The franking account: credits, debits and franking deficit tax for private companies
How a company’s franking account works: what creates franking credits and debits, how a franked dividend is worked out, and when franking deficit tax applies.
Resources
Practical guides for running a connected practice
Short, specific reads on workflow, documents and compliance work, written by people who build the tools accountants use every day.
Latest guides
Start with the question your team is asking this month
Each guide ends with the part of AccountKit that makes the next step practical.
Practice management software for UK accounting firms: what to look for in 2026
What UK firms need from practice management software in 2026: MTD for Income Tax, Companies House ID checks, AML records and Xero, and how to choose.
The Xero partner programme explained: status levels, points and what each one includes
How Xero partner points work, what Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum include, and why Silver decides whether Xero Practice Manager is free.
Xero Tax and Xero Workpapers: how year end fits together with XPM
How Xero Tax, Xero Workpapers and Xero Practice Manager fit together at year end in Australia, and where AccountKit’s schedules and journals come in.
Document management for accounting firms: folder structure, naming and retention
Lay out client folders by group, entity, year and job type, and name files one way. Each year folder then gets a retention date, 3 to 7 years by country.
Accounting workflow management: recurring jobs, owners and due dates that hold
Give every BAS, VAT and tax return job an owner, a reviewer and dates worked back from the lodgment calendar. A worked BAS quarter shows three due dates.
AML for accountants in Australia: what Tranche 2 covers and what to do first
From 1 July 2026, accountants who set up a company or trust, or lend a registered office, must enrol with AUSTRAC within 28 days. Tax returns aren’t covered.
Client onboarding checklist for accounting firms: from yes to the first job
Eight onboarding steps in order, each with an owner, from engagement letter to first recurring job, and the ID, AML and tax agent checks in AU, UK, US and NZ.
Director’s loan accounts and s455 tax: the rules for UK practices
The s455 tax rate is 35.75% on director’s loans made from 6 April 2026 (33.75% before). When it’s due, the 9-month deadline and how the company reclaims it.
Division 7A benchmark interest rate for 2026–27 (8.77%) and the minimum yearly repayment rules
The Division 7A benchmark interest rate for 2026–27 is 8.77%, from the ATO. How the minimum yearly repayment is set, what a shortfall costs, and Bendel.
Engagement letter template for accountants: every section and the rule behind it
A free engagement letter template for accountants and tax agents, as a Word download, with the rule behind each clause: APES 305, TPB, ASA 210 audits, the UK.
How to record a chattel mortgage or hire purchase in Xero: the journals, the GST and the schedule
How to record a chattel mortgage in Xero: code repayments to the loan, journal the interest, claim GST up front. A worked $96,000 example, plus hire purchase.
How to draw a family group structure diagram that clients, banks and the tax office can read
What a family group structure diagram should show for each company, trust, SMSF and person, how to draw one in seven steps, and the mistakes that mislead.
Fuel tax credit calculator and rates for 2026–27, with a worked BAS claim
Free fuel tax credit calculator using the ATO’s 2026–27 rates: 53.7c a litre for most uses and 21.3c for heavy vehicles on roads from 3 August 2026.
How to reconcile inter-entity loans in Xero without the spreadsheet chase
Why the two sides of an inter-entity loan drift apart in Xero, a worked example tracing a $6,862.60 gap to seven entries, and the monthly process that fixes it.
Xero Partner Hub: what changes for practices on Xero Practice Manager
Xero Practice Manager now sits inside Xero Partner Hub. What moves, what’s retired, and why every app that syncs with XPM must reach API version 3.1 by 2027.
A clean start to FY27: get workflow and documents in shape before the year fills up
A short reset for teams that want fewer loose ends, clearer ownership and a cleaner client trail going into a busy period.
Your practice control room: everything connected in one place
A practical way to give people a shared view of work, documents and client context without replacing the systems they already rely on.
