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Small Business Solutions

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Small Business Solutions

Small friendly Tax Agent offering complete accounting services including Payroll/PAYE, GST, Financial Accounts & Tax. Contact us for competitive pricing

Small friendly, local Tax Agent offering complete accounting services including Payroll/PAYE, GST, Financial Accounts & Tax.

20/05/2026

Running a business is demanding, and staying on top of your numbers can feel overwhelming without the right support.

Our Quarterly Business Review Meetings help accounting clients step back, review performance, and plan ahead with confidence.

Here is what we cover every 90 days:
• 📊 Review Financial Performance: Understand what your numbers are really telling you.

• 💸 Manage Cash Flow: Identify risks early and make better financial decisions.

• 🧾 Plan Ahead: Prepare for tax obligations, key deadlines, and upcoming business goals.

• ✅ Stay Accountable: Turn financial insights into clear actions for the next quarter.

If you want more clarity, better planning, and stronger control over your business finances, let’s talk.

17/05/2026

One of the biggest surprises for new business owners is the tax bill that can hit in year two.
I talk about this in almost every new client meeting: provisional tax isn’t an extra tax, but it does mean you need to start setting money aside early. If you don’t, year two can come with a real sting.

That’s because many growing businesses end up facing a double bill — terminal tax for the first year, plus provisional tax for the second year, often due around the same time.

A little planning early on can make a huge difference and save a lot of stress later.

If you’re not sure what you should be setting aside, let’s talk before the deadlines creep up on you.

29/04/2026

Receipts aren’t “nice to have” — they’re a legal obligation.

You need to keep records for seven years, and if IRD reviews your return, the burden of proof is on you.

No paperwork means no deduction.

With IRD stepping up audits, now’s the time to make sure your documentation is solid.

30/03/2026

Payroll Updates Effective 1 April 2026

Please ensure your payroll system is updated to reflect the following changes effective from the first pay run on or after 1 April 2026:

• Minimum wage increases to $23.95 per hour
• Starting out and training wage increases to $19.16 per hour
• KiwiSaver minimum contributions increase to 3.5% (employee and employer)

We suggest you carefully review your first pay run dated after the 31st March to ensure these changes have been made.

28/01/2026

KiwiSaver changes

There are upcoming KiwiSaver changes that come into effect on, 1 April 2026 and 1 April 2028.

1 April 2026 changes
Default employer and employee contribution rates.
The default KiwiSaver contribution rate will rise to 3.5% (from 3%) for you and your employer.

Temporary rate reduction

You can apply for a temporary rate reduction from 1 February 2026 if you want to continue contributing at 3% from 1 April 2026. This could be because you cannot afford the rate increase or want to save in other ways.

You can apply for a temporary rate reduction for a 3 month (92 days) to 12-month period. You may apply for the rate reduction multiple times.

Your employer can choose to match your temporary rate reduction. Once you move from the temporary rate to a higher rate, IRD will notify your employer.

Contributions for 16 and 17-year-olds

If you are aged 16 or 17, you qualify for employer KiwiSaver contributions from 1 April 2026, so long as you meet other eligibility requirements.

If you contribute to KiwiSaver from your wages, your employer will need to start making contributions.
Before 1 April 2026, your employer only needs to contribute for employees aged 18 to 65.

1 April 2028 changes
The default KiwiSaver contribution rate will rise again to 4% (from 3.5%) for you and your employer.

15/01/2026

Just a reminder that Provisional Tax and GST are both due on the 15th of January 2026. PAYE is due on the 20th of January 2026.

23/12/2025

Wishing you a joyful and restful Christmas season. Thank you for trusting us with your accounting and compliance needs throughout the year — your support means a great deal to us.

Our offices are now closed for the holidays and will reopen on 12 January.
We look forward to partnering with you again in the new year and helping you navigate a successful 2026.

Small Business Solutions

22/10/2025

Changes to Information Sharing

Recent changes have been made by the IRD regarding how they share information about unpaid tax (credit reporting) with Centrix, their approved credit reporting agency. These changes affect a business's credit rating and were introduced in 2017 to encourage tax compliance and improve the visibility of significant tax debt.

To credit report a business, the following criteria must be met:

* The debt is over $150,000 or has been unpaid for a year and equals 30% or more of the company’s assessable income.

* The IRD has made 'reasonable efforts' to collect the debt.

* The business was 'formally notified' 30 days before being credit reported.

