Bank accounts

If you're operating a business through a partnership, company or a trust, you must have a separate bank account for that business. 

If you’re operating as a sole trader, you don't have to open a business bank account, but it's better if you do. That way you can easily separate your business transactions from your personal ones, including any cash taken from money your business receives (often referred to as 'drawings'). 

Information your records need to show

Examples of types of records 

  • Payments received electronically including: 
    • tap-and-go (contactless) 
    • EFTPOS 
    • credit and debit cards 
    • online payments 
    • smart phone and tablet card processing 
  • Payments made electronically 
  • Amounts withdrawn 
  • Amounts deposited
  • Cheque butts or payment records 
  • Bank statements 
  • Merchant facility statements (for EFTPOS and credit card facilities) 
  • Credit card statements 
  • Loan or lease agreements 
  • Deposit slips, books or records

How long to keep banking records 

Banking records need to be kept for 5 years, starting from when you prepared or obtained the records, or when you completed the transactions the records relate to, whichever is later. 

You should keep records long enough to cover the period of review (also known as the amendment period) for an assessment that uses information from the record. 

Record keeping

Steps Progress

Record keeping overview

10 mins

Tasks and tips

6 mins

Starting your business records

2 mins

Digital record keeping

5 mins

Manual or paper record keeping

2 mins

Banking records

2 mins

Income records

3 mins

Accounting for private use of assets

9 mins

Motor vehicle deductions records

2 mins

Home-based business deductions records

1 mins

Other deductions records

1 mins

Stock and asset records

5 mins

GST records

1 mins

Employee records

7 mins

Car fringe benefits records

1 mins

Expense payment FBT records

2 mins

Contractor records

2 mins

Sharing economy records

1 mins

Cryptocurrency records

1 mins

Records for other taxes

5 mins

Sole trader structure records

4 mins

Partnership structure records

3 mins

Company structure records

3 mins

Trust structure records

1 mins

Changing your business structure records

1 mins

Selling or closing your business records

2 mins

Related courses

1 mins

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