MDS Accounting & Financial Services

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MDS Accounting & Financial Services MDS Accounting is an Australian accounting and advisory firm helping businesses and individuals build strong financial foundations.

We provide expert support across tax, BAS and GST, financial reporting, business structuring, and strategic advisory. MDS Accounting and Financial Services realise the demand from businesses and individuals for a more specialised and proactive accounting services offering, more than mere compliance and taxation. At MDS Accounting & Financial Services, we are continually looking to provide more value to our clients by assisting in all matters of business, financial, personal and strategic. We provide services that position us as valuable partners with our clients and their businesses. We recognise that service delivery is built around relationships and trust, we hope to play an integral role in the success of our clients. Our Mission:
Every-day we assist every client to achieve greater success by helping them to move from where they are now to where they want to be by helping them to;

Legally minimize taxation
Increase profits and earnings
Reduce operating costs and expenses
Build and protect wealth

Our Vision:
To become our clients’ trusted advisers and play a key role in assisting them to achieve their goals in all things financial.

You may have seen headlines about a new tax on family trusts. Here's where it actually stands.The government has propose...
15/10/2026

You may have seen headlines about a new tax on family trusts. Here's where it actually stands.

The government has proposed a 30% minimum tax on certain discretionary trusts, starting 1 July 2028. It was announced in the May Budget, and Treasury released draft legislation on 3 September 2026. Public consultation closed on 18 September.

It is a proposal, not law. The draft also includes an expanded roll-over window, proposed to run for three years from 1 July 2027, for trusts that choose to restructure into another type of entity.

What that means for now: nothing applies today, and the final rules may still change before anything is passed. There's time to understand it properly, and no need to act on a headline.

Once the rules are final, it's worth reviewing your structure with your accountant.

The information provided is general in nature and does not constitute financial or taxation advice. It does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before acting.

If you have a family trust and want to talk it through, book a time with MDS, link in bio.
📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

We're hiring: Client Services Manager, Ballarat. Full time, immediate start.MDS has looked after Ballarat businesses sin...
12/10/2026

We're hiring: Client Services Manager, Ballarat. Full time, immediate start.

MDS has looked after Ballarat businesses since 2004. We are now 40 plus people across Ballarat, Melbourne, Bendigo, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with head office at 702 Sturt Street. This role sits in the Ballarat team and reports to one of our partners, Alex Richardson.

Our accountants prepare the tax returns and financials. The Client Services Manager keeps that work moving: the paperwork is right, the client hears from us, and nothing sits waiting.

Day to day, that means preparing BAS, IAS and tax letters, collating financial reports and returns, monitoring job flow in Xero Practice Manager, issuing tax authorities and engagement letters through Adobe Sign and following them up, lodging returns and recording client events in FYI, chasing information and booking appointments with clients, monitoring ATO reports and liaising with the ATO, plus team invoicing, reporting and budget management.

We are after someone with client services or admin experience in an accounting firm, or strong admin experience from elsewhere and the willingness to learn the technical side. Accuracy matters, because this role is full of small details. So does good writing, since you will correspond with clients, the ATO and other agents every day. We want a person who works well without close supervision, speaks up when they see a better way, and backs up the people around them. Experience with Xero Practice Manager, Xero Tax, FYI, Adobe Sign or NowInfinity is an advantage rather than a requirement. We will train the right person.

Hours are 8.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. We run monthly social club events, invest in ongoing training with support for study, and we are growing, so there is real scope to grow with the firm.

To apply, send your resume and a short cover letter to Mayley Clarke. Her contact details and the full ad are on SEEK. If you would like to know more before applying, call Mayley. We review applications as they come in, so early is better.

https://www.seek.com.au/job/94969332

Lodging your 2025-26 tax return this month? The new $1,000 standard deduction isn't part of it. It applies from the 2026...
11/10/2026

Lodging your 2025-26 tax return this month? The new $1,000 standard deduction isn't part of it. It applies from the 2026-27 income year, which started on 1 July, so it's first claimed in returns lodged from July 2027.

Here's how it will work. Australian tax residents who earn income from work can claim a standard deduction of up to $1,000 for work-related expenses, with no receipts needed.

It's a deduction, not a refund. It reduces your taxable income, so what it's worth depends on your tax rate. The government estimates about 6.2 million workers stand to benefit, with an average tax saving of $205.

If your work expenses come to more than $1,000, you can still claim the actual amount, as long as you have the records.

Donations, union and professional fees, income protection premiums and investment expenses can still be claimed on top.

So the decision you make this year is about records. If you work from home, buy your own tools or travel for work, keep the diary and the receipts, and the choice stays yours next July.

The information provided is general in nature and does not constitute financial or taxation advice. It does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before acting.

To see which option is likely to suit you, book a time with MDS, link in bio.
📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

Tax law hasn't stood still this year: a Federal Budget in May, new tax laws passed in June and August, and draft legisla...
08/10/2026

Tax law hasn't stood still this year: a Federal Budget in May, new tax laws passed in June and August, and draft legislation for a proposed trust tax in September.

Keeping up is part of the job. The Tax Practitioners Board requires registered tax agents to complete at least 120 hours of continuing professional education over each three-year registration, and at least 20 hours every year.

That's why the team still makes time to study. When the rules change, the reading starts again.

