A mum posted in a PT FB grp last wk seeking advice. Her son finished Cert IV & is signing a gym contract at $350/wk rent, running his own ABN.
Responses were solid: exp trainers advised employed roles first, low-rent opts, & not rushing contracts w/o client base.
Yet zero replies mentioned speaking to an accountant, GST thresholds, PAYG instalments, or the risk of a big 1st tax bill quarterly instalment hitting same month if nothing set aside after a good yr.
That gap btwn finishing a fitness qual & understanding how an ABN works is where many new sole traders get hurt—not just PTs, but tradies, freelancers & allied health too. Pattern is identical.
I started as a CPA in public practice w/ sole traders (physios, PTs, small practices), then spent 25yrs building acctg & SMSF software for Aus biz. This gap never closes.
So I wrote the 5 common acctg traps for new sole traders in fitness & how to avoid them. Incl Xero/MYOB/Sole/Rounded comparison for bookkeeping setup.
If you have an Australian PT, fitness sole trader or allied health clients starting on ABN, feel free to share.
Curious if other accountants see this pattern early or only after it becomes a real issue.
Link in 1st comment.