01 · Base camp
It starts with clean books.
CPA-reviewed bookkeeping and stress-free payroll: the solid ground every great business is built on.
Bookkeeping & Payroll
CPA Australia Qualified
Registered BAS & ASIC Agent
Canberra and the ACT
Accounting, Payroll and
Outsourced CFO
in Canberra
A CPA-qualified practice that handles the compliance, builds the systems on top of it, and steps up to board-level financial leadership when you need it. Fixed fee, no lock-in.
Why Canberra businesses call us
One Partner Instead of Four Suppliers
Most Canberra businesses end up with a bookkeeper who does not talk to the accountant, an IT contractor who does not understand the finance stack, and a web developer who has never seen the numbers. Nothing joins up, and the gaps between them are where the errors live. Ascend covers the whole span: books, payroll, BAS and ASIC, the systems they run on, the website in front of them, and the CFO layer above them.
Everything Ascend does is available to Canberra clients, delivered from here:
Bookkeeping and payroll
CPA-reviewed cloud books, STP-compliant payroll, super and leave.
BAS and ASIC agent
Registered on both. GST, PAYG and IAS lodgement, plus company compliance.
Outsourced CFO
Board-level financial leadership without a full-time hire.
Systems and software
Certified across seven platforms. Platform-neutral advice.
Business process optimisation
Process mapping, automation and KPI reporting.
Web and digital
Sites, hosting and the digital marketing that fills them.
The local picture
Built for the Way Canberra Works
Canberra's economy leans heavily on professional services, consultancies and contracting, and that shapes the accounting. Contractor and employee classification, project-based revenue recognition, and payroll that has to be right first time all matter more here than in a straightforward retail business. We work with that mix daily, and we handle the ASIC side too, so company compliance does not become a separate problem.
What our clients say
Trusted by Canberra Businesses and Beyond
“Ascend Solutions has been advising and implementing all the governance and NFP compliance requirements for our ACNC registered charity. Their expertise has been invaluable.”
“Exceptional advice and ongoing support to get our business up and running. They helped with accounting setup, payroll, web development and integration.”
“Ascend Solutions helped me navigate the myriad of software packages out there, and has been there to answer all my questions, no matter how quirky!”
ascend
ADVISORY
Outgrown Your Bookkeeper?
Get a CFO Without the Salary.
For businesses with $1M+ revenue that need strategic financial leadership — not just compliance. Our outsourced CFO service gives you C-suite insight at a fraction of the cost.
- Financial strategy & planning
- Management reporting & KPI dashboards
- Budgeting, forecasting & cash flow
- Board & investor reporting
- Growth advisory & M&A support
Starting from
Outsourced CFO
From $3,000/month
vs. $180,000+ per year for a full-time hire. Scale up or down monthly.
See Engagement OptionsThe Ascent
Five stages. One partner.
The whole way up.
Scroll to climb. Wherever you are on the mountain, we meet you there and take you higher.
02 · First light
Compliance you never lose sleep over.
Registered BAS & ASIC agents keeping you lodged, accurate and on time, every deadline.
BAS & ASIC Agent03 · The ridge
Systems that carry the load.
Business improvement and systems advisory: we build the engine so your business runs without you.
Business Improvement & Advisory04 · Above the clouds
A presence that grows with you.
Conversion-focused websites, managed hosting and custom apps, built by the team that knows your numbers.
Web, Hosting & App Design05 · The summit
Strategy, from the very top.
Ascend Advisory: your virtual CFO. Forecasting, insight and the clarity to make confident moves.
Ascend Advisory · virtual CFO
Common questions
Canberra FAQ
Do I need a registered BAS agent in Canberra?
If your business is registered for GST you must lodge a Business Activity Statement, and only a registered BAS agent can legally charge a fee to prepare and lodge it for you. A registered agent is bound by the Tax Practitioners Board Code of Professional Conduct and carries professional indemnity cover. Ascend Solutions is a registered BAS agent, and you can verify that yourself on the TPB public register.
Can you handle contractor versus employee classification?
Yes, and in Canberra it comes up constantly because so much of the local economy runs on contracting. Getting the classification wrong creates exposure on superannuation, PAYG withholding and payroll tax at the same time. We assess the arrangement against the current tests and set the payroll up to match, rather than discovering the problem at audit.
Do you only work with Canberra businesses?
No. Canberra and Brisbane are where we are based and where most clients are, but the work is delivered remotely and we act for businesses across Australia. Nothing about the service depends on you being local.
What does it cost?
Bookkeeping packages start around $599 a month on a fixed fee, scaling with transaction volume and complexity. Outsourced CFO is a separate engagement with its own tiers. There is no lock-in contract, and we will tell you if you do not need the tier you are asking about.
Can you take over from our current bookkeeper?
Yes, and it is a common starting point. We review the current file first, tell you honestly what state it is in, and quote any catch-up work separately from the ongoing fee so you can see exactly what you are paying to fix versus paying to maintain.
Talk to a CPA about your Canberra business
A free consultation, and a straight answer about whether we are the right fit. If we are not, we will say so.