How Much Does It Cost to Have an Accountant Do Your Tax Return?

At Versatile Accounting, an individual tax return is $132, a sole trader or ABN return is $330, and company and trust returns start from $660. You pay a $20 deposit to book and the balance at your appointment. Across the industry, the price of a tax return mostly comes down to how complicated your year was: a single salary costs far less to prepare than a business, a rental property or a capital gain. And because the cost of managing your tax affairs is generally deductible, part of this year's fee comes back to you on next year's return.

Key Takeaways

• 💵 Our prices: individual return $132, sole trader / ABN $330, company or trust from $660
• 🔒 A $20 deposit secures your booking, with the balance due at your appointment
• 🧩 Complexity drives the price: business income, rentals, shares, crypto and capital gains all add work
• 🗂️ Good records keep the cost down, because less time is spent chasing and reconstructing figures
• 🧾 The fee for managing your tax affairs is generally deductible on the following year's return
• ⏳ Being on a registered tax agent's books before 31 October generally extends your lodgment deadline

"How much is this going to cost me?" is usually the first thing people want to know before they book an accountant, and it is a completely reasonable question. Nobody likes walking into an appointment without knowing what the bill will be. Yet a surprising number of firms keep their pricing vague until you are already sitting across the desk. We would rather you knew up front.

The honest answer has two parts. The first is our own price list, which is simple and published: an individual tax return is $132, a sole trader or ABN return is $330, and company and trust returns start from $660. The second part is the general picture of what drives the cost of tax work anywhere, because understanding that helps you judge whether a quote is fair and how to keep your own costs down.

The short version is that you are paying for time and expertise, and time is driven by complexity. A straightforward return for someone with one employer and a handful of deductions is quick to prepare well. A return with business income, a rental property, a share portfolio or a capital gain involves more rules, more records and more judgement, so it takes longer and costs more. That is true whoever you use.

There is also a part of the cost that people forget to count: what it saves you. A good accountant often finds legitimate deductions you would have missed, keeps your claims defensible if the ATO asks questions, and takes a job most people dread off their plate entirely. The fee itself is generally tax-deductible too, which softens it further. This guide walks through what we charge, what makes the price go up or down, what you actually get for the fee, and how to decide whether it is worth it for you.

What Does Versatile Accounting Charge for a Tax Return?

Our pricing is published on our website and it is the same for everyone: an individual tax return is $132, a sole trader or ABN return is $330, and company and trust returns start from $660. To book, you choose your service online and pay a $20 deposit to secure your spot. We then get in touch to confirm the details and gather your documents, and the balance is due at your appointment.

The individual tax return is designed for salary and wage earners and students, the most common kind of return we prepare. If you work for an employer, have some work-related expenses, maybe some bank interest or a private health policy, this is the category that fits you.

The sole trader or ABN return is for people running their own business in their own name. Business income brings extra work that a salary return does not: working through business income and expenses, apportioning things like a vehicle or a home office between business and private use, and, if you are registered for GST, making sure the return lines up with what has been reported on your BAS during the year. That is why it is priced separately.

Company and trust returns start from $660 because these structures are a different kind of job. A company or a trust lodges its own return, separate from the individuals involved, and there is usually more to reconcile, more to document and more to get right. The "from" matters here: the final cost depends on how much activity the entity had and the state of its records, and we will talk that through with you before the work starts rather than surprise you afterwards.

Having set prices means you can compare like with like. When you look at other options, check what is included in the quote, whether it is a fixed price or an hourly estimate, and whether there are extra charges for things like amendments, extra schedules or an ATO query. Clear pricing up front is a good sign of a firm that will be clear with you about everything else.

What Makes a Tax Return Cost More or Less?

The biggest factor in the cost of any tax return is complexity, and the second biggest is the state of your records. A single-salary return with tidy paperwork is quick to prepare properly. A return with several income streams, investments or a business, especially one where the records are scattered, takes considerably more time, and time is what you are paying for.

Complexity comes from the number and type of things happening in your financial year. Each of these typically adds work: running a business or side hustle, owning a rental property, buying or selling shares or cryptocurrency, selling an asset that triggers a capital gain, receiving a redundancy or an employment termination payment, having foreign income, or claiming larger and less common deductions. None of these are unusual, but each one comes with its own rules, and those rules take time to apply correctly.

Records are the part you control. When you arrive with your documents organised, such as your receipts sorted by type, a logbook if you are claiming car use, your rental agent's annual statement and your share trading summary, the accountant can get straight to the useful work of checking claims and finding deductions. When records are missing or scattered, time goes into chasing, reconstructing and double-checking figures instead. That is slower for everyone and can mean legitimate claims get left out because they cannot be supported.

Timing matters less than people think, but it still matters. Leaving everything until the last minute before a deadline does not make a return more expensive on its own, but it can mean a rushed job, missed documents and follow-up work later. Getting on your accountant's books early, and sending documents as they arrive, tends to make the whole process smoother.

