PlanSmart Solutions is a Chartered Accounting firm and holds a CA ANZ Certificate of Public Practice.
03 9021 8801Book a discovery call

Chartered Accountants · Melbourne

Your outsourced finance team for better business decisions.

Bookkeeping, payroll, accounting, compliance, management reporting and Virtual CFO support — delivered by one firm, under a clear fixed scope, as your business grows.

Book a free discovery callExplore our services
Clear scope, fixed fees Based in Melbourne, supporting businesses Australia-wide

A Chartered Accounting firm — not a bookkeeping service with an accountant attached.

PlanSmart Solutions is a member firm of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, holding a Certificate of Public Practice.

ReviewedEvery engagement led and signed off by a Chartered Accountant
ScopedWritten fixed-fee proposal agreed before any work begins
CPPCertificate of Public Practice
XeroXero certified advisors
ASASIC registered agent

What PlanSmart does

One finance partner instead of five separate hires.

A growing business eventually needs all of these roles. Very few can justify employing them one at a time — and hiring them in the wrong order is expensive. PlanSmart provides the level of finance capability the business actually needs today, and steps up as it grows.

1BookkeeperDay-to-day records and reconciliations
2Payroll officerPay runs, STP and superannuation
3AccountantFinancial reporting and compliance
4Finance managerManagement reporting and analysis
5CFOStrategy, forecasting and decisions

You engage the scope you need, agreed in writing, and change it as the business changes. Not every client engages every service — the right level is recommended after we understand the business.

Our services

Four levels of finance support. Start where the business is.

Most clients begin with bookkeeping or compliance and move up the ladder over time. Each level assumes the one beneath it is being handled properly — either by us or by your existing team.

Level 1

Bookkeeping & Payroll

Keep the numbers accurate.

We keep your day-to-day finances accurate and up to date, so every layer above this one is built on records you can rely on.

Bank & credit card reconciliationsTransaction codingAccounts payableAccounts receivablePayroll processingSTP processingSuperannuation processingPayroll reconciliationsXero bookkeepingMonth-end bookkeepingCatch-up bookkeepingPayroll support

Final scope depends on transaction volume, number of employees, number of entities and overall complexity.

Then
Level 2

Accounting & Compliance

Keep the business financially organised and compliant.

We keep your financial reporting and compliance obligations under control, reviewed by a Chartered Accountant rather than left to the end of the year.

BAS preparation & reviewGST reportingYear-end financial statementsYear-end accounting adjustmentsCompany accountingTrust accountingASIC corporate complianceFinancial account reviewTax planning supportIncome tax compliance*Catch-up accountingOutstanding lodgements

*Income tax compliance is provided through an appropriately registered tax agent arrangement. Final scope depends on entity structure, number of entities and complexity.

Then
Level 3

Finance Manager & Reporting

Understand what is happening.

Monthly numbers that arrive while you can still act on them, with someone to sit down and explain what they mean for the business.

Monthly management reportingP&L and balance sheet reviewCash-flow reportingCash-flow forecastingBudgetsBudget vs actual reportingKPI dashboardsProfitability analysisMargin analysisBusiness performance reviewsMonthly management meetings

For businesses that have moved beyond basic compliance but do not yet require a full CFO.

Then
Level 4 · Premium

Virtual CFO & Business Advisory

Decide what to do next.

We help business owners understand the numbers and make better decisions — forecasting, modelling and strategic financial input at the level a CFO would provide, without the full-time appointment.

CFO-level financial oversightForecastingScenario analysisFinancial modellingCash-flow managementGrowth planningBusiness structuring supportBusiness purchase supportBusiness sale supportDue diligenceBusiness valuation advisoryBoard & management reportingStrategic financial adviceStrategic meetings

Virtual CFO and advisory engagements are individually scoped. Where a matter requires a registered tax agent, legal practitioner or other regulated professional, we will say so and work alongside them.

Discuss your finance function

How it works

Three steps, and you know the fee before we start.

STEP 01

Discovery

We learn about the business, the current finance function, the problems you’re running into and what you’re trying to achieve.

STEP 02

Scope

PlanSmart recommends the appropriate level of support and provides a clear written fixed-fee proposal. Nothing starts until it’s agreed.

STEP 03

Work together

We take responsibility for the agreed finance function and provide ongoing reporting, accounting and advice in line with the engagement.

Industries

We start with the financial issues your industry actually has.

Different sectors, same underlying questions: is this profitable, can we afford it, and what does it cost us to deliver? Here’s where those questions usually land.

