Link Accounting | Business Structuring Perth
Is your business set up under the right structure? The choice between sole trader, partnership, company, or trust can have big implications for tax and asset protection. We’re here to ensure you get it right. Selecting the optimal business structure is one of the most important decisions a business owner will make. The right structure can minimise taxes, limit your personal liability, protect assets, and set the foundation for growth. The wrong structure, on the other hand, can lead to unnecessary tax bills or put your personal wealth at risk if things go wrong.
At Link Accounting & Business Solutions, we provide expert business structuring advice for new ventures and existing businesses in Perth. Our experienced advisors take the time to understand your goals and circumstances, then recommend a structure tailored to your needs.
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- Link Accounting | Business Structuring Perth
The Main Types of Business Structures
We work with all common structures in Australia, including:
Sole Trader ▼
A simple structure where you are the business (full control, but also full personal liability).
Partnership ▼
Two or more people (or entities) operating a business together, sharing profits, losses, and liabilities.
With over two decades in the industry, our team brings extensive experience across industries and business life stages. We’ve coached start-ups, growing enterprises, and established companies, so we can tailor our expertise to your situation. Our accountants are Chartered Accountants and registered tax agents, ensuring you receive the highest standard of advice and compliance.
Company ▼
A separate legal entity (Pty Ltd) offering limited liability to owners, with more complex reporting but potential tax benefits and growth advantages.
We believe in building long-lasting relationships. You’ll get a dedicated client manager who truly understands your business. We take the time to get to know you and tailor solutions – because no two businesses are the same. Whether you’re a solo tradie or manage a growing team, our advice is aligned to your goals.
Trust ▼
A structure where a trustee (person or company) carries out business for the benefit of beneficiaries. Often used for family businesses to distribute income flexibly and protect assets.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer – the best structure depends on factors like the size and nature of your business, your family situation, asset holdings, profit levels, and future plans.
Forget only seeing your accountant at tax time. We partner with you year-round, providing proactive tax planning, regular check-ins, and strategies to improve performance. Our clients often tell us they “sleep better at night” knowing we’ve got their compliance and planning covered – before issues arise. We’re not just number-crunchers; we’re business advisors who help you forecast, plan, and grow.
Tired of paperwork? So are we. Link Accounting will set up seamless cloud-based accounting systems (like Xero or MYOB) to streamline your bookkeeping and reporting. Enjoy real-time financial data and automated processes that save you time and reduce errors. We’ll train and support you in using these tools, so you have clarity and control over your numbers anywhere, anytime.
We welcome you to the firm with a complimentary first consultation*. This no-obligation meeting lets us discuss your needs and show how we can add value – a risk-free way for you to get to know us. (Book yours now at (08) 9455 7022)
Based in Victoria Park, we are proud locals. Our team understands Western Australia’s business landscape, state tax requirements, and local market conditions. When you work with us, you get big-firm expertise delivered with small-firm friendliness and the practicality of a fellow WA business. Expect a professional yet approachable tone in all our interactions – we explain accounting in plain English and are always just a phone call away for quick questions.
How We Help You Choose and Set Up the Right Structure
We offer a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, and advisory services to cover every aspect of your small business’s financial needs. When you partner with Link Accounting, you effectively gain a virtual CFO and finance department that you can dial in as needed. Our business solution services include:
Understanding Your Needs ▼
We start with a detailed consultation to learn about your business (or business idea), your financial situation, and what you’re aiming to achieve. Are you looking for simplicity, or is protecting personal assets your top priority? Do you plan to reinvest profits for growth, or distribute income to family members? These insights guide our advice.
