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2015 Seminar Programme

Education, training and growth is important to the team at Accounted4. From our recent Client Feedback Survey, we found that our clients are interested in a wide range of topics. We have devised a seminar programme for 2015 which provides clients the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge. Thursday 26th February - Health & Safety Regulations Tuesday 24th March - Succession and Exit Planning Wednesday 22nd April - Xero training Thursday 28th May - HR for farmers Wednesday 2...

Happy New Year!

The New Year always brings new resolutions, some that will last a lifetime and others that will have to be taken again next year. At the beginning of a new year it is a great time to not only detox your body (after the excesses of Christmas and the New Year), but is also a good time to look at your business and finances – what positive changes could be made? We look forward to working with you to create a great year of business ahead....

For your office

Paying Holiday Pay Calculating and paying holiday pay is easy when you know what your obligations are, and Inland Revenue has a calculator to help you work it out. How to calculate holiday pay Holiday pay is pay for an employee's annual leave and pay for statutory holidays. You need to include holiday pay as earnings in the period you pay your employee. If you don't have a payroll package or a payroll provider, there are two ways you can work it out: Use your employee's annual entitlemen...

In the Community

Salvation Army donation (in lieu of giving gifts to clients) Accounted4 have again this year made a $1000 donation to the Salvation Army in Cambridge. This donation is done "in the spirit of Christmas" to support the work the organisation does in our local town. Senior Prizegiving Cambridge High School Senior Prizegiving was held on 4th November and the recipients of the Accounted4 Ltd Year 11, 12 and 13 Prizes were: Hamish Martin – Accounted4 Ltd Prize Year 11 Accounting Christian ...

In the Industry - 'Merry Christmas' says IRD

By Geoff Hurst CA For the past few years Inland Revenue has been releasing an annual Compliance Focus Document, which advises what their areas of concern are and where they will be putting their time and effort over the next year. You can read the document online here The document starts with the "basics that everyone needs to get right", so pretty key things to remember – Get an IRD number and keep it safe, use the right tax code, tell IRD when your details change, pay tax on all you...

In the Office

10 year anniversary We recently celebrated Anne Bland's 10th year with us. A great achievement - well done Anne! It was also Martyn Steffert's 10 year anniversary earlier this year. Congratulations Martyn! Celebrations have been deferred to a date sometime in the future! Team Changes On the 7th November we said goodbye to Raewyn (Ra) Garrett who sadly leaves us for her overseas adventure. Ra has been with Accounted4 for 10 years and has been a valuable employee. Ra has really enjoyed ...

Closing down for the holidays?

A closedown period is when an employer closes business operations for a certain length of time, often doing so during off-peak times of the year. Many businesses tend to do this over the Christmas break and many employees are happy to take this time to enjoy summer holidays with family. But there are some rules that employers need to be aware of before shutting up shop: There may only be one closedown period per year, although employers can shut down different business sectors at different ...

Business Advisory team update

By Jon Broadley – Business Advisory Service Manager It is the time of the year where we are all trying to bring the year to close in a well-ordered and methodical manner. In reality everything is going crazy and we are trying to juggle Christmas shopping, school graduations and planning holidays along with doing our day jobs! Given all those distractions it is easy to forget those that have helped you manage your busy lives and kept your business profitable this year – your family, friends...

Featured Partner - Allsew Embroidery & Graphics 2014

The new owners (Lynette and Amy Redmond) of Allsew Embroidery & Graphics 2014 bring fresh eyes and enthusiasm to the creation of branded team wear. The company's motto 'Your Image, Your Way' says it all. Allsew Embroidery & Graphics believe that by listening to customers and working with them to create their image is the way to maintain customer satisfaction. Exceeding customer expectations is also a goal. The owners believe that one secret to a successful company is having good staff...

Featured Client - Achievement House

Achievement House was first started in 1979 by a small group of local people who were interested in setting up a facility in Cambridge rather than have people with disabilities travel into Hamilton. Achievement House is a purpose built workshop in Wilson Street with a special environment which offers varied and appropriate work to develop employment skills for clients who are capable of moving towards temporary or permanent open employment. Their mission is for people with disabilities confide...

Useful Information

In 1906 Pareto, an Italian, noticed 80% of the wealth in his country was in the hands of 20% of the people. Others later noted the 80:20 rule applied widely. Thus 20% of something is always responsible for 80% of the results. Twenty percent of your stock will take up 80% of your shelf space or storage; 20% of your suppliers will provide 80% of your stock; 20% of your staff will cause 80% of your headaches. Knowing this principle can help your business. If you know the 80% part, look for the ...

Christmas is coming!

Wow – where did the year go??? It is that time of year again where December has come and with it, all the excitement of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, rushing around like a mad chicken for last minute things, stockings hanging in the living room, planning huge feasts which result in belly-aches for the next couple of days, reuniting with long-lost family and friends? The special tradition that happens in your home will hopefully help creat...

