Bookkeepers and Mobile Bookkeeping Services

Just some thoughts about the proposed changes in legislation

It makes sense that a plumber / electrician oversees an apprentice, and therefore carries the responsibility for their student

A small business owner, on the other hand, engages a bookkeeper because the business owner either doesn’t have time / inclination / knowledge of bookkeeping, or completing a BAS.

So what makes the small business owner more qualified to fill in the BAS once a quarter, compared to an independant bookkeeping business that completes 30 – 50 BAS forms each quarter?

1)How can the business owner have the expertise to oversee a bookkeeper to undertake the BAS submission, (which is totally different from the tradesman/apprentice situation)

2)Why does the ATO /Treasury department feel that an employee bookkeeper would be more competant to complete a BAS and not need to become a registered BAS service provider, than an independant bookkeeper who it seems, would need to undertake a CertIV and become registered BAS service provider?

3) Independant bookkeepers with a number of clients, have a unique opportunity to have regular contact with a number of different accountants, as clients generally have different accountants, and are probably much better informed as a result.

4)At what point is data entry not bookkeeping, and at what point is bookkeeping not providing a BAS service?

And what constitutes 1400 hours of “relevant experience”? Does that mean 1400 hours data entry? Does it mean 1400 hours completing BAS forms?

5) Who is to benefit from the legislation? The way it appears, bookkeepers will still be able to operate without registration, business owners will still look to save costs and employ unqualified bookkeepers, therefore BAS submissions that are incorrect, will continue to be submitted.

6) Registered BSP bookkeepers will need to increase their fees to cover costs incurred through registration and subsequent insurances. This will encourage more “cowboy bookkeepers” to take on work previously undertaken by “professional” bookkeepers for lesser fees

What do you think?