Accurate financial bookkeeping, preparation of financial statements, and ensuring you meet all compliance obligations. We handle GST/BAS preparation and lodgement, payroll processing, superannuation compliance, and PAYG reporting. All your routine accounting tasks are managed efficiently so you stay compliant with the ATO and avoid any penalties. (You didn’t go into business to do bookkeeping and admin paperwork – so leave it to us! We’ll put systems in place to handle it
Expert Evaluation: Sole Trader vs Partnership vs Company vs Trust ▼
We compare each structure through your specific goals—modelling tax outcomes (e.g., company flat rates versus higher individual rates; trusts enabling beneficiary income-splitting), assessing asset protection and personal liability, and outlining compliance obligations such as ASIC annual reviews, separate tax returns and any trustee duties. We also plan for growth and succession—how easily you can add investors, bring in partners or exit later—so you don’t end up with a “fancy” structure you can’t maintain. The result is a practical, future-proof setup that balances tax efficiency, risk protection and administrative effort.
Strategic tax planning to minimize your tax liability and maximize your after-tax profit. Our tax accountants prepare annual company tax returns, sole trader and partnership returns, and offer guidance on deductions and incentives relevant to your industry. We stay up-to-date on tax law changes and proactively advise you on the best tax-effective structure and strategies (for example, whether to use a company, trust, or sole trader setup). Before EOFY, we’ll meet for annual tax planning to implement strategies that legally reduce taxes and avoid surprises.
Recommendations ▼
After analysis, we’ll recommend the optimal structure and explain exactly why it’s the best fit. We’ll walk you through how it works and what would be involved in maintaining it. Our advice often includes considerations for asset protection - for example, if you operate via a company, we might suggest holding valuable assets (like property or intellectual property) in a separate family trust to ring-fence them from business risk.
Expert advice on choosing and setting up the right business structure. Whether you are starting a new venture or looking to restructure an existing one, we’ll evaluate the options – sole trader, partnership, company, trust – and recommend the optimal structure. Our focus is on both efficiency and asset protection: safeguarding your personal and family assets from business risks. We can also review your current structure and suggest changes if it’s not providing adequate protection or tax efficiency.
Implementation ▼
When you’re ready, we handle all the paperwork to establish your new structure. This can include registering an ACN and company with ASIC, creating the trust deed and settling a trust, registering for ABNs/TFNs/GST, and setting up business bank accounts. We coordinate with legal professionals if needed (e.g. for complex trust deeds - and we have great affiliates like Danielle, a lawyer, who can assist). Our goal is a smooth, stress-free setup so you can start operating under the new structure quickly and correctly.
“Cash is king” in any small business. We will help you prepare realistic cash flow forecasts and budgets, so you can plan for seasonal fluctuations and growth. By monitoring cash flow and comparing actuals to forecasts, we identify potential shortfalls in advance and craft solutions (like adjusting expenses or seeking finance). Our aim is to improve your business’s cash position, ensuring you can meet obligations and invest in opportunities.
Restructuring Existing Businesses ▼
Already have a business but not sure it’s structured optimally? We can review your current structure and suggest changes if it’s not providing adequate tax efficiency or asset protection. Perhaps you started as a sole trader and have grown - it may be time to transition to a company or trust to save on tax and reduce liability. We’ll outline the steps and timing to restructure (often best done at the end of a financial year for simplicity), and manage the transition so that there is minimal disruption to your business.
Think of us as your external CFO. We provide business advisory services ranging from financial analysis of new opportunities to guidance on improving profitability. Are you looking to grow or scale up? We’ll analyze your financials and KPIs to pinpoint areas for improvement (cost control, pricing strategy, margin enhancement) and help set achievable goals. Considering a major decision like purchasing a new asset or expanding premises? We conduct feasibility studies and scenario planning so you can make informed choices.
Planning to eventually sell or hand over your business? It’s never too early to start succession planning. Link Accounting guides you through preparing your business for sale or transition – from valuing your business and tidying financial records to advising on tax-effective exit strategies (like small business CGT concessions). Our goal is to help you maximize the value you’ve built when the time comes to exit or retire.
