Frequently Asked Questions — Adelaide Accounting, Audit, Tax & Local Government

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, we offer a comprehensive range of services including accounting and tax compliance, audit and assurance, business advisory, tax planning, succession planning, SMSF and superannuation advice, and specialist local government consulting. Based at 25 Peel Street, Adelaide, our team of accountants, auditors, tax agents and business advisers is committed to delivering outstanding outcomes for Adelaide businesses and local government organisations.

Yes. UHY Haines Norton Adelaide is an independent member firm of the UHY Haines Norton group — nine firms across Australia and New Zealand — and part of UHY International, one of the world's top 20 accounting networks spanning over 100 countries. This gives our Adelaide clients access to global expertise while benefiting from the specialist, partner-led service of a local firm. Clients should note that we are an independent firm and neither the UHY ANZ association or UHY International provides services to you.

Our office is located at 25 Peel Street, Adelaide SA 5000. You can reach us by phone at (08) 8110 0999 or by email at adelaide@uhyhnadl.com.au.

You can contact our Adelaide team by phone at (08) 8110 0999, by email at adelaide@uhyhnadl.com.au, or through the contact form on our website. We will connect you with the right adviser based on your needs — whether you are a business owner, individual, or local government organisation.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, we work with a broad range of clients — from individuals and small businesses to growing mid-market companies, family groups, SMSF trustees, not-for-profit organisations, and local government councils across South Australia. We are the only UHY Haines Norton network firm with a dedicated local government practice.

Yes — UHY Haines Norton Adelaide has a dedicated Local Government practice, making us unique across the UHY Haines Norton network. We provide specialist local government consulting, council financial services, council internal audit and governance, council budgeting and financial planning, prudential reviews, and council services costing across South Australia and nationally.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our audit team provides a comprehensive range of audit and assurance services including external audits for listed companies, large private groups, not-for-profit organisations, and local government entities. We also provide regulatory and compliance audits, internal audit, agreed-upon procedures, and sustainability and ESG assurance.

Yes. Our Adelaide audit team has extensive experience working with not-for-profit organisations, charities, associations, and community groups. We understand the specific reporting requirements under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and provide tailored audit services to meet your compliance obligations.

An internal audit is an independent review of your organisation's internal controls, risk management processes, and operational efficiency — separate from the statutory external audit. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our internal audit service helps businesses and local government organisations identify risks, strengthen controls, and improve processes.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assurance is an independent verification of your organisation's sustainability reporting. As regulatory expectations grow in Australia, ESG assurance is becoming increasingly relevant for businesses and organisations of all sizes. Our team provides sustainability and ESG assurance services to help you build credibility with stakeholders.

Agreed-upon procedures (AUPs) are a targeted assurance engagement where we perform specific, agreed steps and report factual findings — without expressing an overall opinion. They are commonly used for grant expenditure verification, specific compliance requirements, or targeted due diligence. Our Adelaide assurance team can tailor an AUP engagement to your exact needs.

Whether you require an external audit depends on your organisation's size, structure, and any regulatory or contractual obligations. Listed companies, large private groups, not-for-profit organisations, local government entities, and subsidiaries of multinational groups often have mandatory audit requirements. Our Adelaide audit team can assess your situation and advise accordingly.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our business advisory team works alongside Adelaide businesses to help you understand your financial position, plan for growth, and make confident decisions. We offer KPI development, cashflow and budget management, strategy and planning, management reporting, Virtual CFO support, and business coaching services — all delivered by experienced, partner-led teams.

Yes. Succession planning is one of the most important decisions a business owner will make. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our advisory team helps Adelaide business owners plan for ownership transition — covering business valuation, management handover, estate planning, and tax-effective structuring. Whether you are selling, transitioning to family, or preparing for an external buyer, we help you protect value and ensure continuity.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our advisory team works alongside businesses to develop clear, practical strategic plans — including strategy development, budgeting, cashflow forecasting, KPI frameworks, and management reporting. We help you understand your financial position, set meaningful goals, and build the roadmap to achieve them.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our wealth management advisory helps business owners and individuals take a holistic view of their financial position — covering estate planning, SMSF, superannuation planning, asset protection, and risk management. We work alongside your financial planner to ensure your personal and business wealth is structured effectively for the long term.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our advisory team assists businesses and individuals with cross-border tax matters including international tax structuring, transfer pricing, and doing business overseas. As part of the UHY International network spanning over 100 countries, we can connect you with experienced advisers in virtually any jurisdiction. In addition, through our UHY International network, we have access to tax advisers in approximately 100 countries.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our Virtual CFO service provides senior financial leadership on a flexible, outsourced basis — without the cost of a full-time hire. Ideal for growing Adelaide businesses that need experienced financial oversight, cashflow management, and strategic direction.

