ATO Compliant Single Touch Payroll & Accounting Software - Preferably NON-Subscription

MMM on 28/05/2019 - 11:38
Last edited 28/05/2019 - 13:38 by 1 other user

Thought it may be helpful for any who have found or are looking for a solution to share.

I have chosen a STP solution reluctantly on an annual subscription. I was on a perpetual wRECK-ON product with payroll but the upgrade price was a ridiculous $805 with NO discount. The annual subscription was offered at 75% off for the first year. So went with that but will change after the first year is up.

Any one find a solution or means to get compliant without subscription. I dont mind paying a little extra extra but my needs dont change every year and the perpetual wRECK-ON software I was using even though a full retail version will no longer be re-activated after July 2019.

I did sign up for a 30 day trial of their online Core + Payroll @ $10 / mth but after wasting time with support due to a bug in the software then getting charged for the trial I gave up and paid for the desktop annual version.

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  loke on 28/05/2019 - 13:18

  +1

  Have you trialed the ones listed by the ATO?

  https://www.ato.gov.au/business/single-touch-payroll/in-deta…

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    Smulder on 28/05/2019 - 14:17

    Note these solutions are aimed at 'micro employers' with 4 employees or less only.

    OP doesn't mention how many employees he has.

    • 

      MMM on 28/05/2019 - 14:28

      Thanks yes did look at and tried the free version on ATO website. I am happy for now with the amount paid for Reckon desktop as that was offered for $147 for an annual subscription but that's first year only and easier as that is already what I am using. Dont relish the following year at almost $600 / year. Employees are just the wife and I so not that complex.

      • 

        Smulder on 28/05/2019 - 14:35

        +1

        Hi MMM

        If you and your wife are the only employees, then you are both considered closely held employees, and are not required to start reporting under STP for another 12 months (1 July 2020). There are also concessions for closely held employees where you only need to lodge an estimate of the wages every quarter.

        See here for more info:

        https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Bus/Single-Touch-Payroll-for-closely-held-employees-factsheet/

        There is probably no need for you to buy STP compliant software at all.

        • 

          MMM on 28/05/2019 - 14:45

          @Smulder: Thanks for that info… I was suspect this may be the case with director / employee and so called the ATO, the answer given was you are employees then you need to be compliant from July 2019. They are really hopeless at the ATO, I asked for the ATO employee name as I have been given wrong info before by ATO employees years ago in the old sales tax days.

          Big thanks for that info I will look into it further!

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            Smulder on 28/05/2019 - 14:56

            @MMM: No worries MMM. I believe the guidance for closely held employees was only a relatively recent release. Perhaps when you rang it was not resolved as yet. Or perhaps the ATO employee was just a bit hopeless, which is not unusual either :)