We’re not just accountants; we’re partners in your success. Many of our small business clients benefit from regular coaching-style meetings. In these sessions, we review your financial performance, discuss challenges, and keep you accountable to your business goals. It’s like having a knowledgeable business mentor who can interpret the numbers and guide you on strategy. Our clients love that we explain financial concepts in plain language and help them become more confident business owners.
Safeguarding Your Assets
One of the biggest benefits of proper structuring is protecting your personal and family assets from business risks. We’ve unfortunately seen cases where business owners didn’t have the right protections in place – and when the business hit trouble, personal assets like the family home were on the line. Don’t let that happen to you.
Link Accounting will ensure you have measures in place such as:
Separation of Entities ▼
As mentioned, consider using multiple entities (company + trust etc.) to separate operating activities from asset ownership.
Our first step with any new client is a complete review of your current operations and business structure. We want to understand how you’re set up, what’s working, and what needs improvement. From this review, we’ll provide you with actionable recommendations – whether it’s a better accounting system, a tax strategy you haven’t utilized, or an asset protection measure to put in place. Together, we develop a road map tailored to your business.
Insurance ▼
The right business insurance is a must. While not a structure per se, it complements asset protection strategies. We can refer you to insurance brokers if needed to get coverage for public liability, professional indemnity, etc.
Next, we’ll get you set up on our systems with minimal disruption. If you require a cloud accounting platform (like Xero), we handle the setup and training. We also liaise with your previous accountant or bookkeeper (if applicable) to transfer information seamlessly. Our team will ensure all ATO registrations, accounting files, and records are in order. You’ll meet the key team members who will be looking after you, so you know exactly who to contact for what.
Personal Guarantees ▼
We advise on how to handle situations where banks or suppliers ask for personal guarantees. Sometimes they are unavoidable, but we’ll try to negotiate or limit them to reduce your exposure.
Throughout the year, count on us as an extension of your team. We’ll schedule regular check-ins – for some clients that’s quarterly strategy meetings (included in many packages), for others it might be a quick monthly call. Need advice out of the blue? Just ring or email us – we encourage questions and are happy to be your sounding board on financial decisions. And when those inevitable urgent issues pop up (say, a looming BAS deadline or a finance application needing statements), we prioritize getting you sorted fast.
Come end of financial year, we really roll up our sleeves. We’ll do a thorough tax planning session before June 30 to implement any last-minute strategies. After year-end, we prepare your financial statements and tax returns promptly. Then we sit down with you for an annual review meeting – to not only go over the past year’s results, but also plan for the year ahead. We’ll discuss tax-saving outcomes, business performance, and set goals for the new year. This annual cycle ensures continuous improvement and no surprises at tax time.
As a Link Accounting client, you also gain access to our network and resources. We have affiliates in financial planning, insurance, and lending (finance brokers) – so if you need help beyond accounting, we can refer trusted professionals. Check out our blog for free tips and our client resources library for handy guides on topics like record-keeping or cash flow. We want to empower you with knowledge, not keep you in the dark.
Planning to eventually sell or hand over your business? It’s never too early to start succession planning. Link Accounting guides you through preparing your business for sale or transition – from valuing your business and tidying financial records to advising on tax-effective exit strategies (like small business CGT concessions). Our goal is to help you maximize the value you’ve built when the time comes to exit or retire.
We’re not just accountants; we’re partners in your success. Many of our small business clients benefit from regular coaching-style meetings. In these sessions, we review your financial performance, discuss challenges, and keep you accountable to your business goals. It’s like having a knowledgeable business mentor who can interpret the numbers and guide you on strategy. Our clients love that we explain financial concepts in plain language and help them become more confident business owners.
Get Structured for Success
The right structure can save you thousands in tax and give you peace of mind that you’re shielded from worst-case scenarios. It’s far easier (and cheaper) to set things up correctly at the start than to fix problems later. Before you launch your business – or as soon as possible if you’ve already started – consult with our team for professional structuring advice.