A better client handover starts with the conversation trail
A practical way to keep calls, meetings, emails and agreed next steps available to the next person on a client job.
Looking for how other firms use AccountKit? Their stories have their own home now.
Read customer storiesArchive
Everything we published on the blog before these guides
Product news, customer case studies and deep dives going back to 2017, newest first. Some details, like prices and screens, have changed since.
2026
- Client authority grouping for standardised BAS lodgement checklists and deadlinesSoftware Spotlight
- Inter-entity loan auto-matching across multiple Xero files with bulkjournal creationSoftware Spotlight
- How AccountKit's Daily Plan Eliminates Task Overload in Busy SeasonsSoftware Spotlight
- Why the New Year Is the Best Time to Evolve Your Practice Systems (And Where to Start)Software Spotlight
- The Simple Methods Accountants Use to Spot Balance Sheet Errors SoonerSoftware Spotlight
- How to Reconcile Non-Bank Accounts in Xero Without the SpreadsheetsSoftware Spotlight
2025
- How Collective Financial Partners set up filtered workflow repeats and centralised tax dataCase Study
- How Exacte Advisors now run payroll, BAS, and IAS workflows by tag and day, and save client emails directly to the DMS in AccountKitCase Study
- The practical setup Jane L Noller & Co team used to automate job creation and fix inconsistent contact recordsCase Study
2024
- Top 5 Reasons Why You Need AccountKit’s Correspondence Register in Your PracticeSoftware Spotlight
- AccountKit’s New Tools Save You Time and ClicksSoftware Spotlight
- Make Accounting Smarter with Automation ToolsSoftware Spotlight
- Introducing the Next Wave of Power-Ups in AccountKitCompany Update
- AccountKit Appoints Customer Experience Manager To Fuel Client SuccessCompany Update
2023
- AccountKit’s 2023 Year in ReviewCompany Update
- AccountKit Partners with Annature to Revolutionise eSignature Workflows for Accounting ProfessionalsSoftware Spotlight
- 5 ways to increase your productivity using ExcelSoftware Spotlight
- AccountKit and Excel: your accountech dynamic duoSoftware Spotlight
- AccountKit and FuseSign Announce New eSigning IntegrationSoftware Spotlight
2022
- AccountKit's pricing is changing this AugustCompany Update
- A supercharged new AccountKit is coming soon!Company Update
- Four years on: How AccountKit is helping Advise Accountants accelerate their businessCustomers
- How JTW Accountants is shifting into high gear with AccountKitCustomers
- AccountKit Case Study: Gilroy Barnes & AssociatesCase Study
2021
- AccountKit Case Study: HTA AdvisoryCase Study
- AccountKit Case Study: Optimised AccountingCase Study
2020
2019
- Wrapping up 2019 – a huge year for AccountKitCompany Update
- Case Study: All In AdvisoryCase Study
- Case Study: KGM AccountingCase Study
- AccountKit case study: Young & Grant Accountants Pty LtdCase Study
- We’re Xero’s app partner of the month for JulyCompany Update
- AccountKit case study: Precision Taxation Accounting & ManagementCase Study
2018
- 2018: AccountKit’s biggest year yetCompany Update
- AccountKit Deep Dive: Client Map ToolSoftware Spotlight
- Cloud integration: The secret sauce to providing an exceptional client experienceSoftware Spotlight
- How AccountKit helps Advise Accountants work smarter & provide better value to clientsCustomers
- Software Spotlight Series: Paul SweeneySoftware Spotlight
- Meet Paula Murray, our co-founderCompany Update
2017
- Software Spotlight Series: Elisha Huke, HTA AdvisorySoftware Spotlight
- AccountKit Deep Dive: Correspondence RegisterSoftware Spotlight
- Software Spotlight Series: Jonathan Kane, RBK AdvisorySoftware Spotlight
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See how AccountKit handles the work you’re reading about.
Choose workflow, documents or compliance work and we’ll build the demo around that job and the systems your team already uses.
