Welcome to 2026. I hope you had a solid break and are ready to get back into it.
First things first - watch this:
I've recorded a short video walking through what we achieved in the last six months, where we're at now, and what we're building this year. It covers the bigger picture behind the program and where we're heading together.
This month’s update covers due dates and lodgements, communication and review processes, adding clients, training requirements, and a few system changes designed to keep things running smoothly as we scale.
How This Program Works
The Accounting Academy is built on a simple principle: you own your work, your clients, and your deadlines.
My role is supervision, quality control, and final sign-off under my licence. I'm not here to project-manage your workload or rescue late submissions.
That structure is what makes this work:
You get real-world experience managing an actual tax practice
You build the skills you'll need when you're fully licenced
You take ownership of your professional development
But it only works when everyone follows the same processes.
When you submit complete work on time, reviews happen fast and everyone moves forward.
When work comes in late, incomplete, or rushed, it creates bottlenecks - for you, for me, and for the other participants relying on the same systems.
The processes below aren't red tape. They're how we keep 60+ participants and 1,000+ clients running smoothly without anyone burning out.
Let's make 2026 the year we all take full ownership of our work
Tax Return Due Dates
Lodgement Deferrals
We applied for a number of deferrals last year and many of them weren't submitted on time or haven't been submitted at all.
It is up to you to mange yourselves and your due dates. All returns must be submitted a minimum of 2 weeks before the due date in order for it to be lodged on time.
We will not approve half done work to meet a deadline so ensure all workpapers are completed fully and review points.
Returns submitted with incomplete workpapers, missing documentation, or unresolved review points will be returned without review.
Also remember its first come first serve, so if we get a lot of returns at the same time, we go from first to last.
If it is urgent, submit the return for review and book a time using this link. Urgency caused by late preparation, missing information, or poor planning will not be treated as urgent.
Returns will be prioritised based on due dates. Any returns that are overdue or approaching their due date must be lodged before other work is processed.
Due Dates Most returns are due 15 May 2026, with some falling between January and April. As a general rule, aim to have everything ready two weeks before the due date.
December 2025 Quarter – due 28 February 2026
Send for review by 14 February 2026.
IAS Lodgement Dates
January 2026 – due 21 February 2026 Send for review by 7 February 2026.
February 2026 – due 21 March 2026 Send for review by 7 March 2026.
Getting in Touch
To ensure requests are tracked and responded to efficiently, please follow the communication process below.
We’ve now got a better system for managing event invites (like drop-in sessions, Christmas Parties).
Instead of resending updated invites every time someone’s added, you can now access all upcoming sessions directly through this link: 👉 View the calendar here
Adding Clients
A reminder that all clients must be added to Xero Practice Manager (XPM) before being added to the ATO portal.
Each client must have a signed Letter of Engagement and verified ID before they’re added to either system.
Any client sitting on the ATO portal but not in XPM will be removed.
We’ll now be doing this at the end of every month, with the next clean-up happening by the end of next week, so if you have added a client to the portal, but not XPM, please do so by then otherwise they will be removed.
When adding clients, make sure you include:
ABN
TFN
Legal name (not business or trading name)
This information is how we confirm clients are correctly set up in XPM.
If these details are missing, it appears the client hasn’t been added, they’ll be removed from the portal.
That’s a fair bit to take in this month, but it all points in the same direction: clearer processes, better systems, and fewer bottlenecks as the program continues to grow.
The short version: follow the process, keep your work tight, and use the systems in place. Do that, and everything moves faster for you and for us.
If you need help, don’t sit in silence. Use the knowledge base, ask in the groups, or raise a review point through the proper channels.
And if you want to help test the new tools and initiatives, drop a message in the General channel on the WhatsApp Group with the initiative you want to be part of.
Looking forward to building this together in 2026.
