Frequently Asked Questions

We are Chartered Accountants and our team are all highly experienced. We've worked in some of New Zealand's biggest accounting firms, but we've chosen a better lifestyle, and the fulfilling work of supporting smaller Kiwi businesses with great accounting advice.

It's incredibly easy to change accountants - we handle the switch for you at no cost to you.

Once you've made the decision to move, we'll write a professional clearance letter to your previous accountant. This asks if there is any reason we should not act on your behalf. Once they've responded and sent over your prior year records the process is complete and you officially become a client of Glow Accounting.

Not anymore - we'll take care of everything for you, on behalf of your business.

As tax agents we have a direct line to IRD which allows us to access information and sort out problems quickly. We ensure you maintain a good relationship with them and also provide assistance with anything that may pop up.

As part of our service we also remind you of any IRD payment and return deadlines coming up. Another bonus of having a tax agent is that you receive an extension of time to file your income tax returns.

Yes, anyone can do their own accounts, but here are a few reasons to engage with an experienced accountant:

• You are responsible for the accuracy of your financial reports and tax returns. If you make a mistake it could lead to an IRD audit and large penalties in addition to interest charges on underpaid tax. Working with a qualified accountant gives you peace of mind knowing that everything is taken care of correctly.
• Keeping up with your accounting and tax obligations is time consuming. If you don't complete returns by the due date IRD may charge late filing penalties. Using an accountant can relieve the pressure. In addition, registered tax agents receive extensions of time for filing your income tax returns and paying income tax, which can remove some of the burden while you are busy running your business.
• Tax legislation is constantly changing. Qualified accountants are required to spend time upskilling and keeping up to date with changes. Which is why accountants are best placed to manage your tax obligations for you.
• A qualified accountant can help you make better decisions in your business and reach your goals.

After you’ve made contact, we’ll take the time to get to know you and discuss your business and accounting requirements. 

If you think we are a good fit, we’ll send a sign-up link to you to get your details.

Once you’re all onboard, your accountant will make sure your books are in order and that you are in the best tax position possible and compliant with IRD. 

We’re committed to providing an exceptional accounting and tax service so keeping you up to date with developments and opportunities to improve your processes or save tax is a standard part of our service.

We’ve worked hard to keep overheads low and we utilise technology to make processes efficient so that we can deliver a professional service at the most fair and reasonable price possible. Our fees represent excellent value for service.

It’s important to us to be completely transparent and upfront so there are no hidden costs and you will NEVER receive a surprise bill from us. Our fees for your business and the scope of work you have requested will be clearly set out in our engagement letter so you know from the get go exactly what you'll be charged and when.

We're an online accounting firm, but if we do ever have the opportunity to meet up with you in person, we will!

Put simply, working online allows us and our clients to save money and time. We can meet your accounting needs without you having to travel out of your way to offices to meet or sign documents. 

Because we don’t have to rent an office it also allows us to provide an excellent service at much lower prices than your traditional accounting firm.

We can work for you, no matter where you are in New Zealand. Distance is not an issue and we make communication easy!  We keep in touch by email, phone and video call.

No, you will have direct access to your own accountant and this person will usually be the only one you deal with and your main point of contact if you have any questions.

Your accountant will provide ongoing support and advice with your day-to-day accounting queries. This includes any issues related to tax,accounting and xero coding. 

Ongoing support is included in your fixed monthly plan meaning we are on hand to help you when you need it, and we won’t start the clock and invoice you at an exorbitant hourly rate any time you call for help! 

If you do require any extra work that is not included such as preparing an extra financial statement or registering a new entity, we will let you know the costs involved before commencing the work so that you are never hit with an expected bill.

Yes, that's what we do!  The financial statements are not just about working out how much tax you have to pay.  Although they are prepared after the fact, they can be one of your most useful tools for guiding future decisions.

Our job is to interpret the financial statements for you and point out any areas of concern or improvement that may be beneficial to you. We are more than happy to spend time explaining the reports in plain language and answering all your questions so that you can understand them better.

We know how cost conscious small business owners are and it’s important for us to provide certainty about our fees from the start.  We have calculated our prices to reflect the amount of work we expect to do for you at the lowest rate possible.

Our fixed fee packages also provide access to us on tap for general accounting queries, meaning you can pick up the phone for a chat without fear of the clock ticking over and receiving another invoice. Spreading the cost over a year allows you to smooth your cashflow and budget better.