How to Choose the Right Accountant for Your Australian Business: The Questions to Ask First.
Choosing an accountant is one of the more important decisions you will make as a business owner, and it is not always a straightforward one. The person you choose will come to understand your business, and your goals, better than almost anyone else in your working life. It is worth taking the time to choose well.
A good place to start is with something many business owners do not realise. In Australia, almost anyone can call themselves an accountant. Understanding what that means, and what actually sits behind the title, makes the rest of the decision much clearer. Below we walk through how the profession is regulated, what to look for, and the questions worth asking before you commit.
Is "Accountant" a Protected Title in Australia?
No. There is no law in Australia that prevents someone from calling themselves an "accountant." The terms "accountant," "public accountant" and "practising accountant" are not protected in any state or territory. A person with no formal qualifications can use the title and offer accounting services to the public.
This is not a reason for alarm, but it is a reason to look a little closer. If the title itself is open to anyone, then the title alone tells you very little. What matters is what sits behind it: the registration a person holds, the qualifications they have earned, and the professional standards they are bound by.
Do Accountants Have to Be Qualified or Registered?
A great deal is regulated in Australia. The word "accountant" simply is not one of those things. The accountability that does exist sits in three main places.
The first is the Tax Practitioners Board. Anyone who charges a fee to prepare your tax returns, lodge your BAS, or provide tax advice must be a registered tax agent or BAS agent with the Tax Practitioners Board. Registration requires qualifications and relevant experience, it carries a Code of Professional Conduct, and it can be suspended or cancelled for conduct such as false or misleading statements. A registered agent is genuinely accountable for the advice they give.
The second is the professional designations. "CA" (Chartered Accountant, through CA ANZ) and "CPA" (Certified Practicing Accountant through CPA Australia) are protected. Only members in good standing who have completed the relevant program and continue to meet a code of ethics may use them. Those designations indicate that a person is accountable to a professional body with the power to review their conduct.
The third is financial advice. Personal advice about financial products, which is distinct from tax and accounting, is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and advisers are listed on ASIC's Financial Advisers Register. It is helpful to understand which of these areas a particular professional actually works in before relying on their advice.
So the more useful question is not whether someone calls themselves an accountant. It is what they are registered to do, and who holds them accountable for it.
Who Is Accountable for the Tax Advice You Receive?
That depends on who is giving it, because accountability shapes what a professional can responsibly say. Registered tax agents are bound by a Code of Professional Conduct, and members of CA ANZ or CPA Australia are bound by a code of ethics. Both can face real consequences for advice that turns out to be false or misleading. A sweeping promise, such as a single strategy that will dramatically reduce everyone's tax, is difficult to stand behind within those obligations, because genuine tax outcomes depend on individual circumstances.
People who hold no registration or membership are not bound by the same standards. That does not mean everything they say is wrong, but it does mean the usual professional accountability may not be there. Before acting on a claim that sounds remarkable, it is worth understanding what the person is qualified to advise on, and whether they answer to anyone for that advice.
If you would like to understand the difference between work that keeps you compliant and work that genuinely helps you plan ahead, click here - compliance VS advisory accounting.
What Makes a Tax-Saving Strategy Genuine?
Genuine tax planning is real, and it can make a meaningful difference. It is also specific to your structure, your numbers and your goals, and it rarely reduces to a single headline. Proper proactive tax planning usually comes with conditions and context, because those details are what make a strategy work and keep it compliant.
When a claim strips all of that away and promises the same dramatic result for everyone, it is worth treating with measured caution. The detail that has been left out is often the detail that matters most: who the strategy applies to, what it costs, and how it would be viewed by the ATO. A reasonable next step is simply to ask how it would apply to your own situation.
What Should You Ask an Accountant in the First Meeting?
The best way to choose well is to ask good questions. Here is the list we would suggest taking into any first meeting, whether you are sitting down with an accountant or weighing up advice from another finance professional.
