Corey Bavin
SMSF Accountant B.Com CPA
What’s my role?
I am currently working in the Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) division in the Perth office at Byfields. To put it simply, a SMSF is a legal tax structure which has the primary purpose of serving member benefits for retirement. A day in the life of a SMSF accountant is more than just crunching numbers and preparing tax returns. I have enjoyed learning about various tax concessions, investment strategies and retirement planning opportunities available. I interact with numerous stakeholders including internal and external accountants, financial planners, auditors, investment valuers, lawyers, and the ATO. A typical day will involve preparing financial statements, member statements, reconciling investment holdings and transactions, and preparing the annual SMSF tax return. Being a SMSF accountant has been both rewarding and challenging. Given the significant changes to legislation in recent times, it has kept me engaged and continuously learning. Superannuation is considered one of the most important forms of wealth in Australia, and seeing clients reach their objectives and satisfy their reporting obligations is what makes our job great.
What’s my background?
Having grown up in regional Western Australia, I am passionate about giving back to local communities and regional clients. I attended school in Harvey before moving up to Perth to study a double major in Commerce at Curtin University. It was during my time at Curtin where I first discovered my interest for accounting. Whilst at University, I graduated as a member of the Vice Chancellors list, the Wesfarmers High Achievers Society and ‘with distinction’ representing the top 1% of students. I have taken my hard working mentality from classroom and now applying it in a professional work environment at Byfields.
What advice would you give to future accounting graduates?
The most important thing for a recent graduate to do is to get involved, network, and take up as many learning opportunities as they can. As a graduate, you aren’t expected to know everything – and that’s fine! I believe you learn just as much on the job as you do in the classroom. So keep applying and pushing yourself to be the best you can be.
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