Quick answer
Your accountant is worth having on a business loan call when the situation involves tax debt, trusts or company structures, recent financial statements, a restructure or figures you don't know well yourself. For simple situations — an equipment purchase, a short cash flow gap — you can usually handle the first call and bring your accountant in later. Either way, an owner or director who can speak for the business needs to be on the call.
Key points
- Bring your accountant in for tax debt, trusts, company structures or complex financials.
- A bookkeeper or partner who knows the day-to-day numbers is often more useful than an accountant on a first call.
- An owner or director needs to be on the call to speak for the business.
- Brief whoever joins: the purpose, the amount, the deadline and what you want from the call.
A lot of owners have the same thought after requesting a call-back: “Should I get my accountant on this?” It’s a sensible instinct. Accountants know the numbers, the structure and the tax position, and a finance conversation touches all three.
But it isn’t always the right move for a first call. Sometimes a second voice saves a week of emails. Sometimes it turns a twenty-minute conversation into an hour. Here’s how to decide — and how to make it work if you do.
When is it worth having your accountant on the call?
Your accountant earns their place when the call involves things they know better than you do:
- Tax debt. If the conversation is about an ATO balance, your accountant can explain what it’s made up of, what’s lodged and what isn’t, and where any payment plan stands. That matters because the split between GST, PAYG withholding and super guarantee affects the risks for directors — under the ATO’s director penalty regime, directors can become personally liable for unpaid PAYG withholding, GST and super guarantee charge.
- Trusts and company structures. If the business, the property or both sit in a trust, or there are several related entities, your accountant can explain who owns what and who can sign.
- Recent financial statements. If the lender will look at profit and loss or a balance sheet, your accountant can explain unusual items — a one-off expense, a write-off, owner drawings.
- A restructure or turnaround. If the business is changing shape, your accountant’s view on where it’s heading can help the specialist understand the plan.
- Buying a business. Your accountant may already have reviewed the seller’s figures and can speak to them directly.
In these situations, having your accountant available — even just for the part of the call that needs them — can answer in minutes what would otherwise take several emails.
When can you handle the first call yourself?
For many situations, you’re the best person to talk, and your accountant can come in later if needed:
- An equipment purchase with a clear quote.
- A short cash flow gap where you know when money is coming in.
- A stock purchase you make regularly.
- A first conversation to understand options, where nothing is being decided yet.
The first call is mostly about purpose, amount, timing, trading and security — things you know. If a detailed question comes up, it’s fine to say “I’ll check that with my accountant and come back to you.”
If you’re ready to have that first conversation, request a call-back here and choose a window that suits you — or one that suits your accountant too.
Is a bookkeeper or business partner more useful than an accountant?
Often, on a first call, yes. The specialist’s early questions are about day-to-day numbers:
- What does a typical month’s turnover look like?
- What goes out each week in repayments?
- Who owes the business money, and when is it due?
- What’s the bank balance been doing lately?
A bookkeeper who reconciles the accounts every week, or a partner who handles the money side of the business, can usually answer those faster than an accountant who sees the figures quarterly or annually.
| Who | Most useful for |
|---|---|
| You (owner or director) | Purpose, plans, decisions, the story behind the numbers |
| Business partner | Shared decisions, their side of the business, any property they own |
| Bookkeeper | Current turnover, what’s owed and owing, recent bank activity |
| Accountant | Tax position, structures, financial statements, restructures |
Who must be on the call?
An owner or director who can speak for the business. The specialist needs to hear from the person who can make decisions and who would sign any agreement. Your accountant, bookkeeper or partner can join, but they can’t replace you.
If there’s more than one director, and they’d all need to sign, it can help to have them on the call too — or at least to have discussed it beforehand so you’re on the same page.
How do I brief whoever is joining?
Five minutes of briefing makes the call much smoother. Tell them:
- What the money is for, how much and by when — your one-sentence summary.
