A BAS Agent is issued a licence that says they
can advise a client, provide certainty to a client or represent that
client to the tax office in relation to:
- All GST matters
- All Wine Tax, Fuel Tax, Luxury Car Tax matters
- Payment of FBT
- All aspects of Payroll that relate to the withholding of tax amounts
and the reporting of that amount to the employee and the Tax office
- All aspects of other PAYG Withholding amounts: ie no ABN, Interest & Dividend
- All aspects of the payment of income tax via PAYG Instalments
- All aspects of the Taxable Payments Annual Reporting system
- All aspects of Superannuation Guarantee system as related to payroll & the Charge
A Tax Agent can also do these and then other areas of tax also.
What does this mean?
A registered Agent may:
- Design and set up compliance systems
- Advise the client on how the above areas of law effect them
- Review a client’s operations in relation to these areas of law and
provide certainty to that client that they are getting it right
These tasks cannot be done by a bookkeeper who is not a registered Agent.
So, what can a Bookkeeper do who is not a BAS Agent?
- They can follow systems designed by others
- They can process
- They can reconcile and produce results but not if the client is relying on those, without further action to be certain that they are meeting their obligation
- They should raise questions and not answer them
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Service
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BAS service
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Applying
to the Registrar for an ABN on behalf of a client.
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X
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Coding
transactions, tax invoices and transferring data onto a computer program
for clients through processes that require the interpretation or
application of a BAS provision.
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X
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Confirming figures
to be included on a client’s activity statement.
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X
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Completing activity
statements on behalf of an entity or instructing the entity which figures to
include.
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X
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Confirming
the withholding tax obligations for the employees of a client.
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X
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Services
declared to be a BAS service by way of a legislative instrument issued by the
TPB.
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X
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Preparation
and provision of a payment summary that may include reportable fringe
benefits amounts and the reportable employer superannuation contributions,
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X
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Registering
or providing advice on registration for GST or PAYG withholding.
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X
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Services
under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 to the
extent that they relate to a payroll function or payments to contractors.
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X
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Determining
and reporting the superannuation guarantee shortfall and associated
administrative fees.
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X
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Dealing
with superannuation payments made through a clearing house.
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X
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Completing
and lodging the Taxable payments annual report to the ATO on behalf of a
client.
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X
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Sending
a TFN declaration to the Commissioner on behalf of a client.
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X
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