You have just wrapped up another end of financial year. The books are lodged, your accountant has what they need, and the bank balance does not look too bad. Then July settles in and something feels off. The money sitting in the account is already spoken for, a tax bill is on its way, and the phone has gone a bit quiet. If that rings true, you are not doing anything wrong. It is simply the reality of cash flow after EOFY Melbourne business owners meet every single year.
The smart move is to reset early, before the slow quarter and the first round of bills land together. Here is a practical way to do exactly that, built around real ATO dates and the way trade actually moves through a Melbourne winter.
Why Your Cash Flow After EOFY Melbourne Owners Face Feels Tighter Than the Bank Suggests
A healthy looking balance in early July can fool you. A good chunk of that money belongs to the ATO through GST you have collected, PAYG you have withheld, and super you owe your team. Add an income tax bill from the year just gone, and the account looks far fuller than it really is once you set the obligations aside.
The timing makes it worse. July and August are often slower months. Tradies see residential jobs drop off in the cold and wet, and plenty of retailers feel the winter lull before the spring and Christmas run. Lower income arriving at the same time as bigger bills is the exact pinch that catches people out.
What Is Really Coming in Your First Quarter
Knowing the dates makes planning easier. Your first quarterly Business Activity Statement for July to September is due 28 October. If you lodge through a registered tax or BAS agent, you receive a four week concession, which moves the lodgement and payment date out to 25 November. You can confirm the current dates on the ATO due dates for BAS page.
Super is the bigger change to plan for. Payday Super starts on 1 July 2026, which means you pay super alongside wages rather than quarterly. To stay on time under the new rules, the contribution needs to reach your employee’s super fund within seven business days of their payday. Business days do not count weekends or public holidays. If you used to hold that money and pay it later, that buffer is gone, so your weekly or fortnightly cash needs are now higher and must be built into your plan from the start.
The Three Cash Flow Mistakes Tradies and Retailers Make in July to September
The first is the tax bill surprise. Owners who never set money aside during the year get hit with a payment they cannot easily cover. Remember that ATO general interest charge on overdue amounts is calculated daily on a compounding basis, and from 1 July 2025 it is no longer tax deductible, so letting a debt sit costs more than it used to.
The second is ignoring the BAS as it builds. The GST and PAYG you owe grows quietly through the quarter. Spend it as it comes in and, when 28 October arrives, there is nothing left to pay it with.
The third is post EOFY overspending. A new ute, a fresh round of stock, or a big marketing push can feel like a smart fresh start, but buying it all in the slow quarter ties up the working capital you need to get through winter.
A Simple Cash Flow Reset You Can Do in Twenty Minutes
You do not need fancy software to sort this out. Start by pulling your last few Business Activity Statements and adding up what you paid across GST, PAYG, and super over a typical quarter. Divide that by the number of weeks and you have a rough weekly figure to set aside.
Then set one simple rule: every time an invoice is paid, move a fixed slice straight into a separate tax and super account. Some businesses use a rough benchmark of around a quarter to a third of income as a starting point, but treat any figure like that as a purely illustrative example for general budgeting only. Your actual GST, tax, and super rates will vary a lot depending on your margins, your structure, and your wages bill, so the right percentage for your business is worth checking rather than guessing.
The ATO cash flow guidance walks through building a simple projection, and business.gov.au has practical tips on pricing and collecting cash faster.
Planning for Slow Winter Trade Without Panicking
Once your tax money is quarantined, look at the rest. Chase slow paying customers early. Many Australian small businesses, particularly in the trades and services sectors, wait 45 to 65 days to get paid, and that gap is often the real problem. Tighten your payment terms, send invoices the day a job is finished, and follow up politely but promptly.
On the spending side, hold off on big purchases until trade lifts, keep stock lean, and only take on finance for equipment that will earn its keep soon. Small adjustments now save a lot of stress in August.
When to Talk to Your Accountant
If you are seeing repeated late payments, you have received an ATO notice, or you simply are not sure how much to set aside, that is the moment to reach out. A short conversation early can head off a debt that takes months to clear. Getting your cash flow after EOFY Melbourne reset sorted properly is one of the most useful things you can do for the year ahead, and it is exactly the kind of practical planning our team helps with. You can learn more on our services page or get in touch for a chat.
Angkor CA, Carnegie, Melbourne
Phone 1300 888 168 | Email [email protected] | angkorca.com.au
This article is general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances. It is not tax, financial, or legal advice. Please speak with a qualified accountant or adviser about your own situation before acting.