Bookkeeping Clean-Up & Catch-Up
Behind on your books, or not sure they are right? I work out where things stand, bring everything up to date, fix what is wrong and get any overdue BAS lodged, without judgement and without making it bigger than it is.
What I take care of
- An initial review, so you know how far behind things are and what is involved before you commit
- A clear list of the statements, bills and receipts I need from you
- Every bank, card and loan account reconciled for the missed periods
- Miscoded transactions and GST errors corrected
- Duplicates, old unpaid invoices and bills, and suspense items sorted out
- Payroll, STP and super checked and corrected where needed
- Overdue BAS and IAS prepared and lodged
- A clean file for your accountant, and a plan to stay current
If you are behind, you are in good company
Bookkeeping usually falls behind for ordinary reasons. A busy season turned into a busy year. A bookkeeper left. A new baby, an illness, a move. The Xero file stopped making sense, so it became easier not to open it. The longer it goes, the heavier it feels, and the harder it becomes to ask for help.
You don't need to tidy anything up before you contact me, and you don't need to explain how it happened. What matters is getting it back under control, and that is very achievable.
How far behind is too far behind?
It is never too late to fix, but there are points where falling behind starts to cost you. Once a BAS is overdue, penalties and interest can apply the longer it is left. You are also making decisions without knowing where you stand, and records get harder to track down as time passes.
As a rough guide:
- A month or two behind is a straightforward catch-up.
- Three months or more, or any BAS overdue, is worth dealing with now.
- More than a year, or several unlodged statements, is still very fixable, but it needs a plan and possibly a conversation with the ATO. On BAS matters, I can have that conversation for you.
Fixing what is wrong, not just filling the gaps
Catch-up means bringing the books up to date. Clean-up means making sure what is already there is right. Most jobs are a bit of both. If earlier bookkeeping was done incorrectly, whether by you, a previous bookkeeper or a helpful family member, I find the errors, correct them in the periods they belong to and explain what changed and why.
Where corrections affect a BAS that has already been lodged, I work out whether the ATO's rules allow them to be fixed on a later statement or whether the original needs revising, and take care of it. If a correction also affects an income tax return, that part goes to your accountant, and I give them a clear summary of what changed.
What I will need from you
- Access to your accounting software, or the files if the books were kept somewhere else.
- Bank, credit card and loan statements for the periods being caught up. I can help you download these.
- Whatever receipts and invoices you have. Gaps are normal, and we will work out which ones matter.
- Details of anything unusual: money lent to or from the business, equipment or vehicles bought or sold, personal spending through the business account.
- Authorisation as your BAS agent with the ATO, so I can see what has been lodged and what is outstanding.
You don't need everything on day one. I send a clear list and we work through it together.
After the clean-up
Once the books are current and correct, you choose what happens next. Many clients move into ongoing bookkeeping so they never have to catch up again. Others take back a tidy file and carry on themselves, with a simple routine we set up together. Either is fine.
What working with me looks like
You deal with me directly from the first call onwards.
- 01
A no-pressure conversation
Tell me roughly where things are. You don't need to have anything ready, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
- 02
Review
With access to your file and the ATO, I work out how far behind things are, what has been lodged and what is missing. You get a clear picture and a quote before the main work begins.
- 03
Gather what is missing
I send a list of what I need, and we fill the gaps together.
- 04
Catch up and correct
Every account reconciled period by period, errors fixed, and payroll and GST brought into line.
- 05
Lodge what is overdue
Outstanding BAS and IAS lodged and, if needed, a payment plan arranged with the ATO for the activity statement debt.
- 06
Hand over or carry on
Your accountant gets clean books, and you decide whether to continue with ongoing support.
Questions about Bookkeeping Clean-Up & Catch-Up
How far behind can you help with?
Whether it is a couple of months or a couple of years, the books can be brought up to date. The further behind they are, the more useful the initial review becomes, because it shows exactly what is involved before any big piece of work starts.
Will you judge me for falling behind?
No. It is one of the most common reasons people get in touch, and it usually says more about how busy the business has been than anything else. You don't need to tidy up or apologise before we talk.
What happens if my previous bookkeeping is wrong?
It gets corrected. I identify the errors, fix them in the periods they belong to and explain what changed. If lodged BAS figures are affected, I work out the right way to correct them with the ATO. If income tax is affected, I give your accountant what they need.
I have overdue BAS. What should I do first?
Get in touch, and don't wait until the books are perfect. The priority is usually to reconcile the overdue periods and lodge, even if you can't pay the full amount yet. Lodging stops failure-to-lodge penalties from growing, and a payment plan can be arranged for the debt if needed.
How long does a clean-up take?
It depends on how many months are involved, how many accounts and transactions there are, and how quickly records can be found. After the initial review I give you a realistic timeframe. If there is a BAS deadline or pressure from the ATO, those periods come first.
What if I have lost receipts?
It happens. Bank statements show that a payment was made, and many suppliers can reissue invoices. To claim GST credits on purchases over $82.50 (including GST), you generally need a tax invoice, so we work out which missing documents matter and which don't. Business records need to be kept for five years, so we also set up a simple way to capture them from now on.
Can I keep my current accountant?
Of course. I work alongside them, and a clean, reconciled file usually makes their year-end work quicker.
Do I have to sign up for ongoing bookkeeping afterwards?
No. You can engage me just for the clean-up. Many clients do carry on with ongoing bookkeeping so things don't fall behind again, but that is entirely your choice.
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Talk it through with me
Send a short note about what’s going on. I usually reply within two business days to arrange a free introductory call, and I’ll tell you honestly whether I can help. You don’t need to get anything ready beforehand.
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