1. Are you registered, and who with?
Are they a registered tax agent or BAS agent with the TPB? A member of CA ANZ, CPA Australia or the IPA? If they provide financial product advice, are they appropriately licensed under ASIC? A reputable professional will be happy to answer.
2. Can I confirm that myself?
You should never have to take it on trust alone. You can search the TPB public register in under a minute, and you can confirm membership directly with CA ANZ or CPA Australia. A reputable professional will gladly point you in the right direction to confirm their qualifications.
3. Do you offer forward-looking advice, or only compliance?
Some people assume accountants are purely backward-looking, only reporting what has already happened. The best ones work differently. Ask whether they offer advisory work and financial forecasting, or only year-end lodgement. As your business grows, you want someone helping you plan what is ahead, not only recording what is done ( *hot tip* we’re the forward planning, growth strategy kind of accountants).
4. Will I be able to reach you when I need you?
The most valuable business accountants are the ones you can call before you sign the lease, hire the next person, or buy the business, rather than once a year at tax time. Ask how they prefer to communicate and how quickly they usually respond.
5. Who will actually be doing my work?
The person who meets you first is not always the one who ends up managing your file. A team is completely normal and a sign of a healthy firm, but it is reasonable to ask who will be across your account and to confirm that someone experienced is reviewing the work.
6. Will you help me understand my numbers?
A report you cannot interpret is of limited use. You want someone who makes the numbers make sense, in plain language you will remember when a real decision is in front of you. Your numbers can answer more than many owners expect, and we covered five of the big ones in here.
7. What services do you offer as I grow?
Consider whether one relationship can cover what you need now and later. Financial statements, BAS and company tax, proactive tax planning, help with company structure, or a self-managed super fundin time? Choosing someone who can grow with you avoids an awkward handover later.
8. How do you charge, and what is included?
Price matters, though the lowest fee rarely delivers the best result.
Ask what is included, what costs extra, and whether you will still have genuine access to an experienced person when something comes up.
Fair value with real support is worth more than a low rate and limited help when you need it.
9. Do you work with businesses like mine?
You should not have to re-explain how your business operates each time you speak. Someone who already understands your industry and stage will give sharper advice and use your time more efficiently.
You could also ask for testimonials or referees to confirm how the accountant operates.
How Do You Check an Accountant's Credentials in Australia?
Three quick checks cover most situations, and all of them are free.
For tax and BAS work, search the TPB public register by name or business. It shows whether someone is a registered tax or BAS agent and the current status of their registration. For the CA or CPA designation, confirm membership directly with CA ANZ or CPA Australia. For anyone providing personal financial product advice, look them up on ASIC's Financial Advisers Register.
A reputable professional will expect these questions and be glad to answer them. Reluctance to be checked, or vagueness about what they are registered to do, is worth noting.
How Should the First Meeting With an Accountant Feel?
Beyond the credentials, pay attention to how you feel by the end of the conversation. The right accountant will leave you clearer and calmer than you were at the start, not because they have impressed you with a bold claim, but because someone capable and accountable is now helping you.
That sense of confidence, rather than overwhelm, is the real reason this decision is worth getting right. The right support does not leave you anxious or rushed. It leaves you better placed to make considered decisions about your business.
More on growing your business with financial confidence.
If that is the kind of support you are looking for, book a free, no-pressure discovery call and bring this list of questions with you.
The Questions to Ask an Accountant Before You Hire Them (Checklist)
Are you registered, and with whom (TPB, CA ANZ, CPA, ASIC)?
Can I confirm that myself?
Do you offer forward-looking advice, or only compliance?
Will I be able to reach you when I need you?
Who will actually be doing my work?
Will you help me understand my numbers?
What services do you offer as I grow?
How do you charge, and what is included?
Do you work with businesses like mine?
How did I feel at the end of the meeting?
We are Kindred Accounting - Newcastle Business Accountants for Growing Businesses across Australia.
Not working with us yet? We're the kind of accountants you can actually talk to. Book a discovery call.
