In short
With the financial year ending 30 June, there are a handful of moves a tree-care business should check now: bring forward genuinely needed equipment, tools and PPE where the cash flow stacks up, pay any outstanding super before year-end, write off bad debts, prepay deductible expenses where the rules allow, and get the books reconciled so your accountant can plan the tax bill rather than just report it.
There’s still time to act before 30 June, but not much of it. The sooner you sit down with someone who knows the trade, the more options you have. Book a free consultation →
EOFY tax planning for arborists and tree-care businesses
The end of June sneaks up on most tree businesses. Winter is often quieter on the tools, but the paperwork doesn’t slow down. The weeks before 30 June are when good decisions actually save you money, because once the financial year ticks over, most of these levers are gone for another twelve months. This is a practical checklist to work through with your accountant before time runs out.
None of this is about dodging tax. It’s about timing legitimate deductions and contributions so you’re not handing over more than you need to, and so the bill you do get is one you’ve planned for rather than one that lands as a nasty surprise in the new year.
Your EOFY checklist before 30 June
- Bring forward genuine equipment and tool purchases. If you were going to buy a chipper, a new climbing kit, a stump grinder or replacement saws in the next few months anyway, buying before 30 June may let you claim the deduction a year earlier. The key word is genuine — spending a dollar to save a fraction of it is never the win it looks like. Only bring purchases forward where the business actually needs them and the cash flow holds up.
- Stock up on PPE and consumables. Helmets, chaps, gloves, ropes, harnesses, fuel and bar oil are all part of running the business. Buying what you’ll genuinely use can be sensible before year-end.
- Pay super before year-end. Super is generally only deductible in the year it actually hits the fund, not the year you intend to pay it. If you want this year’s deduction, the contribution needs to clear well before 30 June, not on the day. Confirm the current cut-off and caps with your accountant.
- Write off bad debts. If a client genuinely isn’t going to pay and you’ve chased it properly, writing the debt off before 30 June may give you a deduction. Don’t just forget about it — there’s a process.
- Prepay expenses where the rules allow. Insurance, subscriptions, rent or interest can sometimes be prepaid and claimed earlier, but the rules differ by business size and expense type. Check first.
- Reconcile your books. Unreconciled bank feeds, missing receipts and a messy ledger make every other decision on this list harder. Get the bookkeeping current before you plan anything.
- Review equipment finance. Loans, chattel mortgages and leases are each treated differently for tax. How your gear is financed affects what you can claim and when.
Review your equipment finance
Tree work is equipment-heavy, and how you’ve paid for that equipment matters at tax time. A chattel mortgage, a lease and a straight loan don’t get the same treatment, and the GST position can differ too. Before you sign for that next big purchase, it’s worth understanding how the finance structure changes your deductions. An arborist accountant who has seen the trade will steer you toward the option that suits your cash flow and your tax position, not just the cheapest sticker rate.
Don’t forget superannuation
Two super things bite people at EOFY. First, employee super: it has to actually be received by the fund to count, so leaving it to the last day risks missing the window. Second, your own contributions: if you’re a sole trader or run through a company, making a personal deductible contribution can be worthwhile, but there are caps and paperwork involved. Both have hard cut-offs, so don’t sit on them.
Plan for the tax bill and the cash flow
The worst EOFY outcome isn’t a big tax bill. It’s a big tax bill you didn’t see coming, in a quiet winter month, with a BAS due as well. Getting a rough estimate now means you can set money aside, smooth out PAYG instalments, and avoid scrambling. While you’re at it, it’s a sensible time to ask whether your current structure — sole trader, partnership or company — still fits the size your tree business has grown to. The structure that suited a one-ute operation often doesn’t suit a three-crew outfit. For the day-to-day deductions side of things, our guide to arborist tax deductions covers what you can claim through the year.
Work through this list, get your numbers in front of someone who understands tree-care businesses, and you’ll go into the new financial year with fewer surprises. The clock is the only thing here you can’t get back, so the earlier you start, the better. Book a free consultation and we’ll go through your position before 30 June.
How long before 30 June should I act on EOFY planning?
As early as you can. Some moves, like making sure super reaches the fund or bringing forward an equipment purchase, need processing time. Leaving things to the final days often means you miss the window. A couple of weeks’ lead time gives you real options rather than a last-minute scramble.
Should I buy equipment just to save tax before 30 June?
Only if the business genuinely needs it and the cash flow supports it. A deduction reduces your tax by a portion of what you spend, never the full amount, so spending money purely to claim it leaves you worse off. Bringing forward a purchase you were going to make anyway can make sense; spending for the sake of a deduction usually doesn’t.
Can I claim PPE and tools for my tree business?
Equipment, tools and protective gear used to run a tree-care business are generally deductible. How and when you claim can depend on the cost and how it’s financed, so it’s worth confirming the current rules and any write-off thresholds with your accountant.
What happens if I don’t pay employee super before year-end?
Super is generally only deductible in the year the fund actually receives it. If the payment doesn’t clear before 30 June, you’d typically claim the deduction in the following year. There are also separate obligations and deadlines for super guarantee, so it pays to stay on top of it.
Do I need a specialist accountant for a tree-care business?
You don’t strictly need one, but an accountant who knows the trade understands the equipment, the seasonality and the way tree businesses earn. That usually means better advice on finance, structure and deductions than a generalist who’s never costed a chipper.
The clock runs out on 30 June — let’s sort your EOFY position while there’s still time.
We’ll walk through your numbers and flag the moves worth making before year-end.
More for tree-care businesses: Arborist tax deductions · Arborist accountant · Outsourced finance function
