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MASTIN HARRIS
Accountants
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How to prepare for your accountant meeting

A good accountant meeting isn’t about “bringing a shoebox of receipts” — it’s about showing up with the right information and the right questions. This guide gives you a simple checklist so the meeting is faster, cheaper, and more useful.

Why preparation matters

Better inputs = better advice. It’s that simple.

Lower admin time

If we’re not chasing missing info, we spend more time on advice and less on data entry.

Fewer mistakes

Most errors happen when documents arrive late or in pieces (and assumptions fill the gaps).

More value

A prepared meeting lets us focus on planning and next steps, not just compliance.

Tell it like it is: the more complete your documents are, the more time we can spend improving your outcome instead of hunting for missing numbers.

Your 15-minute prep plan

If you do nothing else, do this.

Start with our checklists and resources
Use the relevant checklist for your situation (personal tax, rental property, business/BAS, SMSF). Tick it off and attach the documents it asks for.
Gather key documents into one folder
One folder (or zip) is best. Multiple emails = missing items, guaranteed.
Write down 3 questions you want answered
Example: “Why did I get a tax payable?”, “Should I adjust withholding?”, “What can I do before 30 June?”.
Flag anything that changed during the year
Job change, new property, refinance, marriage/separation, new business income, investment sale — these are the things that drive tax changes.

What to bring (by situation)

Don’t bring everything. Bring the right things.

Everyone (baseline)

Employees / professionals

Rental property owners

If a loan was used for both private and investment purposes, tell us upfront — it changes interest deductibility and record-keeping.

Business owners

SMSF trustees (if applicable)

Investors (shares/crypto/managed funds)

If you use our checklists and resources first, you’ll usually arrive with 95% of what we need.

Common pitfalls (that waste time and money)

Avoid these and your meeting becomes smoother immediately.

Bad habits

  • Sending documents one-by-one over multiple weeks.
  • Providing screenshots instead of statements (where detail matters).
  • Not mentioning “big changes” (new job, new property, refinance, separation).
  • Not keeping a record of work-from-home hours.
  • Assuming a deduction is fine without evidence.

Best practice

  • One folder upload (or one email) with everything inside.
  • Use the relevant checklist to make sure nothing is missed.
  • Write a short “year summary” with key changes.
  • Ask questions early if you’re unsure (before you act).
  • Keep clear notes for anything that isn’t obvious from the receipt.

Questions worth asking in the meeting

If you want value beyond compliance, start here.

Tax outcome and “what changed?”

  • Why did my refund/payable change compared to last year?
  • Is my withholding about right, or should I adjust it?
  • Are there any deductions I’m consistently missing?

Planning for the next year

  • Is there room for additional concessional super contributions?
  • If I’m investing/selling assets, what are the CGT implications?
  • Do I have any compliance dates I should calendar (BAS, STP, etc.)?

Use our checklists and resources first

They’re designed to speed up the process and reduce back-and-forth.

Personal tax checklists

Use the “Is it Tax Deductible?” checklist and any individual tax resources.

Rental property resources

Use the rental property record-keeping and tax essentials guides.

Business / BAS resources

Use BAS/GST and payroll/PAYG guides, plus the ATO lodgement timeline.

If you’re not sure which checklist applies, send us a quick message with your situation (employee / business / rental / SMSF) and we’ll point you to the right one.
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