Client Feedback Survey

At Accounted 4, we want to know that we are giving you the best possible service that we can. Feedback is essential in this process and we encourage you to participate in this quick (anonymous if you wish) client feedback survey. THANK YOU if you have already participated. If you haven't yet and would like to be included in the draw for a $100 supermarket voucher please complete by 10am this Friday - 28th November To start the survey, click here Thank you for your co-operation. We value...

Important Changes in Payment Services to IRD

Customers will no longer be able to make cheque payments or drop off returns or forms at any Westpac bank. Any cheque payments, returns and forms will need to be posted directly to Inland Revenue. Customers can continue to make cash and eftpos payments at Westpac branches.  Online banking, credit and debit cards and international money transfers are also accepted payment methods. Payments posted to Inland Revenue need to be received by Inland Revenue on or before the due date to a...

Change can be a good thing!

By Karen CarrollOften when you hear the word ‘change’, one of the two things will happen: You try and avoid it You adopt it and “carry on” We are often resistant to change and yet change itself is constant.  Although it is sometimes better to stay within your comfort zones, by looking outside the square you welcome opportunities to learn and grow.  However, there needs to be a plan for change in any organisational structure because “if you fail to plan – you ...

Useful Information

Commencing from 1 July 2015 (or earlier if the Governor General decides) New Zealand registered companies must have at least one resident director either here or in an “enforcement country”. A list of these countries will be supplied. It is likely to include Australia, the UK and USA. The date and place of birth for each director will need to be included on all future application forms to form a company and for existing companies on a date commencing as stated above...

Succession and Exit Planning: Work to Live rather than Living to Work

by Jon Broadley – Business Advisory Service ManagerHow does one address the sensitive subject of life after business?  If you believe the old adage from Benjamin Franklin that 'the only two things that are certain in life are death and taxes', and that avoiding both is somewhat difficult, then we should plan for them.  Tax planning is something you need to do regularly with your Accountant to ensure your changing personal and business circumstances are being taken into acco...

Featured Partner - People in Mind

Employing people comes with challenges, from the initial recruitment phase, through the induction and development stage, and sometimes unfortunately the disciplinary process. People in Mind is a little different from many HR companies. They’ve studied “people”. Employee behaviour is their specialty and, coupled with expertise in employment practices, they are a very strong employer advocate. The team have all owned or still own a business and that makes a difference to the way they ap...

Featured Client - Antanas Procuta Architects Ltd

Antanas Procuta Architects has been providing unique, personalised architectural and urban design solutions in the Waikato and around New Zealand for nearly twenty years. Started in Cambridge by registered architect Antanas Procuta, the company has a strong sustainability ethos, and focus on creative, innovative residential and commercial buildings designed to last. Now based in Hamilton, the team’s experience ranges from character home alterations, to rural lifestyle and coastal holid...

Minimum Wage heads up

After the government increased the minimum wage rates earlier this year, it made a further amendment to the Minimum Wage Order, issuing a new fortnightly rate. The fortnightly rate is $1,140 for adult employees and $912 for starting-out workers and trainees. If you’re an employer already fully compliant with minimum wage requirements and your employees’ hours don’t vary from week to week, stop reading here. For you, nothing has changed. Some farmers have had difficulties with minimum ...

For Your Office

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand. Here is a summary of rules that apply in relation to the ACC scheme covering employee entitlements and employer obligations: When an employee is taking leave for the first week of a NON-WORK accident, SICK LEAVE may be used If an employee has a WORK-RELATED accident, the employer has to pay ‘FIRST WEEK COMPENSATION’ for a WORK...

In the industry

By Geoff Hurst CAFrom the 1st of April this year the reporting requirements for companies under the Financial Reporting Act has changed, due to a law change designed with the aim of reducing compliance costs for many of New Zealand’s Small and Medium enterprises. Very small companies (companies who have both income and expenses under $30k), will not have any requirement to produce financial reports. The main impact of the law change is for “non-large” companies who have a turnover of ...

FONTERRA REVISES 2014/15 FORECAST MILK PRICE AND DIVIDEND

Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited recently reduced its forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the 2014/15 season from $6.00 to $5.30 per kgMS, and increased and widened the estimated dividend range from 20-25 cents per share to 25-35 cents – amounting to a forecast Cash Payout of $5.55-$5.65 for the current season. Chairman John Wilson said the lower forecast Farmgate Milk Price reflected continuing volatility, with the GlobalDairyTrade price index declining 6 per cent in the past two trading...

In the office - Team Update

Anne Bland will be away from the office from  Monday 13th October, returning  Tuesday 4th November. In her absence, Carolyn Lawrence will be covering payrolls and Anne will be communicating this directly with her payroll clients....

Accounted4 Seminars

Accounted4 in association with iPayroll recently ran a great seminar on this software solution that integrates nicely with Xero.  “Making Payroll Processing  a Breeze” was the topic for this informative seminar. It was an great opportunity to gain up-to-date information  about this new Payroll Service that could help save your business time and money. This seminar followed on from recent  seminars with other Xero add-ons;  Vend and GeoOp.If you have any sug...