Onboarding Process

Give us a call or drop us an email to set up a time to chat through what you need and how we might be able to help.

Your accountant needs to be a trusted business partner and it is important that you select someone you feel comfortable working with. It is also important that your business is right for us. This is to ensure we can provide an efficient and responsive service and that we have the capacity and expertise to carry out the work required.

We should talk through what you are looking for from your accountant, your current accounting and tax status, what services are required and by when, and the potential costs involved.

If we agree to progress our engagement you will need to complete the onboarding process. This includes:

Client verification (as required by legislation)
Agreement of our standard Terms of Trade (as outlined on this website)
Authorisation to add the tax payer entities to our agency list with the IRD
Signing of an engagement letter which outlines the services to be provided

Client Verification

New Zealand legislation requires accountants (amongst others) to take reasonable steps to detect and deter money laundering and terrorism financing. Part of our compliance process is to verify the individuals we are trading with. Sole-traders, all Partners of a Partnership, Directors and Shareholders of Companies, and Trustees of a Trust must complete the verification process before an engagement for a new client can commence.

Once you have completed the client verification steps with us for your first engagement, you should not need to complete them again unless something material changes.

For more information see the Department of Internal Affairs webpage for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Finance of Terrorism.

Terms of Trade

All clients are required to agree to our standard terms of trade before the engagement can commence. Our terms of trade will be included as part of your engagement letter and are as detail on our website. Terms of trade may vary from time to time and will be updated as required.

View our standard Terms of Trade

IRD Authorisation

To enable The Accountant Online Limited to view your tax status and records with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) we require written authorisation from you. This authorisation is also required for us to be able to file returns on your behalf and maintain your tax records, but rest assured that we never file any information with the IRD without your prior approval.

IRD authorisation is provided to us in a letter and will form part of your onboarding process.

Engagement Letters

Engagement letters outline the services to be provided and any additional terms and conditions or information regarding the assignment, and they help to make everyone is clear on what services will be provided and what each of the parties are responsible for.

We understand that sometimes things change. The Accountant Online Limited is committed to making sure you are aware of any issues regarding the assignment at the earliest possible time, and that alternative or corrective actions are agreed and implemented as early as possible. In some cases the assignment may no longer be viable and our cancellation process is outlined in our standard Terms of Trade.

Engagement letters are prepared and agreed per assignment.