Ready to discuss your business structure? Reach out to us for a free initial chat. Call (08) 9455 7022 or email enquiries@linkacct.net.au to get started. We’ll help you choose wisely so you can grow your business with confidence.
Internal Note: Also check out our related service pages like Asset Protection Perth for more on safeguarding wealth, and Small Business Accounting Services for comprehensive support beyond structuring.
What to Expect When You Work with Us
We offer a comprehensive suite of accounting, tax, and advisory services to cover every aspect of your small business’s financial needs. When you partner with Link Accounting, you effectively gain a virtual CFO and finance department that you can dial in as needed. Our business solution services include:
Initial Review & Personalized Plan ▼
Our first step with any new client is a complete review of your current operations and business structure. We want to understand how you’re set up, what’s working, and what needs improvement. From this review, we’ll provide you with actionable recommendations – whether it’s a better accounting system, a tax strategy you haven’t utilized, or an asset protection measure to put in place. Together, we develop a road map tailored to your business.
Smooth Onboarding and System Setup ▼
Next, we’ll get you set up on our systems with minimal disruption. If you require a cloud accounting platform (like Xero), we handle the setup and training. We also liaise with your previous accountant or bookkeeper (if applicable) to transfer information seamlessly. Our team will ensure all ATO registrations, accounting files, and records are in order. You’ll meet the key team members who will be looking after you, so you know exactly who to contact for what.
Ongoing Support & Meetings ▼
Throughout the year, count on us as an extension of your team. We’ll schedule regular check-ins – for some clients that’s quarterly strategy meetings (included in many packages), for others it might be a quick monthly call. Need advice out of the blue? Just ring or email us – we encourage questions and are happy to be your sounding board on financial decisions. And when those inevitable urgent issues pop up (say, a looming BAS deadline or a finance application needing statements), we prioritize getting you sorted fast.
Comprehensive Year-End Process ▼
Come end of financial year, we really roll up our sleeves. We’ll do a thorough tax planning session before June 30 to implement any last-minute strategies. After year-end, we prepare your financial statements and tax returns promptly. Then we sit down with you for an annual review meeting – to not only go over the past year’s results, but also plan for the year ahead. We’ll discuss tax-saving outcomes, business performance, and set goals for the new year. This annual cycle ensures continuous improvement and no surprises at tax time.
Access to Resources & Referrals ▼
As a Link Accounting client, you also gain access to our network and resources. We have affiliates in financial planning, insurance, and lending (finance brokers) – so if you need help beyond accounting, we can refer trusted professionals. Check out our blog for free tips and our client resources library for handy guides on topics like record-keeping or cash flow. We want to empower you with knowledge, not keep you in the dark.
Succession Planning & Exit Strategies ▼
Planning to eventually sell or hand over your business? It’s never too early to start succession planning. Link Accounting guides you through preparing your business for sale or transition – from valuing your business and tidying financial records to advising on tax-effective exit strategies (like small business CGT concessions). Our goal is to help you maximize the value you’ve built when the time comes to exit or retire.
Coaching & Mentoring ▼
We’re not just accountants; we’re partners in your success. Many of our small business clients benefit from regular coaching-style meetings. In these sessions, we review your financial performance, discuss challenges, and keep you accountable to your business goals. It’s like having a knowledgeable business mentor who can interpret the numbers and guide you on strategy. Our clients love that we explain financial concepts in plain language and help them become more confident business owners.
Your Local Perth Accounting Team
Here When You Need Us
Not sure which package fits you? Don’t worry – during our free initial consultation, we’ll learn about your business and recommend the ideal package. And as your business evolves, we can smoothly transition you to the next level of service.
Phone:
Hours:
Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Closed on weekends & public holidays
Parking:
Free parking is available in our building
When you visit our office, you’ll be greeted with a smile (and probably an offer of coffee or tea!). We strive to create a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.
In fact, many clients tell us they actually enjoy coming to see their accountant now – a sentiment we consider the highest compliment!
