Signs Your Accountant Isn't Being Proactive (And What to Do About It)
If your accountant only gets in touch when something is due, they're probably not being proactive. A proactive accountant looks ahead. They tell you where your tax position is heading before 30 June, help you read your numbers during the year, and raise changes before they reach you.
This post is for owners of established businesses, roughly $1 million turnover and up, who aren't sure whether they're getting that kind of support. It's a self-check, not a push to switch. Plenty of owners find their current accountant can do more once they ask.
Does this apply to you?
Run through the signs below. If two or three sound familiar, it's worth a conversation with your accountant. If most of them do, you're likely on a compliance-only service, whatever it's called.
Some things owners commonly say when the support is reactive:
"I only hear from my accountant when something's due."
"I didn't know what the tax bill would be until the return was done."
"I don't really know how we're tracking until year end."
None of these means your accountant is bad at their job. Compliance work done well is valuable. It just isn't the same as planning.
8 signs your accountant isn't being proactive
1. You only hear from them around deadlines
BAS reminders and tax return requests arrive on schedule. Nothing else does. If your contact with your accountant follows the ATO calendar, not your business calendar, the relationship is built around lodgement.
What it costs you: decisions get made without anyone checking the tax effect first.
2. Your tax bill is a surprise
A large bill you didn't see coming usually isn't about the tax itself. It's about nobody looking at your position while there was still time to act.
"I'd have done things differently if I'd known in May."
What it costs you: cash you weren't holding back, and choices you can no longer make for that year.
3. Nobody mentions tax planning before 30 June
For a growing business, many of the decisions that shape the tax result have to happen before 30 June: timing of asset purchases, bonuses, super contributions and, for trusts, the distribution resolution. If those conversations happen after year end, they're too late.
What it costs you: the planning window closes and the year's result is locked in.
4. You don't get numbers you can use during the year
Year-end financial statements tell you what happened. They don't help you run the business in March. A proactive accountant helps you get regular reports that answer real questions: are we profitable, where's the cash going, can we afford that hire?
"We get the accounts once a year and I don't really use them."
If you're not sure what you should be seeing, our guide to monthly management reports for a growing business sets it out.
5. Money taken out of the company only comes up at tax time
If you draw money from your company outside salary or dividends, Division 7A (the rules for money taken out of a company) can treat it as a taxable dividend unless it's dealt with properly, generally before the company's tax return is due or lodged. That needs attention during the year, not a scramble at the end.
"I'll sort out what I've taken out when the return's done."
More on this in Division 7A: what happens when you take money out of your company.
6. You hear about changes from the news first
Rules change. Payday Super is a recent example: since 1 July 2026, super is paid with wages, and it must reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday. If you found out about a change like that from a newsletter or a payroll error, not from your accountant, nobody is watching the horizon for you.
7. Your structure hasn't been looked at since you set it up
The company or trust that suited you at $300,000 turnover may not suit you at $3 million. A proactive accountant checks whether your structure still fits your income, your plans and your risk.
"We set it up years ago and haven't looked at it since."
If that's you, a structure review is often the first useful conversation.
8. You avoid asking questions
If you hold back from calling because you're not sure what it will cost, or the answers are hard to follow, you'll make more decisions on your own. That's the opposite of what an accountant is for.
What it costs you: small questions turn into expensive fixes later.
Already wondering whether your accountant could be doing more? If you're wondering whether you're getting what you need from your accountant, we can talk through where you are now and what you're looking for.
Why November is a good time to check
By November, the first half of the financial year is nearly done and there are still several months before 30 June. That's enough time to see where the year is heading and still change something.
If nobody has raised your likely tax position yet, ask now. If you wait until May, the options are narrower. If you wait until after 30 June, most of them are gone.
What to ask your current accountant first
Before you decide anything, give your accountant a chance to answer these:
Where do you expect my tax position to land this year, and what can we still change before 30 June?
What should I be watching in my numbers each month?
Is anything I've taken out of the company going to be a problem at tax time?
Is my structure still right for where the business is now?
How often will we talk between now and June, and what will we cover?
Clear, specific answers are a good sign. Vague answers, or "we'll look at that at year end", tell you something too.
If the answers don't change anything
Sometimes the conversation fixes it. Sometimes it confirms the service was never set up for planning. If that's where you land, our guide to when to switch accountants covers the signals in more detail, and what happens when you switch walks through the process step by step.
For a clearer picture of what good support looks like, see what to expect from a good accountant.
Not sure what your accountant should be doing by now? We can look at where your business is now and what proactive support would look like for you.
When to get advice
If your business turns over around $1 million or more, and you want tax planning, reporting and virtual CFO support during the year, not just a return after it, that's the work we do. We usually start with this year's tax work and keep going from there.
If you only need a return lodged, we're probably not the right fit, and that's fine.
FAQ
What does a proactive accountant actually do?
They look ahead. That means reviewing your position before 30 June, helping you read your numbers during the year, flagging rule changes that affect you, and checking your structure as the business grows.
Is it normal to only hear from my accountant at tax time?
It's common on a compliance-only service. It isn't what you should expect if you're paying for planning or advisory support.
How often should my accountant be in touch?
It depends on the business, but for a $1M+ business with tax planning in scope, expect regular contact through the year and a planning conversation well before 30 June.
Is it too late to do tax planning for this financial year?
Not in November. There are several months left before 30 June. The earlier you start, the more options you have.
Does proactive support cost more?
Usually, because there's more work in it. The useful question is whether the planning and reporting are worth more to you than they cost. Ask for the scope in writing so you know what's included.
Can I change accountants partway through the year?
Yes. You don't need to wait for 30 June or for a return to be finished. If you do switch, you add your new accountant as your agent in the ATO's online services yourself, using the steps they give you.
This is general information only and doesn't take into account your personal circumstances.
