worth asking, because it changes what they're actually allowed to do for you.
For the record, I am a registered BAS agent, so BAS lodgement and advice is something I can genuinely take off your plate, not just help you prepare for.
Most small businesses benefit from a bookkeeper and an accountant working together rather than picking one over the other. Which one are you missing right now?
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