Sole Trader Records
Sole trader tax records checklist for Australia.
Sole traders need clear income and expense records so BAS, GST and income tax preparation is less painful. This page helps organise records before a bookkeeper or registered tax agent reviews them.
Records to keep ready
- Invoices issued, payment records and marketplace or payment processor reports.
- Receipts and supplier invoices for business expenses.
- Bank statements, credit card statements and loan or finance records.
- Vehicle, travel, phone, internet and home office records where business use is claimed.
- Equipment purchases, depreciation notes and insurance records.
- Superannuation contributions, contractor payments and any employee payroll records if relevant.
Monthly habit
- Week 1Upload receipts and reconcile bank feeds while transactions are fresh.
- Week 2Review income, unpaid invoices and expense categories.
- Week 3Flag uncertain tax treatment for a bookkeeper or tax agent.
- Week 4Save reports and notes before the next BAS or tax review.
Official source
Confirm current record-keeping and due-date requirements with the ATO due dates guidance and your registered tax agent.
Next step
Build a checklist for your reporting frequency, then prepare cleanup notes for a bookkeeper.
Build sole trader checklist