A business accountant goes beyond tax returns — they work alongside you to manage your financial affairs, ensure compliance, and help your business grow. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our business accounting team provides financial statement preparation, accounting review, BAS lodgement, tax compliance, entity formation, and cloud accounting services to Adelaide businesses of all sizes.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, we assist entrepreneurs and business owners with entity formation and effective structuring from day one. Choosing the right structure — whether that's a company, trust, partnership, or sole trader — has significant implications for tax, liability, and growth. Our team provides practical advice to help you start on the right foundation.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our team works with all major cloud accounting platforms including Xero, MYOB, and QuickBooks. We help businesses transition to the cloud, set up efficient workflows, and get the most from their software — giving you real-time visibility of your financials from anywhere.

Yes. Cashflow management is a core part of our business advisory service. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our team helps you build realistic budgets and cashflow forecasts, identify pressure points before they become problems, and maintain healthy liquidity — whether you are a growing Adelaide startup or an established business.

Tax compliance for an Adelaide business covers financial statement preparation, income tax returns, BAS lodgements, payroll tax, and other ATO obligations. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, we manage all aspects of your compliance obligations accurately and on time — ensuring you meet your ATO requirements while identifying any opportunities to improve your tax position.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our bookkeeping service helps businesses maintain accurate, up-to-date financial records. Sound bookkeeping is the foundation of good financial management — it ensures your compliance obligations are met and gives you the reliable data you need to make informed business decisions.

A tax accountant manages your tax compliance obligations — preparing and lodging returns, managing BAS, and keeping you on the right side of the ATO. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our tax team goes well beyond compliance, providing proactive tax planning, restructuring advice, and strategic guidance to help Adelaide businesses and individuals minimise their tax burden legally and effectively.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our tax advisory team provides comprehensive tax services for individuals and businesses — including income tax compliance, tax planning and restructuring, BAS preparation, SMSF tax compliance, estate planning, international tax, and transaction tax advisory. We help you meet your ATO obligations accurately while identifying lawful opportunities to optimise your tax position.

Tax planning involves proactively reviewing your business and personal affairs throughout the year to identify opportunities to legally minimise your tax burden — and restructuring your affairs to achieve the most tax-effective outcome. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our tax advisers work with clients to review structures, plan for major transactions, and ensure you are not paying more tax than legally necessary.

Yes. Our SMSF tax team handles all aspects of self-managed super fund compliance including fund administration, financial statement preparation, income tax return lodgement, and coordination with your auditor. We help SMSF trustees across Adelaide meet their ATO obligations with confidence.

Yes. Estate planning ensures your personal and business assets are distributed according to your wishes, with minimum tax and legal complications. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our tax and advisory team assists clients with structuring their affairs to protect their estate, plan for superannuation death benefits, and coordinate with legal advisers to ensure a comprehensive plan is in place.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our tax team assists businesses and individuals with cross-border tax matters including international tax structuring, transfer pricing, and foreign inbound advisory. As part of the UHY International network, we can draw on specialist expertise in virtually any jurisdiction. In addition, through our UHY International network, we have access to tax advisers in approximately 100 countries.

UHY Haines Norton Adelaide has a dedicated Local Government practice — the only one in the UHY Haines Norton network. We provide specialist local government consulting across Australia, covering council financial services, council internal audit and governance, council budgeting and financial planning, prudential reviews, council services costing and revenue review, and council tax compliance. Our team understands the unique demands and obligations of local government and works alongside councils to strengthen financial management and governance.

At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our Council Financial Services cover the full spectrum of financial support for local government — including budgeting and cashflow forecasting, financial reporting, transaction processing, finance team growth and development, and tax compliance review and advisory. We spend thousands of hours every year working with council finance teams, giving us deep insight into the systems, challenges, and obligations unique to local government.

Yes. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our local government team provides specialist council budgeting and cashflow forecasting services — helping councils allocate resources effectively, prepare long-term financial plans, and build budgets that are transparent, robust, and aligned with community needs. Long-term strategic planning is a critical function for local government, and our extensive experience in this area ensures councils have the right financial framework in place.

Council internal audit is an independent review of a council's internal controls, risk management processes, and governance frameworks — helping councils meet their obligations and strengthen accountability to ratepayers. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our local government team provides specialist council internal audit and governance services, helping councils identify risks, strengthen controls, and demonstrate sound financial management to their communities.

A council prudential review is a formal assessment required under local government legislation before a council undertakes a major project or significant financial commitment. It ensures the council has properly considered the risks, costs, and community benefits of the proposed activity. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our team has extensive experience conducting prudential reviews for South Australian councils, helping them meet their legislative obligations with confidence.

Yes. Understanding the true cost of delivering council services — and whether rates and fees are appropriately set — is a critical function for local government. At UHY Haines Norton Adelaide, our Council Services Costing & Revenue Review service helps councils analyse the full cost of their services, assess revenue streams, and ensure they are recovering costs appropriately and transparently for their communities.