Owner
Industry Core - Accounting
KISS accounting guide for dry cleaning, laundry, alterations and shoe cleaning owners.
Provider 1Accounting Compliance — KISS Version
Simple accounting rules for owners: know what came in, what went out, what belongs to the ATO, and what is safe to spend.
The KISS Accounting Rule
✅ Money In
- Dry cleaning sales
- Laundry sales
- Alterations
- Shoe cleaning and repairs
- Delivery, lockers and building pickup fees
⚠️ Money Held
- GST collected is not spending money
- PAYG withheld belongs to the ATO
- Super must be paid for staff
- Leave and worker liabilities must be planned
🚫 Money Out
- Wages, rent, supplies and chemicals
- Machine repairs and maintenance
- Insurance and compliance
- Owner drawings only after liabilities are protected
Business Structures — Simple Owner View
Sole Trader
Simple setup. Owner and business are legally the same.
- Good for very small startup operations.
- Risk: personal assets can be exposed.
- KISS: simple but risky once staff, vans or chemicals are involved.
Partnership
Two or more people run the business together.
- Shared workload and capital.
- Risk: one partner can create debt for all partners.
- KISS: never do this without a proper agreement.
Company Pty Ltd
Business is a separate legal entity.
- Better for growth, staff and higher-risk services.
- Base rate entities can use 25% company tax.
- KISS: often best once the business has employees and real equipment.
Trust
Usually used for asset protection and tax planning.
- Powerful but more complex.
- Needs accountant/legal setup.
- KISS: only use if the owner understands the structure.
Dry Cleaner Chart of Accounts — What DCME Should Track
| Area | Plain-English Meaning | Industry Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | Money customers paid or owe. | Dry cleaning, laundry, alterations, shoes, delivery, lockers, building pickup. |
| Direct Costs | Costs linked directly to doing the work. | Chemicals, hangers, bags, solvents, shoe products, outsourced work, linen processing. |
| Labour | Staff cost including super and penalties. | Pressers, counter staff, drivers, alteration staff, shoe repairers. |
| Overheads | Costs needed to keep doors open. | Rent, power, gas, water, software, phones, accountant, insurance. |
| Liabilities | Money owed later. | GST, PAYG, super, workers comp, rent, finance payments, ATO debt. |
BAS — The Owner Version
G1 — Total Sales
All Sales
The full sales amount including GST. This is what happened at the counter, online, lockers, routes and accounts.
1A — GST Collected
1/11
For GST-inclusive taxable sales, GST is usually 1/11 of the total. This money belongs to the ATO.
1B — GST Credits
Claim Back
GST paid on business purchases such as chemicals, equipment repairs, packaging and supplies.
Payroll, PAYG and Super
Staff Payroll
- Use STP-compliant payroll software.
- Report wages, PAYG tax and super correctly.
- Keep TFN declarations and employee records.
- Issue payslips within required timing.
- Apply the correct Award, penalty rates and allowances.
Super Rule
12%
From 1 July 2025, super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings for eligible workers.
- Pay monthly where possible.
- Do not wait until the due date if cash flow is tight.
- Late super can become expensive and non-deductible.
Invoicing — Simple Rules
What every invoice needs
- Business name and ABN.
- Invoice date and invoice number.
- Customer details where required.
- Clear service description.
- Total, GST and payment terms.
Tax Invoice Trigger
- If GST registered, issue a tax invoice for taxable sales over $82.50 including GST when required.
- If a customer asks for a tax invoice, provide it within 28 days unless the sale is $82.50 or less.
- For account customers, invoice same day and chase quickly.
2026 Budget / Small Business Impacts
$20,000 Instant Asset Write-Off
Good for individual eligible assets under the threshold.
- POS hardware and computers
- Steam irons and finishing tools
- Shoe cleaning equipment
- Small washers/dryers or replacement parts
Loss Carry-Back Planning
Where available for eligible companies, this may help businesses offset certain losses against earlier tax paid.
- Useful after a bad year or major disruption.
- Needs accountant review before relying on it.
Cash Flow Focus
Budget changes help, but owners still need to protect liabilities first.
- Do not spend GST.
- Do not delay super.
- Use write-offs to plan upgrades, not create debt.
KISS Weekly Owner Checklist
Reconcile bank transactions
Match POS, bank, EFTPOS, online payments, lockers and account deposits.
Separate liability money
Move GST, PAYG and super into a protected account or DCME safe-to-spend logic.
Check unpaid invoices
Commercial customers must be chased before they become a cash-flow problem.
Review wages vs revenue
If labour cost rises but sales do not, DCME must warn the owner early.
Ask: what is actually safe to spend?
Profit is only real after GST, PAYG, super, rent, wages and known bills are protected.