From 1 July 2025, the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) is introducing new professional standards to improve clarity, consistency, and protection for clients across the tax profession. We want to share what these changes mean for you and explain how our new digital engagement and payment process supports these standards, making your experience smoother, more transparent, and secure.
What’s Changing in Tax Agent Rules?
The updated TPB standards require tax agents to have a clear, signed engagement agreement with each client before starting work. This includes outlining the scope of work, responsibilities, fees, and how disputes will be handled. Importantly, each individual taxpayer within a family group or business structure will now need to sign their own engagement letter, even if others in the group have already done so. This helps ensure everyone’s rights and responsibilities are clear.
These rules aim to protect your rights, improve fee transparency, and enhance data security.
How We’re Adapting to Serve You Better
To meet the new professional standards and continue providing you with the best possible service, we have implemented a streamlined, secure digital engagement and payment process using Ignition.
Ignition formalises the preparation, delivery, and acceptance of engagement documentation and fee agreements. This means that before any work begins, both you and our team have complete clarity and certainty about the exact services we will provide and the fees involved.
Where possible, we’ve moved away from time-based billing to fixed fees for services, scoped upfront for the entire financial year. This approach allows you to understand exactly what is included in your service package, ensuring there are no surprises on costs, helping you budget with confidence, even in a rising-cost environment.
What This Means for You
Here are the key benefits you’ll enjoy with our new process:
- Clarity and Transparency: You’ll receive a clear proposal that defines the scope of work and fixed fees before we begin.
- Convenience: Review, sign, and accept your engagement online, anytime, anywhere, from any device.
- Flexible Payments: Choose to pay monthly via a secure direct debit or annually, making budgeting easier. Payments are processed automatically according to your signed agreement, reducing administration and making the process seamless for you.
- Security: Your payment and personal details are protected by top-tier encryption. Payments only occur with your explicit authorisation.
Throughout the year, if anything arises that significantly changes the scope of services we’re providing, we are required to notify you formally. This means you’ll always be kept informed about what we’re working on and any adjustments needed.
Additionally, in line with strengthened compliance standards, you may be asked to provide more detailed supporting documentation for claims or transactions. While we’ve always sought to ensure accuracy, these extra steps help protect you in the event of reviews by the Australian Taxation Office.
Our Commitment to Ethical Practice
Under the updated Code of Professional Conduct, we also have a formal obligation to cease acting for clients who knowingly provide false or misleading information or refuse to comply with tax laws. This reinforces our commitment to integrity and protecting both our clients and the wider community.
Why We Use Ignition: Ensuring Compliance and Protecting You
Under APES 305 (Terms of Engagement), all accounting services must be documented clearly in writing, including scope, fees, responsibilities and dispute resolution. Ignition simplifies this process and creates a digital audit trail that helps us maintain professional standards and compliance.
Although accounting engagements aren’t as tightly regulated as financial advice, fee transparency and client consent are still vital. Ignition keeps a secure, auditable record of your approvals, especially useful for bundled or recurring services.
We also comply with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Ignition, powered by Stripe, meets the highest security certifications (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS Level 1), ensuring your data is encrypted and never stored in full by us.
FAQ: Why We Use Ignition to Collect Engagements and Payments
Q: Why do I need to enter my card or bank details?
A: This confirms your agreement to the engagement terms and authorises payment. It guarantees full transparency and security.
Q: Is this required by law?
A: Yes. We must provide a written engagement outlining scope and fees (APES 305). Ignition helps us do this efficiently and securely.
Q: Is my data safe?
A: Absolutely. Ignition uses Stripe, one of the world’s most secure payment platforms. All information is encrypted, and we never store your full payment details.
Q: What benefits do I get?
A: An easy, transparent engagement process; authorised payments only; strong data protection; and clear documentation of our agreement.
Q: Still unsure?
A: We’re happy to talk it through. Please contact us by calling 1800 845 152. Your security and confidence are our top priorities.
In Summary: How These Changes Benefit You
These updates give you certainty about your services and fees while helping us comply with professional obligations. By moving to a secure, digital platform, we reduce errors and delays, improve transparency, and protect your personal information.
We’re required to engage all clients under agreed terms. Using Ignition ensures we’re compliant and efficient, and that you’re protected.
If you have any questions about these changes or how the new process works, please don’t hesitate to contact us. For more detailed information, you can also review the TPB’s factsheet here.
Thank you for your trust and partnership as we continue to improve our service to you.
Written by Mark Nagle, Co-CEO and Executive Director at Treysta Wealth
