Here is a common, awkward situation: you are not confident your bookkeeper is doing a good job, but you are not ready to fire anyone, and you do not want to start a fight. You just want to know. The good news is you can get a genuine second opinion on your books without any drama, without accusations, and without committing to a change. A review is a low-stakes way to replace a nagging doubt with a clear answer.

Published: July 2026

If the review confirms your doubts, the next step is our guide on how to change bookkeepers. If it does not, you get peace of mind. Either way you win.

Why a second opinion makes sense

You get a second opinion on a medical diagnosis, a big legal decision, a major purchase. Your books, which underpin every financial decision you make and every dollar you owe the ATO, deserve the same. A doubt about your bookkeeping is not something to sit on, because if there is a problem it is compounding quietly while you wait. It is the same instinct behind our list of questions to ask a new bookkeeper: verify, do not assume. And if there is no problem, the review pays for itself in the confidence of knowing your foundations are solid. The one thing a nagging doubt should not do is nothing.

What a review actually covers

A proper second-opinion review looks at the things that matter, without needing to involve your current bookkeeper at all:

• Reconciliation currency. Is the file actually up to date, or drifting?
• Coding accuracy. Are transactions coded correctly, or is the chart of accounts a junk drawer?
• GST and BAS integrity. Do the numbers behind your activity statements hold up?
• Payroll and super. Is payroll correct, and is super being paid properly under the Payday Super rules?
• The obvious red flags. Unreconciled piles, personal transactions mixed in, income coded to “miscellaneous”, the usual suspects. These overlap heavily with the signs your bookkeeper is ripping you off.

The output is a plain-English summary of what is fine and what is not, so you can make an informed decision rather than an anxious guess.

The zero-drama way to do it: a Free Xero Roast

The easiest entry point is a Free Xero Roast. You grant read access, the team reviews the file, and you get a short, honest summary of the five things most worth knowing. It is a high-level review, not a financial audit, and crucially it does not require you to tell your current bookkeeper anything or make any commitment. You are simply getting a second set of expert eyes on your own file, which you are entirely entitled to do.

How to raise the findings (if you want to)

If the review turns up issues and you want to give your current bookkeeper a chance, raise it calmly and factually: “I had a review done and it flagged the reconciliation is a few months behind and some GST coding looks off. Can we sort that out?” A good bookkeeper responds professionally and fixes it, ideally on a clear fixed-price arrangement so there are no surprise bills for the correction. A defensive or dismissive reaction tells you as much as the findings did. And if the review comes back clean, you have lost nothing and gained certainty.

What you should not tolerate

Sitting for months with a doubt you could resolve in a week. Assuming everything is fine because nobody has told you otherwise. A bookkeeper who reacts badly to the entirely reasonable idea of a second opinion. Your books are yours, and checking them is your right, not a betrayal.

What a review typically finds

Second-opinion reviews tend to turn up the same handful of things, which is useful to know going in. The most common is a file that is simply behind: reconciliation weeks or months out of date, so every report is built on stale data. Next is coding drift, where a chart of accounts has sprawled and transactions land in vague or wrong categories, quietly distorting the P&L and missing GST credits. Then there is the boundary problem, personal transactions mixed into the business accounts, or the reverse, which muddies both. Payroll and super issues show up regularly too, especially now that Payday Super requires contributions to reach funds within 7 business days of payday. And occasionally the review finds something more serious, like BAS figures that do not reconcile to the underlying accounts. Most of these are fixable, and most are invisible from the outside until someone looks. That is the value of the exercise: it converts a vague unease into a specific, actionable list, whether that list has one item or ten.

FAQ

Can I get my books reviewed without telling my current bookkeeper?
Yes. A second-opinion review only needs read access to your file, which you control as the owner. You are not obliged to involve or inform your current bookkeeper to have your own books reviewed.

What does a second-opinion review cover?
Reconciliation currency, coding accuracy, GST and BAS integrity, payroll and super correctness, and the obvious red flags like unreconciled piles or personal transactions mixed into the business accounts.

Is a Free Xero Roast the same as an audit?
No. It is a high-level review that identifies the most important issues in plain English. It is not a formal financial audit, but it is enough to tell you whether your books are in good shape or not.

What if the review finds problems?
You decide what to do with the information. You can raise it calmly with your current bookkeeper and give them a chance to fix it, or you can use it as the basis for switching. Either way you are acting on facts rather than doubt.

What if the review comes back clean?
Then you have peace of mind that your foundations are solid, which is worth having. A doubt resolved in your bookkeeper’s favour is still a doubt resolved.

Is getting a second opinion disloyal to my bookkeeper?
No. Your books underpin every financial decision and your tax obligations. Checking them is prudent, not disloyal, and a confident bookkeeper has no reason to object to it.

What do second-opinion reviews usually find?
Most commonly a file that is behind on reconciliation, coding drift that distorts the P&L and misses GST credits, personal transactions mixed into business accounts, and payroll or super issues. Occasionally something more serious like BAS figures that do not reconcile. Most findings are fixable once identified.

How much does a second-opinion review cost?
A Free Xero Roast is a no-cost, high-level review of your file. A deeper, formal review of complex books may carry a fee, but the entry point is free and is usually enough to tell you whether your books are in good shape or need attention.

Will my current bookkeeper find out I got a second opinion?
Not through the review itself. It only needs read access to your file, which you control. Whether you tell your current bookkeeper is entirely your choice, and many owners only raise it if the review finds something worth fixing.

About Sydney Bookkeeper

Sydney Bookkeeper is the modern, fixed-price Sydney bookkeeper for businesses with staff that are tired of slow, hourly, jargon-spouting incumbents. We work with professional services firms, construction and property businesses, agencies, tech and ecommerce companies, hospitality groups, and health practices across Sydney. Monthly bookkeeping, BAS lodgement, payroll, and Xero file cleanups, all on fixed monthly pricing, no lock-in.

Visit Sydney Bookkeeper | Get a Free Xero Roast | Book a Chat

This content is general information only, written for Australian small and mid-market businesses. It does not constitute tax, financial product, or legal advice and should not be relied on as such. The team uses a registered BAS Agent for all BAS and IAS lodgement services; registration particulars are available on request. For advice specific to your situation, contact the team directly or consult a registered tax agent or licensed financial adviser. Sydney Bookkeeper is not a licensed tax agent or licensed financial adviser. Information was current at the time of publication and may change without notice.

Sources

• Australian Taxation Office, About Payday Super: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/super-for-employers/payday-super/about-payday-super