Cass Scott Business Services

24/09/2026

Some news from the Cass Scott Business Services desk: I've been named a finalist in the 2026 Luca Awards, in the Service to Bookkeeping or Bookkeeping Advocate of the Year category.

This award recognises work done for the bookkeeping profession as a whole, not for one business. Supporting bookkeepers through training, mentoring and community is the heart of what this business does, so it's lovely to see that work recognised.

Thank you to everyone who nominated and supported me. Winners will be announced at the Luca Awards Dinner in Adelaide on Friday 30 October, and I'll be there.

28/07/2026

We've seen this movie before. It was Microsoft Access databases last time.

Through the nineties and two thousands, plenty of businesses ran on a custom Access database built by one person who understood the business inside out. It worked brilliantly, until that person left, and the business was left holding a system nobody else could maintain.

The apps proliferating through our industry now are the same risk in a new format, cloud based, subscription priced, and increasingly easy to build thanks to AI-assisted development tools. That ease of creation is a genuine positive. It's also accelerating exactly the risk this post is about.

For registered BAS and tax agents there's an added layer too. New TPB guidance published just this week reinforces that reviewing the tools you use, including who built them and whether they're still maintained, sits inside your Code of Professional Conduct obligations, not just good practice.

Our latest blog sets out the questions worth asking before any tool becomes load-bearing.

New apps are flooding the bookkeeping and small business space, many built by solo developers. What happens when a tool you depend on stops being maintained?

25/06/2026

⚠️ New regulations. New scam risks. Here's what your business needs to know.

From 1 July 2026, Australia's new AML/CTF (Anti-Money Laundering & Counter-Terrorism Financing) Tranche 2 laws come into effect. As a result, some businesses will start receiving legitimate requests from their bookkeeper or accountant to verify their identity and provide personal or business information.

Scammers know this — and they will use it.

Phishing emails, fake "AUSTRAC compliance" portals, impersonators posing as your advisor — it's coming. Criminals will piggyback on this regulatory change to harvest sensitive data from business owners who don't know what a legitimate request looks like.

A few things to keep in mind:

✅ Your bookkeeper or accountant should reach out to you proactively — before requests land — to explain what may be required and why
✅ Always verify the legitimacy of any request before handing over sensitive information
✅ If anything feels off, call your advisor directly on a number you already have on file — don't use contact details in the request itself

I won't be stepping into AML/CTF designated services, so you won't be receiving these requests from me. But many of your other advisors may — and it's important you know how to spot the difference between a legitimate ask and a scam.

Stay alert. When regulations change, opportunists follow. 🔒

17/05/2026

Can we just normalise admitting that a lot of us have been nodding through AI conversations while quietly having absolutely no idea what's being said?

Because I've been there. Recently. More than once.

The AI space has developed its own language at a pace that's left a lot of very capable people. Business owners, bookkeepers, accountants are all playing catch-up on terminology before they can even evaluate whether a tool is worth their time.

So I wrote a plain-English glossary. 15 terms, real-world analogies, no jargon in the explanations. Written by someone still very much on the learning curve (me!) which I figure makes me reasonably qualified to explain it to everyone else on the same road.

Link in the comments.

And if there are terms I missed that have been doing your head in, drop them below - happy to tackle them.

10/05/2026

Here's a question worth thinking about. If a business would pay $90,000 plus super and oncosts to employ a bookkeeper, what does that say about what they should be paying you?

The Hays FY25/26 Salary Guide puts employed bookkeeper salaries between $72,000 and $100,000 depending on experience and location. But that's just the starting point. Once you load up superannuation, leave entitlements, WorkCover, and recruitment costs, the real cost to a business sits closer to $105,000 to $115,000+ a year. And that's for someone in one role, doing one defined job.

Most of you are doing the work of two or three people. Is your pricing reflecting that?

I've done the full breakdown in our latest blog post, including the loaded rate calculation and what it actually means for how practices should be pricing their services. Worth a read if you haven't reviewed your rates lately.

Link in comments.

10/03/2026

“I’m just not very good with tech.”
“My clients will never do that.”
“That’s what they pay me for.”

Sometimes these statements reflect genuine uncertainty.
Other times they signal something else - weaponised incompetence.

It’s the subtle positioning of “I can’t or I won't” so someone else takes responsibility.

In bookkeeping practices, this behaviour rarely shows up dramatically. Instead, it appears in small and subtle ways:
- Tasks returned incomplete
- Repeated “mistakes” on the same processes
- Resistance to simple approvals or workflows
- Leaders quietly stepping in to fix things

Over time, capable people become the safety net and the imbalance becomes the norm. Strong practices aren’t built on dependency. They’re built on clear ownership, clear expectations and shared responsibility.

In my latest blog, I explore what weaponised incompetence looks like in practice and how leaders can address it. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I’ll just do it myself, this might resonate.

Read the full blog here: https://www.cscottbusiness.com.au/resource-centre/blog/weaponised-incompetence-a-leadership-challenge-in-modern-practices/

16/02/2026

As automation becomes part of everyday bookkeeping, I keep hearing the same question: “If the work takes less time, how can we charge the same?”

The issue isn’t AI.
It’s how we define value.

Clients aren’t paying for minutes. They’re paying for accuracy, compliance, clarity and reduced risk. Automation may speed up tasks, but it doesn’t replace professional judgement or accountability.

The bookkeeping profession is evolving, from transactional processing to strategic support.

Our pricing needs to reflect that shift.

I’ve shared more on why strategic pricing matters in today’s environment in my latest blog: https://www.cscottbusiness.com.au/resource-centre/blog/strategic-pricing-in-a-changing-bookkeeping-landscape/

20/01/2026

New blog: Payday Super - What’s Changing and What You Need to Know

From 1 July 2026, employers will be required to pay superannuation at the same time as wages, rather than monthly or quarterly. For many businesses, this means reviewing payroll workflows, payment timing and cash flow planning

We’ve published a new blog that explains what’s changing and what businesses should start reviewing now to avoid last-minute pressure.

Read more: https://www.cscottbusiness.com.au/resource-centre/blog/payday-super-whats-changing-and-what-you-need-to-know/

19/11/2025

Interested in starting to learn more and understand about new requirements that MAY impact our industry next year? (and yes... I say MAY, because there are a number of different considerations involved).

Webinar details below!

Let me know if there are any questions you want me to ask as well!

Email from My CPE Pty Ltd Registrations are limited BLOG NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS QUALIFICATIONS CPE BUNDLES Tranche 2 AML/CTF Reforms Australia’s anti-money laundering landscape is about to change dramatic