PRATT PARTNERS INSIGHTS · BUSINESS

Do I need an accountant for my small business?

DIY accounting can work when a business is simple. The question is knowing when growth, tax or complexity means it is time for more support.

31 AUGUST 2026 · ACCOUNTING · TAX · ADVISORY

When you first start a business, handling some of the bookkeeping and financial administration yourself can make sense.

But businesses rarely remain simple.

As revenue grows, employees are engaged, assets are acquired and tax obligations increase, the financial side of the business becomes more important — and usually more complex.

At that point, the question is no longer simply whether you can manage the accounting yourself. It is whether you still should.

PRATT Partners works with business owners across accounting, taxation and business advisory.

THE SHORT ANSWER

You do not necessarily need an accountant for every financial task. Professional advice becomes more valuable when tax, employees, structure, cashflow or major business decisions become more complex.

WHEN TO REVIEW

5 signs you may have outgrown DIY accounting.

It is taking too much of your time.

Accounting administration can quickly take time away from customers, staff, operations and growth.

Your tax affairs are becoming more complicated.

GST, payroll, superannuation, company tax, trusts, Division 7A, capital gains tax and fringe benefits tax can become relevant as a business grows.

You are making bigger decisions.

Buying assets or property, taking on finance, adding owners or restructuring can all have tax and commercial consequences.

You cannot clearly see how the business is performing.

Revenue alone is not enough. Profitability, cashflow, working capital and the balance sheet provide a clearer picture.

The business has changed, but the structure has not.

A structure that suited the business at the beginning may not remain appropriate as profits, assets and risk increase.

The question is not simply whether you can do the accounting yourself. It is whether you still should.

BEYOND COMPLIANCE

What should a good business accountant actually do?

A business accountant can do more than prepare financial statements and lodge tax returns. The appropriate level of support depends on the business and the scope of the engagement.

Accounting and reporting Maintain reliable financial information and provide visibility over the financial position.

Tax and planning Manage compliance and consider relevant issues before year end or significant transactions.

Structure Review ownership and entity arrangements as the business and its owners' circumstances change.

Business advisory Use financial information to support decisions around cashflow, growth, finance, restructuring and succession.

ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNTANT?

Does the relationship still suit the business you have today?

For many established businesses, the question is not whether they need an accountant. It is whether communication, reporting, tax planning and commercial support have kept pace with the business.

Considering a change?