**What’s Changing:**

Effective October 13th, IRD is running a pilot program where selected businesses will receive formal notification of their outstanding debt.

If no positive action is taken—such as setting up an instalment arrangement—the business will be credit reported.
Businesses will have 30 days to respond before any credit reporting occurs.

The formal notification (Notice of Intent) will appear in the company’s myIR account on the day it is couriered to the company’s registered office.

The 30-day response period begins from the date the notification is delivered to the registered office.

The definition of 'reasonable efforts' now includes the IRD sending standard overdue reminders and repayment options, even if the business has not yet engaged with them.

Additionally, 'formal notification' to the company is now sufficient; individual directors will not all be notified.

Again we encourage all clients with overdue debt to make contact with IRD sooner than later.

17/09/2025

Smart Business Owners Don’t Leave Cashflow to Chance

Think budgeting and cashflow forecasting sound as fun as a dentist appointment? You’re not alone — but here’s the thing: the smartest business owners never skip them. Why? Because they know that knowledge is power.

A solid budget and cashflow forecast give you the clarity to see:
✔ Where your business stands right now
✔ Whether you’re on track to hit (or beat) your goals
✔ What’s working well — and what’s holding you back
✔ The changes you can make today to secure tomorrow’s success

Instead of running your business on guesswork, you’ll have a clear roadmap to guide your decisions, avoid nasty surprises, and plan confidently for the future.

Here’s how we can help:
1. Pinpoint exactly where your business is today.
2. Map out where you want to be in 12 months.
3. Identify and prepare for the roadblocks that could slow you down.
💡 Don’t leave the future of your business up to chance. Let’s sit down together and create a budget and cashflow forecast tailored to your goals.
You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a plan for growth.

07/05/2025

Employment Law Changes in New Zealand in 2025

1. Minimum Wage Increase:

Effective April 1, 2025: Minimum wage rose from $23.15 to $23.50 per hour. Starting out/Training wage increased from $18.52 to $18.80 per hour.

2. Wage Theft Criminalisation:

Effective March 14, 2025: Intentional wage theft is now a criminal offence under the Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Act 2025. Penalties include up to one year’s imprisonment or fines up to $5,000 for individuals and fines up to $30,000 for companies.

3. Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) Requirements:

Effective January 27, 2025: Employers no longer need to complete Employment New Zealand’s online employer modules but must provide migrant workers with essential employment and settlement information.

4. New Dismissal Rules for High Earners:

Expected within 2025: Employees earning over $180,000 per year may lose the ability to file unjustified dismissal claims. High earners will need to negotiate contractual protections or other types of personal grievances into their contracts.

5. Cracking Down on Employee Misconduct:

Amendment expected by end of 2025: Changes to how the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) or Employment Court (EC) decide on personal grievances and award remedies.

6. Health and Safety at Work Amendments:

Expected late 2025: Focus on critical risks, reduced landowner responsibilities for recreational use, governance vs. operational management, and reduced compliance for small businesses.

If you need a hand with your wages. Please send us an email to [email protected]

20/02/2025

2025 Tax Updates

Over the past year, New Zealand has undergone several notable tax changes as part of the government's ongoing efforts to modernize the tax system and address both domestic and international challenges.

Key updates include:

• Increasing the trustee tax rate from 33% to 39%.

• Adjustments to land tax rules for residential property disposals on or after 1 July 2024, including:

• returning the bright-line test to 2 years main home exemption for the 2-year bright-line test rollover relief for the 2-year bright-line test

• Removing building depreciation for the 2024–25 and subsequent income years and restoring interest deductibility for residential rentals.

• Government contributions of 3% to KiwiSaver for paid parental leave recipients, effective from 1 July 2024.

• Changes to personal income tax thresholds, effective from 31 July 2024.

• Raising the upper income limit for the independent earner tax credit from $48,000 to $70,000, starting 31 July 2024.

• Increasing the in-work tax credit base rate from $3,770 to $5,070 per year and raising the maximum weekly entitlement for families with up to three children from $72.50 to $97.50, effective from 31 July 2024.

A key development this year is Inland Revenue’s intensified audit efforts. The government has allocated substantial funding to compliance activities, expecting a return of $8 for every $1 spent. Given these returns, audit activity is unlikely to slow down anytime soon.

Address

Rangiora
Christchurch
7476

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.smallbusinesssolutions.co.nz/

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