Our Audit Services

Not for Profit Audits

Trust Audits

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Trust Account Audits

Is a Trust Account vital for your Business? GPS Audit Assurance can provide independent assurance on the operation of your trust accounts. Our professional team provides trust account auditing service in a timely and effective manner allowing your agency to fully comply with laws and regulations without unnecessary hindrance to your staff. At our core, we review your practices and procedures, identify potential issues with your trust account and provide you with the necessary assurance report.

We have trust account audit expertise in the areas of:

Real Estate Agents Trust Account Audit

All Real Estate Agents in Queensland who open or operate a Trust Account, are responsible for ensuring each trust account is audited each year by a qualified auditor. The Qld Office of Fair Trading is the responsible Government Department for administering the applicable legislation, licensing and registration for Real Estate Agents:

An agent must appoint an auditor within one month of opening a trust account and advise the Office of Fair Trading (“OFT”) within one month of the appointment.

An agent’s trust account is to be audited for each audit period during which the agent carried on business as an agent and operated a trust account.

The audit report must be lodged within 4 months after the end of your audit period, unless it is your last year of business where it must be lodged within 2 months after you stop carrying on a business.

If an agent does not lodge an audit report or statutory declaration the agent can be fined or convicted of an offence; and the OFT can suspend or seek to cancel the licence.

Law Practice Trust Account Audit

All law practices who set up and operate trust accounts in Queensland report to the Queensland Law Society (QLS). Law practices need to comply with the Legal Profession Act 2007 (QLD) and Legal Profession Regulation 2017 when operating a trust account in Queensland:

A law practice must appoint an individual as the external examiner of the law practice’s trust records within fourteen days after receiving trust moneys and give notice, within 30 days, to the Society of the practice’s external examiner.

For each financial period ending on 31 March if the law practice received, held or disbursed trust money during the financial period an external examiner report must be lodged by 31 May of each year.

The external examination report must be lodged with QLS.

Public Accountants Trust Account Audit

As accountants in public practice if you maintain a client account/trust account receiving monies on behalf of clients then there may be a requirement for you to get your trust accounts audited. Accountants who hold, receive or disburse client moneys are subject to APES 310. APES 310 requires Members who opened a trust account or obtained authority to transact in client monies before 1 July 2011 must comply with the audit requirements of APES 310 within three months of the applicable year-end date, which is 31 March each year.

A Member in public practice must ensure that the Member’s compliance with the requirements of the Standard is audited annually within three months of the applicable year-end date and must appoint another member in public practice as auditor of client monies to perform the audit.

Motor Dealers/Auctioneers Trust Account Audit

Any Motor Dealer/Auctioneer operating a Trust Account must comply and fulfill the annual reporting requirements to Office of Fair Trading under the Motor Dealers and Chattel Auctioneers Act 2014.

Travel Agents Trust Account Audit

All licensed travel agents in Australia need to report to the Travel Compensation Fund with the Financial Statements and Trust Account audit report. For IATA purposes, a client trust account is a bank account that an agent must maintain separate to the general account which must include all client BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan) funds and the subsequent disbursements of those funds to airline principals. An annual audit is a mandatory requirement for all the licensed Travel Agents in Australia.

Resident Letting Agents Trust Account Audit

Any Resident Letting Agent operating a Trust Account has to comply and fulfil the annual reporting requirements to Office of Fair trading under Property Occupations Act 2014.

Why choose GPS Audit Assurance?

If requested we will complete the audit on-site at your Office.

Our professional team provides trust account auditing service in a timely and effective manner allowing your agency to fully comply with relevant law and regulations without unnecessary hindrance to your staff

We strongly believe in maintaining communication, so we make ourselves available to answer any questions you have during the year at no extra cost

We provide advice on changes to trust account rules, regulations and guidelines and how they may affect your practice

Draw on our experience as auditors of other trust accounts which enables us to advise on systems and procedures that may be better suited to your practice.

We specialise in delivering audits. This means our team has a wealth of technical expertise in every aspect of the audit process.

Our commitment to using current audit software allows for a timely audit whilst ensuring we remain fully compliant with ever changing accounting and auditing standards

We will provide suggestions to improve your financial systems and to lower risk

Speak to us about trust account audits today

Get in touch with our trust account auditors today by calling 0437 251 400. We provide a standout service to clients and always work in a professional manner. Got questions? Feel free to reach out and we’ll happily provide further information.

We can help you or your clients with any of your company audit needs. We are also available to discuss your business views and concerns. Contact us for more information, it's obligation free.

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what our clients have to say

Having worked with Alison in both project and business as usual environments I have found her to be professional, approachable and receptive to feedback, qualities that do not always go hand in hand in the audit/compliance space. Alison provides honest and thoughtful assessments of risk as well as grounded advice on compliance related issues that positively impact operational and project outcomes. Alison's bright and bubbly personality, coupled with her focus on quality service and results makes her a pleasure to deal with. I would have no hesitation in recommending Alison to organisations seeking a risk and compliance expert who will treat others with integrity and respect.

Kim Taylor Director JKMS

I have known Gary personally and worked with Gary professionally for over 20 years. Gary has been very passionate and dedicated in all the professional roles he has undertaken. I know he will be very successful in his new endeavour. I wish him all the best.

Heather BeckingsalePartner, Woods Prince , Lawyers

I engaged Alison to provide audit and assurance services for a large statutory body on the Sunshine Coast. Alison conducted a thorough and comprehensive audit. Alison not only made recommendations to improve internal controls but also provided value to the organisation by utilising system data to improve management information, reporting and decision-making. Alison is professional, courteous, reliable and efficient. I have valued her work.

Lee PDirector

I have known Gary for many years. He has been a client and a stakeholder of Harris Black, Chartered Accountants and has been our appointed auditor or for many years across a range of clients. Gary has been effective with our client referrals and have always received good feedback on Gary's work and that of his staff. He is a pleasure to work with. His competency and integrity is unquestionable. I wish him every success in his new venture.

Reneee BettenayDirector, Harris Black, Chartered Accountants

I wish to highly commend Alison for her first-class professional approach while conducting this audit. It was great to have an auditor come to help us resolve the problems that were outstanding! In this context Alison was a great help, both in her assistance and in her understanding. Her support and 'modus operandi' were excellent. She is a credit to your Firm.

Peter HPrincipal

Alison Milford he has been engaged by organizations with which I have worked over many years, in the areas of internal audit, compliance and regulatory assurance. In areas where I have not worked closely with her, those to whom she reported have been greatly impressed by her diligence, competence and integrity. Where I have worked closely with her, I have found that these views echo my own. I would not hesitate to engage her in the future on any matter relating to her areas of expertise.

George FoxPartner Fox Bradfield Lawyers

Super friendly, very helpful and completely efficient. Quick to reply to phone calls or reply to email and our audit was turned around quicker than the time frame requested. Extremely impressed with the quality of their work and the level of customer service.

Debby Sewter Treasurer