Finally, prior years can affect cost. If you have older returns that were never lodged, or a previous return that needs amending, that is extra work on top of the current year. It is very fixable, and it is one of the most common things people come to us for, but it is worth mentioning when you book so we can give you an accurate picture.

What Do You Actually Get for the Fee?

When you pay an accountant for a tax return, you are paying for a correctly prepared and lodged return, the expertise to claim everything you are legitimately entitled to, and the confidence that your claims will stand up if the ATO ever asks. For many people the extra legitimate deductions an accountant finds cover a good part of the fee on their own.

The most tangible benefit is getting your full entitlement. A good accountant knows what people in your job and situation can legitimately claim, and asks the questions that surface deductions you would never have thought to mention. This is not about pushing the rules. It is about applying them properly, including the ATO's three golden rules for deductions: you spent the money yourself and were not reimbursed, the expense is directly related to earning your income, and you have a record to prove it.

The second benefit is accuracy and protection. Mistakes on a tax return, whether that is income left out, a deduction that should not have been claimed, or a figure entered wrongly, can lead to amendments, penalties and interest. A registered tax agent prepares the return to the rules and stands behind it, so you are not left on your own if a question comes back from the ATO later.

The third benefit is time. Using a registered tax agent generally extends your lodgment deadline well past the 31 October self-lodgment date, as long as you are on the agent's books before 31 October. That breathing room means your return can be done properly rather than in a rush. And there is the time you get back personally: no wrestling with myTax at the kitchen table, no second-guessing whether you have done it right.

The fourth benefit is the relationship. Over time, an accountant who knows your situation can help you plan ahead: keeping better records, getting a business structure right, preparing for a big purchase or sale, or simply knowing what is coming at tax time. That kind of advice is where the value compounds year after year.

Is the Accountant's Fee Tax-Deductible?

Generally, yes. The cost of managing your tax affairs, including the fee you pay a registered tax agent to prepare and lodge your return, is generally deductible, and you claim it on the following year's return. So the fee you pay this year typically reduces your taxable income next year, which means part of it comes back to you.

In practice this means the real, after-tax cost of using an accountant is lower than the sticker price. How much lower depends on your marginal tax rate, but for most working people it is a meaningful difference. It is also one of the deductions people most often forget to claim when they do their own return, so if you used an accountant last year and are lodging yourself this year, make sure it is in there.

The deduction covers the cost of managing your tax affairs more broadly, not only the preparation fee. Things like the cost of travelling to see your tax agent, or getting advice about your tax obligations, can also come under this heading. The same three golden rules apply: you paid it yourself, it relates to managing your tax, and you have a record, which your invoice from us provides.

For businesses, the picture is similar. Accounting and tax fees are generally a deductible business expense, and a sole trader or company will typically claim them as part of their business costs. Your accountant will include it in the right place.

The bottom line is that the fee is not a pure cost. Between the deductions a good accountant finds, the penalties and amendments avoided, the extended deadline and the fee's own deductibility, using a registered tax agent is often much closer to break-even, or better, than people expect.

The Bottom Line: What Your Tax Return Should Cost

So, how much does it cost to have an accountant do your tax return? With us, an individual tax return is $132, a sole trader or ABN return is $330, and company and trust returns start from $660, with a $20 deposit to book and the balance at your appointment. Across the industry, the price comes down to how complex your year was and how organised your records are, so a simple salary return will always cost less than a business or an investment portfolio.

When you weigh up the cost, count what it brings back as well: legitimate deductions you might have missed, a return you can rely on, a later lodgment deadline if you are on our books before 31 October, and a fee that is generally deductible next year. For most people with anything more than a single salary, that adds up to good value.

Want to know exactly where you fit? Book your tax return online at versatileaccounting.com.au/book or call us on (07) 3154 2822, and we will tell you up front what it will cost.

📍 Versatile Accounting · Dales Rd, Kobble Creek QLD 4520 · (07) 3154 2822 🧾 Individual & business tax returns · Small business accounting · BAS & bookkeeping

FAQ

How much does Versatile Accounting charge for a tax return?

An individual tax return is $132, a sole trader or ABN return is $330, and company and trust returns start from $660. You book online with a $20 deposit, and the balance is due at your appointment.

Why does a business tax return cost more than an individual return?

Business income brings extra work: business income and expenses, apportioning shared costs such as a vehicle or home office between business and private use, and, if you are registered for GST, making sure the return matches your BAS. More rules and more records mean more time.

Can I claim my accountant's fee on my tax return?

Generally, yes. The cost of managing your tax affairs, including the fee paid to a registered tax agent, is generally deductible on the following year's return. Keep the invoice as your record.

How can I keep the cost of my tax return down?

Keep your records organised through the year: receipts sorted by type, a logbook if you claim car use, and statements for any rental property or investments. The less time spent chasing and reconstructing figures, the smoother and faster the job.

Is it worth paying an accountant if my tax is simple?

If you have a single salary and a couple of simple deductions, doing it yourself on myTax can be fine. Many people still choose an accountant for the extended deadline, the peace of mind and the deductions they would otherwise miss, especially since the fee is generally deductible.