Many small business owners love their business; they are exceptional and love what they do. But the bookkeeping aspect of their business often becomes a terrifying task and is usually not the best use of their precious time.

In contrast, bookkeepers love keeping their client's books tidy and will do everything they can to ease their client's load. Plus, bookkeepers are much more capable of processing data because that is their profession.

You may get it wrong. There are many upsides to the incredible technology now available; however, one of the downsides is that it is often portrayed as easy to "do it yourself". Technology still relies on the systems being set up correctly from the start, and the information is regularly checked and verified to ensure it is accurate and compliant. 

Incorrect data going in equals inaccurate data going out, resulting in incorrect IRD returns. It is often a case of "you do not know what you do not know." Knowing the rules around whether that coffee with a client or that travel booked through an online booking system is tax-deductible or how the GST component is to be treated. IRD does not accept ignorance as an excuse and can be pretty harsh when charging interest and penalties on incorrect returns filed.