Start with a short description of the decision or problem you want to resolve, the people and entities involved, and any deadline. Then organise company records and property records separately. You do not need to decide the tax treatment yourself before making an enquiry.
This preparation guide is for business owners whose questions may also involve personally held or jointly owned investment property. It helps organise a conversation; it does not establish which services a particular practice will accept or which deductions apply.
1. Write a one-page brief
Use the following prompts. If something is unknown, write “to confirm” instead of guessing.
| Prompt | What to note |
|---|---|
| What needs attention? | For example, company accounts, an outstanding tax question, rental records or a planned transaction. |
| Whose affairs are involved? | List the company and any individuals or other entities. Keep their records separate. |
| Which period? | State the financial year or dates covered, and the latest period you believe has been completed. |
| Is there a deadline? | Record the exact date, who issued it and whether there is correspondence to review. |
| What would a useful meeting achieve? | A document list, an agreed scope, an explanation of options or a plan for completing overdue work. |
Keep this first brief short. Its purpose is to help the accountant decide what needs to be examined next.
2. Make separate company and property packs
For the company, make an index of the records you already have. Useful categories may include recent financial reports, bank statements, sales and expense documents, asset records, previous lodgments and relevant correspondence. Note who holds anything missing. Business.gov.au explains that required records depend on the business and its obligations; one universal document list will not fit every engagement. [1]
For each rental property, keep a separate folder. The ATO’s rental guidance identifies rental statements, leases, loan documents and expense evidence among the relevant records. [2] Add a short timeline of ownership changes, rental periods, any private use and major work so the adviser can ask the right follow-up questions. The presence of an invoice does not, by itself, settle its tax treatment.
If company money has been used for a personally held property, or one loan has funded several purposes, describe what happened and retain the supporting records. Ask for the transactions to be assessed rather than grouping them under an assumed tax label.
3. Keep a missing-information list
An incomplete pack is easier to discuss when the gaps are visible. A simple list is enough:
| Item | Period or transaction | Where it may be held | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missing statement or report | The dates affected | Bank, property manager, prior accountant or your own files | Request a copy or ask what alternative evidence is suitable |
| Figure that does not reconcile | The amount or account affected | Existing reports and supporting documents | Flag the difference; do not silently change it |
| Unclear ownership or payment | The people and entities involved | Agreement, settlement or loan documents | Ask which facts need to be established |
This is a suggested working method, not a statutory form.
4. Agree what happens after the meeting
Before work starts, establish which client or entity is being engaged, what work is included, who is responsible for each outstanding item, the timing and how fees are calculated. The TPB recommends discussing the work, deadlines and fees with a registered tax practitioner. Check the registration relevant to the service rather than relying only on a professional title. [3]
Ask how the practice wants sensitive documents provided. An initial enquiry can describe the issue without attaching identity documents, a tax file number or a complete bank file. Confirm the agreed channel before sending the detailed pack.
Questions to take into the conversation
- Which records do you need first, and which can follow later?
- Are the company and personal property questions separate engagements?
- Which decisions can be answered now, and which require further evidence?
- Who will complete work already started by another adviser?
- What will I receive at the end of the agreed work?
Discuss your enquiry
Contact Newage Accounting with a brief outline of the entities involved, the relevant period and your main question. Ask the team to confirm whether it can assist and what to prepare next.
Contact Newage Accounting · Taxation services
Official sources
- Business.gov.au — Record keeping
- ATO — Rental properties guide 2025, keeping rental property records. Used for document categories, not as a statement of current-year deduction rules.
- TPB — Finding and using a tax practitioner
Sources checked: 6 November 2026. This guide concerns preparation and does not determine your tax liability, deductions or eligibility.