Special situations
Wind-down exit pack
When an Australian business winds down, Finbryn closes the books through the last trading day, prepares a closing balance sheet and final profit and loss, and hands over a full file with a checklist of the ASIC and lodgement steps, so the TPB-registered practitioner filing the final BAS and tax return works from numbers that reconcile.
Bank reconciliation summary
Illustrative client · August 2026
AUD
| Account | Difference | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating account··4821 | 184,220.16 | 184,220.16 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Reserve account··0937 | 60,000.00 | 60,000.00 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Company card··1006 | (12,418.52) | (12,418.52) | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Card processor clearing | 8,905.40 | 8,905.40 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
| Payroll clearing | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Reconciled |
Last weekly runFri, 28 Aug, every account agreed to its statement.
Two open itemsTwo card receipts requested from you, marked on the card account until they arrive.
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
Getting the books straight before the company disappears
Closing an Australian business usually means two things happening on separate tracks: the ASIC process to deregister the company, and the accounting work needed to reconcile the books through the final day of trading. When those two tracks are not lined up, the final BAS and tax return end up prepared from figures that do not quite tie out, and the deregistration paperwork moves ahead of what the books can actually support. Finbryn's wind-down exit pack keeps the two moving together on purpose.
We reconcile every account up to the last operating day, record any asset disposals, settle final payroll and the compulsory super contributions attached to it, and clear outstanding liabilities against what the ledger actually shows is owed. What comes out the other side is a closing balance sheet and a final profit and loss built specifically to support the last BAS and tax return, not a routine month treated as if nothing had changed.
The entity's final financial year still follows the ordinary 1 July to 30 June pattern unless its own year-end sits elsewhere, and any compulsory super contributions still owing to departing staff still need to land in their funds inside the usual payday window. Both get called out explicitly in the exit pack rather than assumed away because the business is closing. Where the entity qualifies as a base rate entity, its final return still uses the 25% company tax rate rather than the standard 30% rate that applies once turnover or passive income moves it out of that category.
Franchise operators shutting one unit while the rest of the group keeps trading often scope this pack alongside franchise consolidation work, so the closing entity's numbers do not distort the group total. Every reconciliation and BAS working paper is handed over in full at the end, and exit readiness covers the financial-planning side of the same wind-down.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Wind-down exit pack
Do you lodge the ASIC deregistration or the final tax return?
No. We prepare the closing books, the final financial statements, and a checklist of the required steps; the ASIC deregistration application and the final BAS and tax return go through your TPB-registered agent.
Does a business that is closing still owe a full final BAS and tax return?
Generally, yes. A final BAS and income tax return are still due for the entity's final financial year, and outstanding compulsory super contributions still need to reach employee funds.
What happens to our Xero or QuickBooks Online file once the wind-down is finished?
It stays yours. We hand over the complete file, including every reconciliation and prior BAS working paper, so the business's financial history remains accessible after the engagement ends.
What is not included in a wind-down exit pack?
We do not file the deregistration with ASIC or lodge the final tax return ourselves. We prepare the final set of accounts and figures your liquidator, registered agent or adviser needs to close the entity.
How is a wind-down engagement priced?
As a fixed-scope project once we know the entity's transaction history and how many outstanding items need clearing before deregistration.
Do you file the dissolution paperwork or the final tax return?
We prepare the books and the checklist; the dissolution filing and the signed final return go through your local filing agent and credentialed signer.
How long does a wind-down engagement usually take?
It depends on how current the books already are; we scope a timeline once the accounts involved are reviewed.
What happens to our QuickBooks or Xero file after we close?
It stays in your own name. You keep full access to the file and the exit pack after the engagement ends.
What software works with wind-down exit pack?
Wind-down exit pack runs inside QuickBooks Online or Xero, whichever you already use. If you are not yet set up in either, we can configure a file in your name so you keep ownership of it once the engagement is under way.
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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.