- What you want from the call — understanding options, comparing costs, checking whether a deadline is realistic.
- What you’d like them to handle — for example, “If they ask about the ATO balance or the trust, can you answer that?”
- Anything sensitive — a past default, a dispute, a partner who isn’t fully on board.
- The window — in their time zone as well as yours if they’re elsewhere.
Our pre-call routine guide has a fifteen-minute checklist that works for two people just as well as one.
How do I run the call with more than one person?
- Introduce everyone at the start, with their role. “I’m the director; my accountant is on the line for any tax questions.”
- Let the owner lead. The specialist wants to hear the story from you.
- Hand over for detail. When a question is squarely in your accountant’s area, let them answer.
- Avoid talking over each other. On speakerphone especially, pause before jumping in.
- Agree who follows up. If documents need to be sent, decide on the call who’s sending what.
What if your accountant and the specialist see it differently?
It happens, and it can be useful. Your accountant knows your tax position and your history. The specialist knows how lenders assess risk and which options exist. If they disagree — about the right structure, the timing, whether to borrow at all — ask each to explain their reasoning in plain terms.
Some common points of difference:
- Payment plan versus loan for tax debt. Your accountant may prefer a payment plan; the specialist may point out the cost of the ATO’s interest, which is no longer tax deductible for charges from 1 July 2025, or the risk of the plan being cancelled. Both views are worth hearing.
- Timing. An accountant may suggest waiting for updated financial statements; a specialist may point out that bank statements are enough for some options now.
- Whether to borrow at all. Sometimes the right answer is no loan. business.gov.au’s guidance on managing debt suggests seeking professional support and exploring payment arrangements with creditors. A good specialist will agree when that’s the better path.
The decision is yours. Having both views on the table helps you make it well.
What if you don’t have an accountant?
That’s fine for a first call. Many smaller businesses manage their own books with a bookkeeper or software. The specialist will work with your bank statements and your own understanding of the business. If the situation turns out to need professional input — a complex tax position, a restructure — they’ll tell you.
What should my accountant prepare?
If your accountant is joining, a little preparation on their side makes their time count. Ask them to have ready:
- Your latest lodged BAS and tax return, and the status of anything outstanding.
- Your ATO account balances, broken down by type, if tax debt is involved.
- The most recent financial statements, with a note on any unusual items — a one-off loss, a large asset purchase, owner drawings.
- The structure — which entity trades, which owns property, and who the directors, shareholders or trustees are.
If they’d rather not join the call, ask them for a short written summary of the same points instead. Many specialists find a one-page note from the accountant just as useful as having them on the line, and it costs you less of their time.
Ready to set up the call?
Whether it’s just you or you’re bringing someone along, the aim is the same: one useful conversation that leaves you clear on your options. Requesting a call-back doesn’t involve a credit check, your details go to one team rather than being scattered across lenders, and the specialist reads your request before ringing.
Please complete the request accurately — amount, purpose, state and any property you own — so the conversation starts from the right place. If someone else will join, mention it and choose a window that suits you both. Request your call-back here.
Frequently asked questions
Can my accountant take the call instead of me?
The conversation needs to include an owner or director who can speak for the business and make decisions. Your accountant is welcome to join and answer detailed questions, but not to replace you.
Will my accountant charge for joining the call?
Possibly — that's between you and your accountant. If cost is a concern, ask them to join only for the part of the call that needs them, or brief them afterwards.
Should I tell the specialist someone else is on the line?
Yes, at the start. Introduce them and explain their role, so the specialist knows who to direct detailed questions to.
What if my accountant and the specialist disagree?
That can be useful. Ask each to explain their reasoning in plain terms. Your accountant knows your tax position; the specialist knows how lenders assess risk. You make the decision.
Do I need up-to-date financial statements before the call?
Not for a first call. Recent bank statements tell a lot. For larger or more complex borrowing, statements may be needed later, and that's often when your accountant's input matters most.