BAS and Compliance

Lodgement certainty, reporting discipline and compliance for organisations that cannot afford mistakes.

Interested in BAS Agent Services and would like to learn more about our expertise?

Book a call.

The problem we solve

Business Activity Statements are statutory instruments with penalties, director exposure, and real cash flow outcomes attached. Many organisations treat BAS as a filing function, only to discover errors later in an ATO review, audit, or when GST expenses cannot be substantiated. When reporting quality is poor, leadership decisions become distorted, cash planning fails, and compliance risk compounds quietly in the background.

Common issues we see include:

  • BAS prepared using cashbooks or spreadsheets

  • PAYGW, GST under-or over-statements

  • Poor documentation and audit trail weakness

  • Misclassification of payroll, independent contractors

  • GST claimed for GST-free expenses

  • Miscalculation of GST consolidated group accounts

  • Incorrect reporting of BAS excluded revenue

  • Unreconciled expenses delaying recognition and under-or over-statements

  • Directors exposed to compliance breaches without knowing it

Compliance should not be reactive. We ensure it is structured, predictable, and defensible, working with external advisors to create a unified, forward-looking financial capability that can scale with the business.

Our approach

We operate under clear TPB regulatory obligations, including accuracy, verification, record-keeping standards, conflict management, and a duty to advise clients of compliance risks. Our work does not stop at form lodgement; our financial discipline encompasses linking BAS to cash flow, revenue recognition, workforce obligations, and ATO expectations.

Our compliance model approach is based on:

  1. Review first — lodge only once, correct
    We conduct a verification check of coding, GST treatment, payroll classifications, expense documentation and prior period adjustments. BAS lodgement occurs only after review and client approval.

  2. GST integrity and tax treatment accuracy
    We assess GST attribution timing, supporting evidence, and deductibility of claimed expenses for business purposes.

  3. Payroll-linked liabilities and ATO risk review
    PAYGW, superannuation, STP Phase 2, fringe benefits, salary sacrifice and allowances tested for compliance and reporting consistency.

  4. Lodgement cycle discipline
    We identify client requirements for monthly, quarterly or annual lodgements. Directors receive visibility of due dates, forecast liabilities and payment strategy (including cashflow impact and instalment variations).

  5. Record-keeping and audit-ready documentation
    We maintain or uplift documentation standards required by the TPB and ATO — including source evidence, working papers, reconciliation logic, and variance commentary.

  6. ATO engagement and representation
    We liaise with the ATO on our clients’ behalf as a registered BAS agent, assisting with the establishment of payment plans, reviews, and information requests, and escalating matters early where risk indicators are present.

Who we work with

Our clients come from diverse backgrounds and industries, seeking our support to solve unfamiliar commercial challenges or to augment their experience during critical periods of growth or transformation. Our CFO Advisory works with boards, executive teams, business owners and entrepreneurs as they scale their businesses, navigate major transactions or pursue significant strategic objectives.

We work predominantly with mid-market companies, high-growth scale-ups and founder-led organisations generating between $2 million and $200 million in annual revenue. Our work spans sectors with meaningful regulatory, operational or commercial risk exposures, including technology, defence, government consulting, energy-adjacent markets, digital services, manufacturing, professional services and health.

What we deliver

We provide BAS Agent services for clients of our CFO Advisory and outsourced accounting services, as part of a comprehensive finance solution. Our deliverables typically include:

  • BAS, IAS, PAYGW and GST reporting

  • Accrual-aligned revenue and expense treatments

  • PAYG, salary packaging, allowances and FBT-linked compliance

  • Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 integration + corrections

  • Obtain GST rulings for exports, digital products and cross-border supply

  • Record-keeping and documentation framework aligned to TPB standards

  • ATO representation within our BAS agent authority

  • Coordination on relevant BAS matters with Tax Accountants

  • Variance reporting — prior period corrections, audit-trail traceability

  • Compliance dashboards for boards and directors

  • Integration with budgets, cashflow and management reporting

Why engage us?

Businesses choose Auscorporate because we bring the capability of a CFO with the discipline of a registered BAS agent. We operate beyond data entry; we diagnose, correct and strengthen the system that underpins statutory confidence and financial clarity.

Working across the mid-market, scaling technology firms, multi-entity structures, and regulated industries, we understand how compliance intersects with capital raising, payroll complexity, valuations, acquisitions, and executive reporting. Where accountants may see a form, we see commercial implication and governance exposure.

Clients rely on Auscorporate because we offer:

  • We are a registered BAS Agent - Registration 26302699

  • BAS services delivered under TPB standards of accuracy, competence and ethical conduct

  • CFO-grade handling of GST, accruals, payroll and liability forecasting

  • Audit-proof documentation and traceability for ATO engagement

  • Deep experience advising companies under regulatory scrutiny

  • Independence, transparency and defensible reporting logic

  • Enduring compliance partnerships, not transactional lodgement

FAQs

How regularly should I submit BAS?

The ATO determines the frequency of reporting based on a range of factors. Companies can apply to vary their lodgement requirements. Late lodgement can result in interest and penalties.

What if I am late in lodging my BAS?

The ATO can apply a general interest charge and penalties for late BAS lodgements. A BAS Agent can apply for an extension or payment plan under certain conditions.

Can’t my accountant just “do the CFO work”?

Where accountants report on what has happened, we model what will happen — cash runway, profit forecast, funding needs, valuation impact, opportunity risk, pricing strategy, and growth capacity. Businesses that rely on accounting alone often don’t see problems until they’ve arrived.

What if I made a mistake on a return?

Most mistakes relating to GST can be corrected in your current BAS. If you can’t correct your mistake in the current BAS, you will need to revise your original BAS.

Can my bookkeeper or accountant submit my BAS?

Only a registered a BAS Agent or Tax Agent can lodge your BAS. Beware of overseas practitioners who are not registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. An unregistered preparer may not be fit and proper or have the required qualifications or experience to provide you with a competent service that meets appropriate professional and ethical standards.

If the unregistered preparer fails to lodge a tax return or statement on your behalf by the required due date or makes a false or misleading statement to the ATO (for example, by lodging an incorrect return or BAS), and this results in a tax shortfall amount, the ATO may impose administrative penalties on you. 

There are severe penalties for providing an unlicensed BAS service.

What happens if my company can’t afford to pay BAS on time?

First, it’s important that lodgement occurs on time regardless of whether payment can be made on the required date. A BAS agent can assist a company in requesting an extension or payment plan from the ATO. Processing of extensions and payment plans can happen in as little time as the same day

Do you work with Start-ups?

Yes. We regularly work with founders and early-stage teams to help them understand compliance matters.

What we bring to a startup is deep experience in investor expectations, capital markets, commercial modelling and financial pragmatism.

We help founders strike the right balance between operating in a high-risk environment and capturing opportunities that are unique to an entrepreneurial context.

What records do I need to keep for my BAS?

You need to keep records that show the income and expenses used to calculate and support the amounts you report and claim for GST credits. This includes all sales, tax invoices, and other GST-related transactions, as well as fees, expenses, wages, and any other business costs.

You must keep any other documents that record adjustments, a decision or a calculation made for GST purposes.

If your records don’t adequately support your claims, we may adjust or deny some claims. Therefore, it’s essential to maintain accurate records and ensure your calculations are correct.

You need to keep your GST records for five years, starting from when you prepared or obtained the records, or completed the transactions or acts those records relate to, whichever is later.