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The Inland Revenue have published the mileage rates for business use of a motor vehicle for the 2022 year. Helpful for those doing income tax returns for the 2022 year, not so helpful for those of us who reimburse employees for using their personal vehicles in the course of their employment on behalf of the business. For those reimbursing employees, you can use actual costs, IRD mileage rates, or rate…  Read more

Receipts and invoices are vital to successfully running a business. You need them to track your purchases and expenses correctly. Your clients need receipts for their tax purposes and to manage their finances. Paper receipts and invoices have been around a long time, so many people are used to them and may even be resistant to moving away from them. Thanks to technology, paper receipts and invoices are more a…  Read more

You’ve probably heard the maxim that it’s better to work smarter than harder right?. Working smarter means allocating your time, energy and money so vital tasks get done more efficiently, freeing up your personal time. Too many business owners think they must keep working harder to be successful—taking on more responsibilities and working longer hours.  It makes sense, because you’re responsible for your business, but that route leads to work…  Read more

1. Accounts Receivable Process A poor accounts receivable process will result in debtor days (the time between billing and banking) being too high. This will stifle your cashflow. There are many strategies to minimise debtor days including tightening your Terms of Trade, offering prompt payment discounts and streamlining your billing process. 2. Accounts Payable Process A review of all suppliers’ terms may identify ways to improve cashflow and potentially achieve…  Read more

Managing your cashflow is an integral part of running your business. In this new series of blogs we will be providing some of our best tips and tricks! Five Principles For Keeping Cash Flowing There are five key principles to remember when looking at your cashflow 1. Without cash your business will not survive Cash is the lifeblood of any business. In fact, very profitable business’ can and do fail…  Read more

Inland Revenue have released an interpretation statement on this one recently. Next time you grab a coffee or a meal at your local café in between back-to-back client meetings and think about claiming this as an expense because you are self-employed and it’s just part of your work day, think again. New Zealand’s Inland Revenue has confirmed that these expenses are not deductible for self-employed taxpayers in all but very…  Read more

Going into immediate Lockdown can be hugely unsettling, but I must say, nowhere near as hard as the March 2020 was.  We have been here before, and I think that brings with it a sense of calmness, open mindedness and understanding of what is expected and what it is going to look like. What is hugely frustrating is assimilating the massive amount of information out there and sorting out the…  Read more

Solid cash flow management is vital to ensuring your business survives, but not everyone understands what cash flow is or how to manage it. That’s likely what makes it a leading cause of stress for small business owners. Cash flow refers to the movement of money into and out of your business. It’s based on the amount of money you bring in minus the amount you spend. A positive cash…  Read more

Business planning gives you a road map and shows you the best way to get to your destination. Without a map, you are driving blind and feeling your way along as you go, which means you could miss a very important turn in the road and arrive in a completely different place than you desire, or you could end up taking a detour down a gravel road instead of taking…  Read more

It’s one of those tricky balancing acts most business owners struggle with right? – how to spend as much, if not more time on their business as in their business.  This is something I struggle with myself as a small business owner. An accountability group can help you strategize for future growth and set goals that move your business forward. Most importantly, checking in with other people on a regular…  Read more

If you ask 100 business owners what they like least about running a business, chances are good that bookkeeping will rank high on the list. It’s one of those chores that takes up a lot of time and is easy to put off until tomorrow.  Generally its also the last thing you want to be doing when you spend all day working either in or on your business. The problem…  Read more

The increase of the minimum sick leave entitlement from 5 days per year to 10 days per year will come into effect on 24th July 2021. What does this mean for you and your employees? For existing staff they will get the increase of entitlement on their next sick leave anniversary (not automatically on 24th July) For new staff they will get this on their 6 month anniversary The maximum…  Read more

Some of you may have realised that Xero has instigated compulsory Multifactor Authentication for logging into their software.  You can either use a generic authentication app or Xero have made their own app to help with this. Xero Launches Xero Verify Xero has launched its own authentication app, Xero Verify, to give small businesses world-class data protection. The new app makes it easy for users to set up multi-factor authentication…  Read more

Do you have a passion you are thinking about turning into a paying gig?  Have you always dreamed of doing what you love and making a living from it? We have shared some steps that we believe will help you avoid some common mistakes as you set out to earn an income from your favourite pastime. Do you have what it takes? Unless you’ve run a business before, it’s easy…  Read more

This is something we hear a LOT!  Along with the old myth about only paying tax once you earn more than $5,000… It’s important to understand the differences between a hobby and a business. A small side hustle you’ve been doing for years could actually be a business for tax purposes, and you may be accumulating tax debt without realising it. A hobby is generally something you do in your…  Read more

If you want your new business to succeed, you need to make smart decisions and be strategic. Here we share five business killers that you should avoid if you want your startup to be successful, along with some strategies for lowering your start up costs. Too much overhead– Start with the bare necessities and focus on surviving your first year in business. By keeping your business lean in the early…  Read more

When you’re a small business owner, you get used to people giving you advice. Sometimes you seek out their insights while other times they share whether you want them to or not. While the advice is almost always well-intended, it’s not always good. In fact, sometimes it’s downright awful. Here are some tips that well-meaning people give to small business owners that definitely should not be followed. 1. Never turn…  Read more

2020 has been a difficult year for business owners. Now that a new year is upon you, it’s time to put your foot on the gas pedal and make 2021 the year for your business. Here are some ways you can grow your revenue this year and beyond: Review your business and address blind spots. The first thing you can do is to look at your current situation and identify…  Read more

Do you ever feel stuck in your business? After all the time and effort you’ve put into it, your revenue seems to have plateaued or maybe has even decreased. If you’re having a profit problem, it can be a sign of a deeper issue that needs to be fixed. Below are the three key areas that you should look into: Products or services– Are your customers happy with what you’re…  Read more

Drawing up the right financial documents matters to your small business’ success more than you think they do. They can give you a clear view of your financial health and can help you make sound decisions based on the numbers. Below are the six most useful financial documents that you can benefit from: Income statement- This shows your revenue and expenses and indicates if your business is profitable. Cash flow…  Read more