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Newcastle, as with many other metropolitan regions in Australia, has recently experienced explosive growth. This is especially true when it comes to new business, with many new businesses being established and seeing great success. With success in business, however, comes a unique set of challenges in the form of taxation compliance, employment structures and bookkeeping. An experienced local bookkeeper can help to ease the burden associated with the back end of running a business. So, what can you expect to pay for Newcastle bookkeeping rates?
We can’t talk about bookkeeping rates for Newcastle bookkeepers on a one-size-fits-all basis. Many factors come into play, such as:
Across Australia, bookkeeping rates vary widely, with the vast majority of Australian bookkeeping rates falling between $40 and $100/hour, although some bookkeepers charge as little as $20 or as much as $200 (or even more). The average Australian bookkeeper charges around the $60/hour mark, although this is dependent upon the factors mentioned above.
At Darcy Bookkeeping, we have a number of fixed-price bookkeeping packages with fees clearly marked. We also offer low bookkeeping rates from $36 per hour.
Whilst the hourly rate that your Newcastle bookkeeper charges certainly will factor heavily into who you select to assist with your business bookkeeping needs, an hourly rate on its own is not necessarily an indication as to the value that a bookkeeper will bring to your business.
As with most products and services, as a rule you get what you pay for. A bookkeeper may have a low hourly rate, but is it too good to be true? Or are they simply charging less because they lack the skills and experience to complete the job well in a timely fashion? On the other hand, a particular bookkeeper may have a high hourly rate. But is that because they have a wealth of knowledge and experience? Or are they simply overpriced and about to leave you with an expensive mess to clean up?
Let’s look at some of the factors to consider when selecting a Newcastle bookkeeper and how they can weigh into the rate that you can expect to pay.
The scope and volume of work required varies widely from business to business. A sole trader may have only minimal outgoing expenses and some invoicing or data entry and bank reconciliations, along with business activity statement (BAS) preparation and lodgement. On the other hand, a small to medium business down the road may have payroll, inventory and large volumes of transactions and perhaps even outstanding client accounts that need to be followed up. The two businesses would have a vastly different requirement both in skills required and the amount of time needed to complete the work to an adequate standard.
It is important when obtaining quotes to give an accurate description of the state of the books and the day-to-day bookkeeping requirements of the business. This ensures that the bookkeeper quoting is confident that they can deliver quality service for the rates that they are asking.
At Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services, our team of expert Newcastle bookkeepers are all registered BAS agents, leaving you with confidence that our bookkeepers are highly qualified and vetted by the Australian Tax Practitioners Board.
There are benefits and downsides to both sides of the argument here. An individual bookkeeper knows your business well and often has fewer overheads than a bookkeeping service. Thus, they are able to set a lower rate. However, a bookkeeping service that is well-run often has the ability to draw upon a greater wealth of experience and expertise. They can also find someone to cover should there be any absence such as holidays, illness or issues that may arise with the business.
With a bookkeeping service, a greater pool of knowledge means that your bookkeeper will likely be able to deal with more issues on their own. That is to say that there are likely to be fewer issues that need to be escalated to your accountant for clarification. On the other hand, an individual bookkeeper will be more likely to need to liaise with accountants, which can cost you more in the long run.
At Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services, we combine the best of both worlds. You can have a dedicated Newcastle bookkeeper who is familiar with you and your business doing the work week to week. You will also benefit from the expertise of the wider team of Newcastle bookkeepers we have on staff. This ensures continuity of service delivery in the instance of illness or holidays and a broad knowledge base to overcome any complex matters that may arise.
Since 2020, the way that most Australians do business has evolved, with a shift to a work-from-home model. This has also meant that many of the meetings that once took place face-to-face can be done remotely. There has been a broad shift to remote service provision. This has both its benefits and its disadvantages. The modality for service delivery, be it onsite or remote, can also play a part in both the rate that a Newcastle bookkeeper may charge.
At Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services, we have a team of local Newcastle bookkeepers who are able to provide both onsite and remote bookkeeping services for your business depending on what suits you best. Drop us a line or give us a call on 1300 728 875 to get started today.
With a plethora of different accounting software programmes on the market, it is essential that your chosen Newcastle bookkeeping service provider is confident and experienced with the accounting software that your business uses. Whilst most accounting software products have similar base offerings, the reality is that they all have different functionalities. They also all vary somewhat when it comes to user-friendliness and reporting capabilities.
One of the biggest benefits of using a Newcastle bookkeeping service such as Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services is that you have a pool of experience and expertise available. There is also a greater likelihood of having a bookkeeper with experience with your accounting software of choice. If you use one of the more niche software products on the market, it can be difficult to find a bookkeeper to provide confident services for your business.
Whether you use Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks or any other accounting software, our team of expert Newcastle bookkeepers have you covered. We are certified in all major bookkeeping software programmes – even some of the more specialised ones.
When selecting a bookkeeper to service your business, communication is key. It is essential that your Newcastle bookkeeper is excellent at communicating with you regarding the work that they are completing on your behalf. They should also be in touch as soon as any issues that may arise. Being able to email or call and have a timely response is invaluable for small businesses.
Having a bookkeeping service backing your local Newcastle bookkeeper means that you can usually get an answer to your questions in a timely manner, even if your bookkeeper is busy with other clients.
As the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. When it comes to quality Newcastle bookkeeping, you really do get what you pay for. If your requirements are for simple tasks such as data entry and bank reconciliations and you have only a small volume of work that can be done remotely, you could expect to pay anywhere from $30-40 per hour for a Newcastle bookkeeper.
If your business requires a higher volume of work, or you would like to outsource payroll, BAS preparation and lodgement or some of the more complex bookkeeping tasks, or if you are working with a more advanced accounting software programme, you could reasonably expect to pay $40-100 per hour for an experienced Newcastle bookkeeper.
Some businesses like the ability to lock in a set price per month for their bookkeeping service so that they can plan accordingly with regards to budgets and expenses. This is especially true for those services that are recurrent in nature with few variations each month. Here at Darcy Bookkeeping & Business Services, we have flexibility in our packages, with the ability to offer both hourly rates and monthly set fee packages.
With expert Newcastle bookkeeping rates starting at $36/hour, we can tailor a package to suit the unique needs of your business. Give us a call or drop us a line to see how we can help to ensure the success of your business.
