Payroll
Contractor payments
Finbryn tracks payments made to Australian contractors and freelancers through the year, checking invoices for GST where the contractor is registered above the A$75,000 turnover threshold, and reconciling totals so year-end reporting data is accurate and ready for your registered agent to use.
Payroll reconciliation
Illustrative client · August 2026
AUD
- Payroll register agreed to the provider reportDone
- Net pay agreed to the bank debitDone
- Withholdings and employer costs postedDone
- Payroll liability accounts cleared to zeroIn progress
- Filing dates checked against the calendarNext
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
Why contractor payments need their own tracking
Contractors in Australia are not on a payroll platform's employee roster and often invoice through Xero, MYOB or a separate payment tool, so by financial year end on 30 June, matching every invoice to the right contractor and the right total takes real reconciliation.
What we track through the year
We check each contractor's Australian Business Number is valid before the first payment, track invoices against vendor bills and payment records as they arrive, and check whether GST applies. A contractor only has to register for GST, and charge it, once GST turnover reaches A$75,000 in a 12-month period (A$150,000 for a non-profit), and has 21 days to register once that threshold is crossed. We flag a contractor approaching that line so invoicing does not fall out of step with their registration status.
Superannuation on contractor arrangements
Some contractor arrangements count as employee-like under compulsory-super rules even without a formal employment contract, which changes whether a super contribution is owed. That classification is a legal judgement for you, ideally with your adviser; we track the payments accurately once it is made.
Where this fits at year end
Total payments by contractor are reconciled ahead of your financial year close, so the annual reporting data your industry requires, and the ABN details behind each invoice, are ready before the deadline rather than reconstructed afterwards.
What we do not do
We do not decide GST registration status or worker classification, and any lodgment tied to those calls sits with you or your registered agent; we prepare and reconcile the underlying numbers.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Contractor payments
Do our contractors need to charge GST?
Only once their GST turnover reaches A$75,000 in a 12-month period, or A$150,000 for a non-profit, and they then have 21 days to register. We flag anyone approaching that line so invoicing stays correct.
Do you decide if someone is a contractor or an employee?
No. That classification, including whether superannuation is owed on a contractor arrangement, is a legal judgement for you and your adviser. We track payments accurately once it is made.
What do you check before the first payment?
That the contractor's Australian Business Number is valid and the invoice details match what is on file, before tracking begins.
When do you reconcile contractor totals?
Ahead of your financial year close on 30 June, so reporting data is ready rather than reconstructed at the deadline.
How is contractor payment support priced separately from employee payroll?
It is scoped by the number of contractors and payment frequency, usually lighter than employee payroll since there is no STP or super calculation involved, only correct coding and invoice matching.
Do you decide who counts as a contractor rather than an employee?
No. That classification is a legal judgment for you and, where needed, your adviser. We track payments accurately once the classification is made.
Do you file the year-end forms?
The forms are filed or transmitted by your payroll or e-file provider, or by a credentialed preparer. We prepare the underlying data and reconcile it before the deadline.
What if our records for contractor payments are not up to date?
If your records are behind, we scope a catch-up first so contractor payments starts from a clean, reconciled base. That catch-up is priced and timed separately from the ongoing engagement, so you always know what each part costs.
Who reviews the work before it reaches us?
Every deliverable under contractor payments is reviewed by a senior reviewer before it reaches you. You keep access to the underlying file at every stage, so nothing about the work happens somewhere you cannot see it.
Related services
- BookkeepingMonthly bookkeepingOngoing monthly bookkeeping: transactions sorted into categories, accounts reconciled and month-end reports delivered in the software you already use.
- PayrollPayroll journals and reconciliationsPayroll journal entries recorded each pay period and reconciled against the payroll platform's reports, so wages, withholdings and benefit deductions match your general ledger.
Industries
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.