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Get to know Chris

Christine (Chris) Stevenson is our Business Manager and has been with us since April 2010.She is responsible for the operational activities of the business including Human Resources, Public Relations, Marketing, Technology and Systems, H&S and everything in between!She lead the rebrand of the firm to Accounted4 in 2013 and that year was named Waipa Networks Business Awards Emerging Leader.Chris and her husband Craig are well known locals having lived and worked in Cambridge since moving here...

In the Office

This year our wonderful Social Club organized an 'Op-Shop Ball' as our Christmas Party, what a fun night that was! Great food, great music, great company and to top it all off the Copper & Cream ice-cream trailer visited. ...

Cash is not profit and vice versa

The purpose of a business is to make money, and that means you need to know the difference between profit and cash flow. Net profit is what you have left after you deduct all your business expenses from all your revenue. You can improve net profit only by changing the things that affect revenue and expenses. For example, if: You renegotiate with your suppliers, you may get stock cheaper, or carry less inventoryYour staff engage with customers better, you can learn more about what they do and don...

Christmas Donations: The Tax Upside

Christmas is a time for giving – and it’s not all about presents. Donating to charitable organisations is a fantastic way to support the causes close to your heart. Not only that, but it’s surprisingly good for your health, and you even get a tax credit, so it’s a real win-win for you and your favourite charities. Giving is good for everyone Your donations improve lives for the people who receive them. This year, with its high inflation, will be a tough one for some Kiwi households – t...

Accounted4 wins Xero NZ People’s Choice Award

At the NZ XERO AWARDS held in Auckland on Wednesday 9 November, Accounted4 was announced the winner of the Xero NZ People’s Choice Award. The award was presented by Bridget Snelling, Country Manager Xero NZ. Bridget said ‘"Accounted4 received a huge number of nominations for going above and beyond for their clients. Their clients say they most value their personable advice, prompt and honest communication, and their genuine interest and care. No problem is too small, no question to...

Five things all employers should consider in early December

As the holiday season approaches, take some time to think about how you want to organise your business operations over the summer. A bit of planning will ensure you get the paperwork right and avoid breaches of the Holidays Act 2003. Taking time out over the summer? - You can have an “annual closedown” for your whole business or part of it but give employees at least 14 days’ notice in writing. You can ask staff to take their existing annual leave. If they don’t have leave left, the...

GST invoice rules are changing – making life easier

No more piles of receipts and invoices required! Dealing with GST invoices will be much simpler under Inland Revenue’s new rules, which come into effect on 1 April, 2023. The goal is to modernise your record-keeping systems, which means you’ll be able to get closer to a completely paperless business. Physical paperwork or PDFs no longer required From April next year, you won’t need to keep a physical copy of a tax invoice, a credit note or a debit note. Your taxable information supply can ...

Making the most of digital and cloud

Transforming into a digital business sets the best possible infrastructure for your future growth. And, as your business scales, the benefits of going digital will start to become obvious. Running your key business processes in the cloud and using the latest digital software and apps adds to both your efficiency and your productivity. And, most importantly, digital systems are designed to scale with you as your enterprise grows and the need for resources increases. Here are some of the big reaso...

XEROCON 2022

Xerocon is the years highlight for all things Xero and due to the pandemic wasn't able to go ahead last year - so this year was set to be bigger and better than ever! Accounted4 sent a team of seven over  to Sydney in September to soak up the best that Xero (and Sydney) has to offer! The team were immersed in Xerocon for the full two days learning what's coming, what's new and how best we can continue to help our clients. The focus this year was on purpose, community, innovat...

Get to know: Nikita

Nikita joined A4 in May 2022 as Client Services Support and is now the Client Services Assistant for Martyn Steffert and his team.  Originally from Hamilton Nikita and her husband Scott moved back to Scott’s hometown of Cambridge in 2018 with their two small children, Nixon and Isla.  Outside of work Nikita loves spending time with her family, especially at the beach and also making the most of everything that Cambridge has to offer locally.  Nikita enjoys the supporti...

Payroll Update - Festive Season Shutdown

Have you worked out your team’s Leave Management Plan? If your business traditionally shuts down over the festive season you need to plan closing and opening days, check if anyone needs to work during the closedown, get your team sending in their leave requests, and start organising! Check out People in Mind’s excellent article on ‘Planning Leave for the festive season’: https://www.peopleinmind.co.nz...Public Holidays this festive time• Christmas Day – Sunday 25 December or Christm...

Changes to ACC Payment Plans

From the 29th of August 2022 ACC changed their payment plan options. Customers will continue to have access to 3- and 6-month payment plans but the 10-month payment plan has now been removed. Customers with existing 10-month payment plans in place will not be impacted by this change.For more information, please refer to the ACC website HERE...

Featured Partner - The Tree Company

Founded in Hamilton, the Tree Company have been passionate about providing exceptional horticultural skills and professional service since 1987.Our property in Hamilton holds an extensive range of plants, trees, grasses, ferns and shrubs, all available for long term or short term hire within the greater Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty including Whakatane, Opotiki and Kawerau. We employ highly skilled staff, each holding customer satisfaction at the center of their work. Always eager to info...