Healthcare & Care Providers

  • Rostered workforce costs
  • Service margins
  • Workforce utilisation
  • Payroll reconciliation
  • Cash flow across funding cycles

NDIS Providers

  • SCHADS-related payroll costs
  • Service profitability
  • Workforce utilisation
  • NDIS payment cycles and cash flow
  • Financial reporting and sustainability

Construction & Trades

  • Job costing
  • Project profitability
  • Progress claims
  • Retentions
  • Labour and subcontractor costs
  • Cash flow across long cycles

Professional Services

  • Utilisation and recoverability
  • Pricing for fixed-fee work
  • Work in progress
  • Partner and staff cost ratios

Marketing & Creative

  • Project profitability
  • Retainer economics
  • Contractor cost management
  • Scope creep and margin erosion

Retail & Hospitality

  • Gross margin by category
  • Wage-to-revenue ratios
  • Multi-site reporting
  • Stock and supplier terms

Transport & Logistics

  • Fleet and vehicle costing
  • Fuel and maintenance tracking
  • Contractor arrangements
  • Cost per job or per kilometre

Property & Investment Entities

  • Trust and company structures
  • Distributions
  • Holding cost analysis
  • Capital gains planning support

Not-for-Profit & Community

  • Grant acquittals
  • Funding body reporting
  • Program-level cost tracking
  • Governance and board reporting

Specialist experience

NDIS & care businesses.

PlanSmart has particular experience with NDIS and care providers, and understands the commercial and financial environment these businesses operate in — where the margin actually sits, how payment cycles affect cash flow, and why a roster decision shows up in the P&L two months later.

This is one part of what we do, not the whole firm. The same reporting and advisory discipline applies across every industry we work with.

Book a free discovery call

Service profitability
Payroll and pay-run accuracy
SCHADS-related financial considerations
Cash flow and payment cycles
Budgeting and forecasting
Financial reporting
Management reporting
Accounting systems
Business growth planning
Provider financial sustainability

PlanSmart provides accounting, financial and business advisory services. We do not provide NDIS regulatory, audit or legal advice, and we will refer you to the appropriate professional where a matter falls outside our scope.

Engagement & fees

Clear scope. Fixed fees. No surprise invoices.

Fees depend on monthly transaction volume, number of employees, payroll frequency, number of entities, complexity, reporting requirements, how often we meet, and the level of advisory involvement. Every engagement is quoted in writing before work starts.

Bookkeeping & Payroll

From $650 /month + GST

Example inclusions:

  • Monthly bookkeeping
  • Bank reconciliations
  • Transaction coding
  • Basic payroll
  • STP and superannuation processing and support
  • Month-end reconciliation

Final pricing depends on transaction volume, payroll size and complexity. Transaction and payroll volumes are agreed as part of the scope.

Accounting & Compliance

From $850 /month + GST

Example inclusions:

  • Ongoing accounting oversight
  • BAS preparation and review
  • Year-end financial statements
  • Year-end accounting adjustments
  • Compliance support
  • Regular account review

Income tax services are provided through an appropriately registered tax agent arrangement. Final pricing depends on entity structure and complexity.

Finance Manager & Reporting

From $1,750 /month + GST

Example inclusions:

  • Everything required from the agreed accounting scope
  • Monthly management accounts
  • P&L and balance sheet review
  • Cash-flow reporting
  • KPI reporting
  • Budget vs actual reporting
  • Monthly management meeting

For businesses that need to understand performance monthly, but do not yet require full CFO involvement.

Premium engagement

Virtual CFO & Advisory

Tailored fixed monthly fee

No fixed package and no price anchor — engagements are scoped following an initial consultation, based on the size of the business, the reporting required and the level of involvement expected. Reach out and we’ll work out what the right level looks like.

Discuss your finance functionor book a private consultation →

  • CFO-level financial oversight
  • Forecasting
  • Budgets
  • Cash-flow management
  • Management and board reporting
  • Scenario modelling
  • Profitability analysis
  • Strategic meetings
  • Growth planning
  • Financial decision support

Strategic & Project Advisory

Scoped and quoted per engagement

Defined-scope advisory projects, quoted individually and confirmed in writing before work starts. Reach out with what you’re weighing up and we’ll scope it.

Request a scoped proposalor book a private consultation →

  • Business purchase analysis
  • Business sale preparation
  • Due diligence
  • Financial modelling
  • Restructuring analysis
  • Business performance review
  • Strategic financial review
  • Other project-based advisory

All fees are quoted in Australian dollars and exclude GST. “From” pricing applies to services that can reasonably be standardised; complex accounting, CFO and advisory engagements are individually scoped. Final pricing is always confirmed in writing before work starts.

Request a fixed-fee proposal

Two ways to start

Looking for a finance partner, or need advice on one specific thing?

These are two different conversations, so we’ve kept them separate.

For prospective ongoing clients

Free Discovery Call

15 minutes · No charge

A short introductory conversation to work out whether an ongoing engagement makes sense for both of us.

  • Understand your business and how it operates
  • Understand what finance support you need
  • Determine whether PlanSmart is a good fit
  • Explain the next steps and how scoping works
Book a free 15-minute discovery call

A discovery call is an introductory conversation about scope and fit. It is not a free accounting or advisory consultation — if you need advice on a specific issue, the private consultation is the right option.

Outcomes

What the work actually changes.

Anonymised examples of the kind of work we take on and where it typically leaves the business.

Healthcare provider

Problem

Books and lodgements had fallen significantly behind, and the business had no reliable view of its financial position.

