How to Prepare Your Own BAS as an Australian Electrician (Without an Accountant)
Most electricians pay $200–$400 per quarter for an accountant to prepare and lodge their BAS. If your business has straightforward income and expenses, you can do it yourself in under an hour — and keep that money in your pocket.
2026 BAS Due Dates
Q1 (Jul–Sep 2025)
Due: 28 October 2025
Q2 (Oct–Dec 2025)
Due: 28 February 2026
Q3 (Jan–Mar 2026)
Due: 28 April 2026
Q4 (Apr–Jun 2026)
Due: 28 July 2026
Do You Actually Need an Accountant for BAS?
Accountants provide real value for year-end tax returns, complex structures, and strategic tax planning. But quarterly BAS for a straightforward electrical business? That's largely data entry — and if your records are in order, you can do it yourself.
The ATO designed the Business Portal specifically so business owners can self-lodge. When you have the right system tracking your invoices and expenses in real time, preparing BAS becomes a matter of running a report and transferring three numbers.
You probably don't need an accountant for BAS if:
- Your income is primarily from electrical services (all taxable at 10% GST)
- You have employees but use payroll software that calculates PAYG withholding
- You don't have complex mixed-use assets or export income
- Your turnover is under $20 million (quarterly, not monthly, lodgement)
The 3 Numbers That Matter
BAS forms look intimidating because they have many boxes. For most electrical contractors, only three matter:
Total Sales (GST-inclusive)
All income you invoiced this quarter, including the GST component. If you invoiced $110,000 total, G1 = $110,000.
GST Paid on Purchases (Input Tax Credits)
The GST portion of your business expenses — materials, tools, fuel, insurance, vehicle servicing. If you spent $33,000 on GST-inclusive purchases, 1B = $3,000.
GST Payable (What You Owe)
Automatically calculated: G1 ÷ 11 minus 1B. In this example: $110,000 ÷ 11 = $10,000 − $3,000 = $7,000 owing to the ATO.
Step-by-Step: Gathering Your Records
The most common reason BAS takes hours instead of minutes is chasing down paperwork after the fact. Here's what you need to collect:
BAS Records Checklist
Important: You need a valid tax invoice for any purchase over $82.50 (including GST) to claim the GST credit.
Step-by-Step: Calculating Your Figures
Add up all GST-inclusive income
Total all invoices you issued during the quarter, including the GST component. This is your G1 figure. If you use an ERP or accounting software, run a Sales by Period report — it should give you this number directly.
Calculate GST collected (1A before credits)
Divide G1 by 11. This is the GST embedded in your sales. Example: $110,000 ÷ 11 = $10,000.
Add up all GST-inclusive business expenses
Total all tax invoices for business purchases: materials, tools, fuel, insurance, accounting fees, etc. Don't include wages — they're not a GST purchase.
Calculate your input tax credits (1B)
Divide total purchases by 11. This is the GST you paid to suppliers. Example: $33,000 ÷ 11 = $3,000.
Calculate net GST (1A)
GST collected minus GST credits = what you owe. $10,000 − $3,000 = $7,000. This is 1A on your BAS.
Step-by-Step: Lodging via ATO Business Portal
- 1Go to business.ato.gov.au and log in (or via myGov → ATO)
- 2Select "Activity Statements" from the tax menu
- 3Click the BAS period you want to lodge
- 4Enter G1 (total sales including GST)
- 5Enter 1B (GST on purchases)
- 6The portal calculates 1A automatically
- 7Complete PAYG withholding section if you have employees
- 8Review the summary, confirm, and submit
- 9Pay any amount owing by the due date via BPAY or direct debit
- 10Save your lodgement confirmation number
What to Do if the Numbers Look Wrong
GST owing is much higher than expected
Check that you've captured all input tax credits. Missing receipts are the most common cause. Also check you haven't double-counted income.
GST owing is zero or negative (refund)
This can happen if you made large purchases this quarter. It's legitimate — the ATO will refund you. Just double-check your purchase total is accurate.
Figures don't match your bank statements
Reconcile your bank account first. Unreconciled transactions are usually the gap. Cash jobs are a common omission — all income must be declared.
How Software Eliminates the Manual Work
The reason BAS feels hard is usually because records aren't kept in real time. When you chase receipts weeks after the fact, reconcile spreadsheets manually, and calculate GST on a calculator, it takes hours.
When your ERP tracks GST automatically on every invoice and expense, BAS preparation is reduced to running a single report. The figures are already there — G1 from your sales, 1B from your purchases. You're just transferring numbers from the report to the ATO portal.
What a good system does automatically
- Applies 10% GST to every customer invoice
- Captures GST on supplier receipts when you photograph them
- Tracks which purchases have tax invoices vs. just receipts
- Generates a GST summary report by quarter with G1, 1B, and 1A pre-calculated
- Reconciles income against bank deposits
FAQ
Do I need an accountant to lodge my BAS?
No — most electricians can self-lodge through the ATO Business Portal. Accountants add value for complex tax structures and year-end returns, but quarterly BAS for a straightforward electrical business is well within reach.
What are the 3 numbers I need for my BAS?
G1 (total sales including GST), 1B (GST you paid on business purchases), and 1A (net GST owing = G1 ÷ 11 minus 1B). Everything else on the form is secondary.
What if I make a mistake?
Correct it on your next BAS or lodge a revision via the ATO portal. The ATO treats honest mistakes reasonably when corrected promptly. Always lodge on time — the penalty for not lodging is higher than for a calculation error.
How long does BAS preparation take?
With records up to date, 30–60 minutes. If you track invoices and expenses in real time using an ERP, it can be under 30 minutes — just run the report and transfer the numbers.
Can I claim GST on tools and equipment?
Yes. Tools, equipment, safety gear, and materials are legitimate business expenses. You need a tax invoice (showing ABN and GST amount) for any purchase over $82.50 including GST.
Key Takeaways
- You don't need an accountant for straightforward quarterly BAS
- Only three numbers matter for most electricians: G1, 1B, and 1A
- Lodge on time even if your figures aren't perfect — late lodgement penalties are steep
- Keep all tax invoices over $82.50 to claim input tax credits
- Real-time record-keeping turns BAS from a chore into a 30-minute task
GST Tracked Automatically — BAS in One Click
TPT ERP tracks GST on every invoice and expense in real time. When BAS is due, run the GST report and your G1, 1B, and 1A figures are already calculated. No spreadsheets, no chasing receipts.
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