Some years are simple. Others bring a new job, a rental property, an investment sale or a side business, and each of tho...
06/10/2026

Some years are simple. Others bring a new job, a rental property, an investment sale or a side business, and each of those can change what goes in your tax return.

A few examples from the ATO:
If you sold shares, crypto or an investment property, any capital gain needs to be declared.
If you earn rent, the full amount goes in your return, and many related expenses may be claimable.
If you changed jobs, you'll need the income statement from every employer you had during the year.

If 2025-26 was a big year for you, it can be worth having a registered tax agent go through it with you. New to MDS or switching accountants? Contact us before 31 October to be part of our lodgment program.

Book a time with MDS, link in bio.
📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

From 1 July 2026, accountants became part of Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, ove...
04/10/2026

From 1 July 2026, accountants became part of Australia's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, overseen by AUSTRAC. The rules apply to certain services, and they change what the first meeting looks like for those.

If you ask your accountant to help set up or restructure a company or trust, buy or sell a business or property, raise finance for a business, or hold money for a transaction, you can expect to be asked for identification. For companies and trusts, that usually includes who owns and controls them.

Your tax return, bookkeeping and general accounting advice aren't covered by these rules, so those appointments stay the same.

Every accountant offering these services has the same obligation. The aim is to make it harder for criminals to use professional services to move money. Having your ID ready, along with the details of any company or trust involved, makes the first meeting quicker.

The information provided is general in nature and does not constitute financial or taxation advice. It does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before acting.

If you're planning a new structure, or a business or property purchase, book a time with MDS, link in bio.
📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and one of the most useful habits a business can build fits in a single phone...
01/10/2026

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and one of the most useful habits a business can build fits in a single phone call.

If a supplier emails to say their bank details have changed, stop before you pay. Call them on a number you already have, from an old invoice, your contacts or their website, and never on the number in the email itself. Scamwatch puts it plainly: check any change to payee details by phone, using a number you have sourced independently.

It matters because these scams are common. In the Australian Signals Directorate's Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-25, business email compromise fraud with a financial loss made up 15% of cybercrime reports from businesses, and the average self-reported cost of cybercrime for a small business was $56,600.

Two minutes on the phone is a small price for that certainty. Share this with whoever pays the bills in your business.

General information only. If you think you've been caught by one of these scams, contact your bank straight away and report it at cyber.gov.au.

22/09/2026

Your side hustle already told the ATO about itself.

Under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime, digital platforms report seller and transaction data to the ATO directly. Rideshare and short-term accommodation have reported since 1 July 2023, and the remaining categories since 1 July 2024. There is no minimum threshold, so a quiet year on Depop still shows up.

The upside is that genuine expenses connected to that income can generally be claimed. Matt's sister ran a Depop resale side hustle and claimed against packaging, stock, and the work-related portion of her phone and travel. Anything used for both private and income-producing purposes has to be apportioned, which is exactly where the ATO has said it will be looking this year.

A deduction reduces your taxable income, it does not refund the full spend. Someone in the $45,001 to $135,000 bracket faces 30% plus the 2% Medicare levy, so roughly 32 cents back per deductible dollar. Different bracket, different number.

If your side hustle income has grown past the point where you're confident handling it yourself, the MDS team can walk through what applies to your situation before you lodge.

📞 (03) 5333 3453
🌐 mdsaccounting.net.au

Most clients meet us at tax time and find out about the rest later, sometimes years later. So here is the full menu, onc...
20/09/2026

Most clients meet us at tax time and find out about the rest later, sometimes years later. So here is the full menu, once, in one swipe.

MDS covers taxation, business advisory, self-managed super funds, bookkeeping and payroll, financial planning, mortgage and asset finance broking, and succession planning. Five offices across Victoria and Queensland: Ballarat, Bendigo, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The case for having it under one roof is practical rather than grand. The person preparing your return can walk down the hall to the person arranging your lending, and advice given in one room already knows what happened in the other. Fewer things fall between chairs, because there is no gap between the chairs.

Financial planning and credit services are provided under the relevant licences, and personal advice is only given once we understand your situation.

Start with whichever door fits. Book a conversation with MDS, link in bio.

📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

The Reserve Bank held the cash rate at 4.35 per cent on 11 August. After three increases this year, standing still is th...
17/09/2026

The Reserve Bank held the cash rate at 4.35 per cent on 11 August. After three increases this year, standing still is the story.

The Board's reasoning, in plain terms: inflation is still high, and disruptions to global oil supply are feeding through into the price of other things. Meanwhile spending has slowed, the labour market has softened more than expected, and house prices are falling in some cities. The Bank wants to see how the year's tightening settles before it moves either way.

A hold is more useful than it sounds. Borrowers get a stable window to check the rate they are actually paying. Savers get a moment to ask what their cash is earning. Business owners get a steady month to price against. The next decision lands on Tuesday 29 September.

General information only, not financial advice. What any of this means for you depends on your circumstances, so speak with your adviser before acting on it.

If you would like to sit down and go through what this year's rate moves have done to your numbers, book a time with MDS, link in bio.

📞 03 5333 3453
🗓️ mdsaccounting.net.au/contact-us

Address

702 Sturt Street
Ballarat, VIC
3350

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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