What PlanSmart did

Rebuilt the accounting file, reconciled accounts, identified outstanding obligations and established an ongoing monthly accounting process.

Outcome

The business moved from reactive accounting to an organised monthly finance process with clearer visibility over its financial position.

Construction & trades

Problem

Revenue was growing but cash was not, and there was no visibility over which jobs were contributing and which were not.

What PlanSmart did

Restructured the accounts to report at job level, introduced monthly management reporting and reviewed labour and subcontractor costs against contract types.

Outcome

Management could see project-level profitability each month and used it to inform pricing and job selection at the next tender round.

Professional services

Problem

A profitable business was operating under a structure that no longer suited its size, with no forward planning and decisions made on the bank balance.

What PlanSmart did

Reviewed the structure and reporting, worked with the appropriate registered practitioners where required, and put budgeting, cash-flow forecasting and a monthly management meeting in place.

Outcome

The owners moved from reacting to bank balances to planning ahead against a budget, with a structure appropriate to the current size of the business.

Abdi Ibrahim, Founder and Principal Advisor
Chartered AccountantCertificate of Public Practice

About

Abdi Ibrahim

Founder and Principal Advisor

PlanSmart Solutions was built on a simple observation: most growing businesses receive the same set of accounts their accountant has always produced, months after the period closed, with nobody sitting down to explain what it means.

Abdi is a Chartered Accountant holding a Certificate of Public Practice with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. His experience spans chartered practice, financial reporting and audit, commercial accounting and finance management, and business advisory — including substantial work with NDIS and care sector providers.

Chartered accountingFinancial reportingAuditCommercial accountingFinance managementBusiness advisoryNDIS & care sector
“The report is only worth something if it changes what you do on Monday.”

The combination is deliberate: professional accounting standards, applied with practical commercial experience. Abdi oversees every client engagement personally, and nothing leaves the firm until a Chartered Accountant has reviewed it.

Common questions

Frequently asked

What does it mean that PlanSmart is a Chartered Accounting firm?

PlanSmart Solutions holds a Certificate of Public Practice with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ). A Certificate of Public Practice is required before a CA ANZ member can offer accounting services to the public in their own right, and it carries ongoing obligations around professional standards, continuing professional development, quality review and professional indemnity insurance.

In practice it means your work is performed within a recognised professional framework and reviewed by a Chartered Accountant, rather than by a provider operating without that oversight.

Can PlanSmart handle tax returns?

Income tax compliance is provided through an appropriately registered tax agent arrangement. We prepare and manage the underlying accounting, financial statements and supporting work, and coordinate lodgement through that arrangement.

Where a matter requires a registered tax agent, legal practitioner or other regulated professional in their own right, we will tell you and work alongside them rather than acting outside our scope.

How much does PlanSmart cost?

We work on agreed fixed fees rather than hourly billing. Ongoing services start from $650 per month plus GST for bookkeeping and payroll, from $850 per month plus GST for accounting and compliance, and from $1,750 per month plus GST for management reporting. Virtual CFO and advisory engagements are individually scoped.

What you actually pay depends on transaction volume, employee numbers, payroll frequency, number of entities, complexity, reporting requirements and how often we meet. You receive a written fixed-fee proposal before any work begins.

Can you help if our bookkeeping or BAS is behind?

Yes — catch-up bookkeeping, catch-up accounting and outstanding lodgements are a regular part of what we do. This work is subject to an initial review so we can see how far behind the file is and what condition it is in, and it is then scoped and quoted before we start.

It is usually better to deal with this earlier than later. Overdue obligations rarely improve on their own.

Do you only work with NDIS providers?

No. PlanSmart works across a broad range of industries — construction and trades, professional services, marketing and creative businesses, retail and hospitality, transport and logistics, property and investment entities, and not-for-profit organisations, among others.

We do have particular experience with healthcare, care and NDIS businesses, which is why that sector is called out separately. It is an area of strength rather than the limit of what we do.

Do you work with businesses outside Melbourne?

Yes. We are based in Melbourne and support businesses across Australia. Bookkeeping, accounting, reporting and advisory services can all be delivered remotely where appropriate, and management meetings are held online for clients outside Victoria.

What is the difference between bookkeeping, accounting and Virtual CFO services?

Bookkeeping keeps the records current — transactions coded, accounts reconciled, payroll processed.

Accounting and compliance make sure financial reporting and obligations are properly managed — BAS, financial statements, year-end adjustments and corporate compliance.

Virtual CFO and advisory uses that financial information to help management make better business decisions — forecasting, modelling, profitability analysis and strategic input.

Each layer depends on the one below it. Advice built on unreliable records is worth very little, which is why we take the whole ladder seriously.

Get in touch

Let’s talk about where the business is at.

Start with a free 15-minute discovery call if you’re considering ongoing support, or book a private consultation if you need advice on something specific. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you that too.

Phone03 9021 8801
Emailinfo@plansmartsolutions.com
Office119/1510 Pascoe Vale Road
Coolaroo VIC 3048
Based in Melbourne, supporting businesses across Australia

Send an enquiry

We’ll reply within one business day.

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