Featured Client - Circus Eatery

It has been a dream come true for Circus Eatery owner and long-term Cambridge-ite Kiri Cranshaw who finally found a place that ticked all the boxes in Cambridge Park late last year. Kiri’s vision became reality when Circus Eatery was opened early July and the café has had a great start with support from locals, friends, and family.Circus Eatery takes pride in showcasing fresh, authentic and well-crafted food alongside outstanding coffee and efficient service. With both indoor and outdoor dini...

In The Community

The Accounted4 Social Club spent a fun night at the Cambridge Raceway for the Blue September fundraiser.  We managed to collect $200 in winnings that was donated to the Blue September Campaign (Prostate Cancer Foundation of NZ), as well as ticket sales being donated to the wonderful campaign. ...

How high will mortgage rates go?

The latest inflation data gave the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) and economists a bit of a shock. At 7.2%, it was much higher than anyone had forecast, and it means the RBNZ is likely to be more aggressive with its official cash rate rises. A higher official cash (OCR) rate leads to higher mortgage rates. Home loan rates are already in the mid-5% range – how much higher are they likely to go?A 5.3% OCR in 2023?Current pricing suggests the OCR will peak at 5.3% in 2023, which would likely push mortgage i...

Bringing your cashflow processes into the digital age

Keeping on top of your cashflow is even more important during tough economic times. With a global slowdown on the cards, energy prices soaring and supply chain still challenges, cash is likely to be tight over the coming year and beyond. Cloud technology and fintech apps, can give your business the best possible control over its cash. Why is cashflow so important? To keep your business operating, you need enough money coming into the business to cover your outgoings – with enough surplus cash ...

In The Office

Gina was raised in Te Awamutu and completed a Bachelor of Business in December 2020. She has a background in audit and has now made a career change to financial accounting – her true passion. Gina is currently studying towards her CA qualification. Outside of work, Gina loves distance running, nature walks, and spending time with friends and family....

Business tips: Building your brand to create a competitive advantage

In a crowded marketplace, it can be difficult to make your products and services stand out clearly from the competition. A key way to do this is to focus on building brand awareness and turning your existing customers and targets into advocates for your brand. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Creating that competitive advantage won’t always be easy, but it is key to carving out a niche and scaling up to meet your customers’ needs. Clearly define your brand values Once your brand values have been...

Farm Business Health Check

Disruption is nothing new for farmers. For years, you've battled drought, flood, market volatility, Mycoplasma bovis, and COVID-19. But, as for the rest of New Zealand, staying positive and boosting the economy are vital. “We’re all in the same storm, just different boats” rang true when it comes to the impact of COVID-19, supply chain issues and labour shortages on farmers around New Zealand. Despite challenges for all, most agreed that being an “essential” was a good waka to be in. T...

Farm accounting - 10 tips

Farming businesses have unique accounting needs. The specific challenges you face in running a successful and thriving farm, require tailored business advice that goes beyond simply tax and accounting needs. Not many other businesses rely on living produce and have so many factors that can dramatically affect profit and loss. Farmers are managing assets, liabilities, payroll, compliance, exchange rate fluctuations, costs, revenue, not to mention day-to-day operations. The following article cover...

Cost of Living Payment

The Cost of Living Payment is a payment to help with the rising costs of inflation and you do not have to pay it back if you meet the eligibility criteria. On this page, we explain who can get the payment, based on the criteria set by the Government.  You do not need to apply for the payment We'll pay you the Cost of Living Payment automatically if you're eligible. You do not need to apply. Make sure we have your correct bank account number for your Income tax account in case you are eligib...

Get to know: Lisa

Lisa joined our team in May 2020 and is Client Services Administrator for Geoff Hurst and Kim Antonio’s clients and teams. Lisa has a background in animal care, training as a vet nurse at Otago Polytechnic before moving to the Waikato where she spent many years managing a Boarding Kennel and Cattery. Lisa then spent two years as a receptionist at an accounting firm in another part of the Waikato.Lisa was supposed to start in the office with us right when we went into the very first lockdown in...

Featured Client - Grinters Funeral Home

Celebrating Life – Your Way. This is what the team at Grinters Funeral Home believe each service should represent. They understand that when a funeral is personalised, it creates a special space for sharing precious memories, telling stories, and simply being together with friends and family. Grinters Funeral Home are dedicated to providing personalised and meaningful funeral services, and are happy to discuss new ideas, pre-planning and/or prepaying for your funeral. The team are here for you...

Xero Tip: Calculating % on Cash Coding Screen

Did you know Xero can automatically calculate the % for you on your cash coding screen?Click the down arrow on the transaction line, select ‘split’ and a new coding screen will appear. (Or you can type / in the account box).When using the split box, you can allocate the transaction based on a percentage and Xero can calculate this for you. Simply enter your description and account code, in the amount column, override the dollar value with your percentage (e.g 25%) and Xero will calculate the...