Welcome to the Porters CA Blog.

Please enjoy our regular blog of relevant business, taxation and financial information. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter.

Is the 4-Day Work Week for You?

When was the last time you felt that you had a week’s worth of energy to pour into just four days of work? As COVID-19 has reshaped our work-life balance and continues to redefine what is essential in our professional world, the concept of a shorter workweek is gaining traction. With proposed legislation in various states and countries, and the ongoing conversation among professionals, it’s evident that the discussion around…  Read more

Financial information every small business owner needs to understand.

You run a great business. You know your product/service but do you know enough about your finances? Even if you have outsourced your financial functions, as a small business owner, it is crucial to have a solid understanding of key financial concepts to work with your advisor and ‘speak their language”. This article outlines several important concepts that every small business owner should be familiar with. Basics of income and…  Read more

What is inflation and how does it affect my savings?

Why is everybody talking about inflation? You can’t get through the news these days without hearing about inflation, how rapidly it is increasing and how it has to be stopped. Rates were generally low for quite some time and we all got used to it. Suddenly, however, everyone is getting squeezed by inflationary pressure. But what exactly is inflation, and how does it affect the money you have in the…  Read more

Business tips for the end of the year

The end of the year tends to be a bit chaotic for business owners, but it’s actually a good time to get some extra housekeeping done for your business. Read on for some tips to help you finish the year neatly and feel prepared to face the new year. Review your goals and KPIs A lot has likely happened for your business over the course of the previous 12 months.…  Read more

Fringe Benefits Tax

Lodge your FBT to REDUCE ATO AUDIT PERIOD. Many small businesses manage their business to avoid fringe benefits tax using methods such as director contributions to ensure no tax is payable – this method is low cost and pragmatic however leaves an unlimited timeframe open for ATO. We recommend our clients to complete and lodge an FBT return, even if it is a nil result so as to draw a…  Read more

Tax Planning, who needs it?

In April and May 2022, we assist clients with Tax Planning to provide specific actions to reduce your tax and manage your business and personal profits. REDUCING YOUR TAX and PLANNING FOR YOUR TAX PAYMENTS We have annual tax planning guides that will help you succeed: FY22 Tax planning tips and ideas for business FY22 Tax and wealth management tips and ideas for individuals When is a tax plan essential?…  Read more

Succession Planning: Do you have a plan B?

As a business owner, have you ever considered what would happen to the business if you had to take a break due to serious illness or injury? Would the business survive? How would the bills get paid? And while you may not like to think about it, in the case of death, how can you ensure your family is given a fair deal in the case of a business partnership?…  Read more

Cash Flow Advice for Small Businesses

Solid cash flow management is vital to ensuring your business survives and thrives 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 is based on the amount of money you bring in minus the amount you spend.…  Read more

Build an Effective Financial Plan for Your Business

Every business needs a financial plan. Your financial plan gives you a way to monitor and review your cash flow, make adjustments to your spending and anticipate potential financial issues. A financial plan can also help when requesting funding or finding investors to bring more money into your business. Although many business owners are aware that financial planning is important, it is often overlooked or put off for another day.…  Read more

Grow Your Family Business While Preserving Family Relationships

Family business owners often share a similar goal – to grow the business and pass it on to the next generation. While keeping the business in the family and getting to work with your parents, siblings, or children can be rewarding, managing and growing a family-owned business isn’t without its challenges. Conflicting views on business and family matters such as succession of power, rivalry, favoritism, and disposition of assets often…  Read more

Preparing for the end of JobKeeper

Since the government announced the $70-billion JobKeeper program to support businesses and their employees, many businesses have relied on the scheme to stay afloat. Others have been grateful for the cash boost that made the way for smoother sailing. Phase one of Jobkeeper comes to an end on 28 September and not all businesses are eligible for the next relief package. According to a recent survey by the Australian Institute…  Read more

Adapting your business is just good business.

Tips to Adapt Your Small Business During the Pandemic As COVID-19 continues to impact the way businesses operate and consumers shop, many small businesses may struggle to stay afloat, let alone thrive. Below are some of the simple, yet effective, ways on how you can build a stronger brand, earn more sales, and survive in these uncertain times. Showcase locally-made products Now, more than ever, consumers want to buy from…  Read more

Do you have more questions this tax time?

What a year! We don’t need to tell you that this year has been “unprecedented”. With so many stimulus packages, support programs, tax changes and business shutdowns this financial year is set to be like we’ve never seen before. Oddly enough, amongst all the upheaval, rarely have we felt so enthusiastic about the opportunities for people and businesses who are open to new ideas and who are looking for guidance…  Read more

Surviving and Thriving in a Recession

The pains caused by a recession can be brutal and most of us dread the thought. A recession can mean massive layoffs, fewer jobs and wages frozen, which means consumers spend less and in turn worsening the economic slowdown. If we look at the effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008, between December 2008 and December 2010, about 1.8 million small businesses closed. According to Investopedia one decade…  Read more

How to build a cash war chest when money is tight

Your “war chest” is the financial reserve your business has built up. Your war chest helps you take advantage of opportunities or cover unexpected costs or emergencies such as the current Covid pandemic. Building a cash reserve when finances are tight, however, can be difficult. You need money to continue running your business while attempting to keep your reserve account healthy. To begin you should download a cashflow scenario planner…  Read more

Risk management in uncertain times

Risk management should be central to every business. At Porters CA – Chartered Accountants we see two key imperatives – (A) achieve your goals; (B) manage the risk of not achieving your goals. Simple really. Invest in solutions that will improve your business performance and resilience in all cases such as remote working capability, duplicate supply options, multiple unrelated revenue streams, strong client communication channels, robust funding arrangements, documented operating…  Read more

Superannuation payments – Pay on time, every time, no excuses!

With the implementation of single touch payroll, the ATO has real time data of wages paid, super due and receipts by super funds. This means now more than ever Superannuation must be paid on time. We’ve helped many small businesses implement systems to embrace single touch payroll by moving to cloud accounting with Xero or MYOB and gaining the additional benefits of time, knowledge and control of their business. We see…  Read more

Locked in a Commercial Lease.

Advice from the desk of Simon Terry I have been helping clients recently with commercial leases they can’t afford, in premises they don’t need, for leases we didn’t discuss, locked in place by personal guarantees. So I have put together 10 tips of dos and don’ts: 1. Personal guarantees – don’t do it.  Accountants create business structures to minimise personal risk so don’t undo our hard work. 2. How well…  Read more

New Partner not a New Face

It’s been 18 years since  Jodi Bradley joined Porters Chartered Accountants in Albany in 2001. She has well and truly earned her stripes and this year joins us as a Partner of the firm. Jodi will take on a greater leadership role, the biggest of which is to re-open and expand our offices in Albany. The new partnership brings opportunity for business growth, employment of more staff in Albany and expansion of…  Read more

What is financial planning?

To many people, financial planning sounds like something for the very rich. The wealthiest people take their piles of money to someone who tells them where to invest it so they can make even more money. The rest of us just focus on saving what we can while paying off debt and hoping we don’t lose our jobs before we’re financially stable. In fact, financial planning is about having long-term…  Read more

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