Best Accountants in Palmerston North
We assessed 8 accountants in Palmerston North and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 3 September 2026. How we rank
Before you hire
A good accounting firm does more than file your tax returns, whether you are a small business, a contractor or a rental property owner. They flag issues before they become problems and help you make better financial decisions through the year. Ask how they communicate proactively (not just at tax time), whether they are chartered accountants, whether bookkeeping is included or separate, and what accounting software they work with.
Top 5 Accountants in Palmerston North
The top 5 accountants in Palmerston North are #1 Advanced Accounting, #2 SBA Palmerston North, #3 ONLA Accounting, #4 Count Me In, and #5 Coombe Smith, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you choose.
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1
Advanced Accounting
★ 5.0 36 reviews Top5 Score 1465★ 36Advanced Accounting takes on tax returns, rental and farm accounts, business budgeting, and ongoing compliance, with Tommy, Aaran, Marco, and Vicky each drawing repeat praise from named clients across different situations. Where other firms have left clients confused by jargon, the team breaks down obligations in plain terms, sets up monthly goals, and stays reachable outside normal hours to answer questions as they come up.
109 South Street, Feilding
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2
SBA Small Business Accounting Palmerston North
★ 5.0 22 reviews Top5 Score 1405★ 21 4★ 1SBA Palmerston North covers GST returns, tax obligations, annual accounts, and estate administration, with named advisers like Sharon and Darryn working the same clients across multiple years. Clients with complicated tax situations or multiple business entities report that the team pursues those cases thoroughly rather than passing them on.
95 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
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3
ONLA Accounting
★ 5.0 14 reviews Top5 Score 1345★ 14ONLA Accounting gets small business owners across tax planning, cash flow management, budgeting, and compliance, with Bobbie, Nicole, and Katherine explaining the numbers in plain language rather than jargon. Clients with multiple entities report the team has been central to setting up and growing additional businesses over many years, going well beyond transactional accounting work.
12 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
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4
Count Me In
★ 5.0 12 reviews Top5 Score 1325★ 12Count Me In suits small business owners who need tax returns, bookkeeping, IRD dealings, and end-of-year accounts handled by someone who explains things in plain language rather than accounting jargon. Stella sets up Xero for new clients and walks them through it hands-on, so owners can manage invoicing and wages themselves between check-ins.
20 Cedar Crescent, Feilding
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5
Coombe Smith (PN) Limited
★ 4.9 7 reviews Top5 Score 1245★ 6 4★ 1Coombe Smith works with business owners on ongoing accounts, Xero setup and support, financial returns, and active business mentoring that challenges owners to think strategically about growth and stability. Named advisers like Hamish and Trudy build relationships over many years, fielding questions at any level of complexity with patience rather than passing clients on.
168 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North
Before you choose an accountant in Palmerston North
Drawn from 82 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What do accountants typically charge in New Zealand?
Annual accounts and a tax return for a sole trader cost between $500 and $1,500, while small companies with more complexity can expect $1,500 to $2,500 or more. Hourly rates for a Chartered Accountant, credentialed through Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), run from $150 to $350 depending on experience.
Fixed-fee packages for standard compliance work are common and usually cover financial statements, tax return preparation, and Inland Revenue filing. Always ask upfront whether the quoted fee includes GST and whether bookkeeping or advisory work is billed separately.
What's the difference between a Chartered Accountant and a bookkeeper?
A Chartered Accountant holds a qualification issued through Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) and is authorised to provide formal tax advice, prepare statutory financial statements, and represent you in an Inland Revenue audit or investigation. A bookkeeper handles the day-to-day work: recording transactions, reconciling bank accounts, processing payroll, and filing GST returns.
Bookkeeping is not a licensed profession in New Zealand, so anyone can use the title, which means you should check experience and references carefully. For most small businesses, a bookkeeper manages routine monthly tasks while a CA is engaged for end-of-year accounts, tax planning, and any compliance matters that carry legal weight.
What does proactive tax advice actually look like, versus just filing returns?
Proactive advice means your accountant contacts you before deadlines with reminders, flags opportunities like depreciation claims or structure changes, and helps you set budgets and pricing strategies rather than waiting for you to ask. Several reviewers specifically noted being helped to set monthly financial goals, plan business structure, and understand cash flow, none of which are part of simply filing a return. To find out which kind of accountant you are dealing with, ask them directly: will you tell me about opportunities I might be missing, or do you act on what I bring to you?
What are the warning signs of an accountant you shouldn't use?
- –Figures submitted to Inland Revenue do not match what the accounting software produced, which is a serious red flag and not a minor discrepancy.
- –Refusing to release client records after debts are settled is both unprofessional and a practical obstacle when switching firms.
- –No proactive contact: if you are always the one chasing for updates, reminders, or answers, the working relationship will cost you time and increase your compliance risk.
- –Vague or unexplained numbers in your financial statements, with no offer to walk you through what was done or why.
- –No clear written scope of work at the start, which makes it impossible to know what is included in the fee or what counts as extra.
- –A pattern of poor communication across multiple clients, which reviews suggest is the single most common reason people switch accountants.
What should you ask before hiring an accountant?
- –Ask what is included in the fixed fee and what triggers an additional charge, specifically whether GST returns, Inland Revenue queries, and advisory calls are covered.
- –Ask how they communicate: do they contact you ahead of key dates and deadlines, or do they wait for you to get in touch.
- –Ask how they handle an Inland Revenue audit or investigation and whether that work is included in the standard fee or billed separately.
- –Ask what their typical turnaround is on emails or calls, since reviewers who were happiest with their accountants specifically mentioned prompt, after-hours responsiveness.
- –Ask whether they will advise on business structure, pricing, and financial planning or whether the scope is limited to compliance filing only.
Also recommended accountants in Palmerston North
Ranked 6 to 8 on the same public review record.
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6
AllanMcNeill Chartered Accountants Feilding
★ 4.8 5 reviews Top5 Score 1205★ 4 4★ 1We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
53/55 Manchester Street, Feilding
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7
Scott Accountants
★ 5.0 4 reviews Top5 Score 1195★ 4We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
127 Ruahine Street, Roslyn, Palmerston North
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8
Stephen Larsen and Co Rental Property and Business Accountants
★ 4.0 8 reviews Top5 Score 555★ 6 1★ 2Stephen Larsen and Co turns around annual financial statements quickly, which suits landlords and business owners who need compliance work done without delays. Clients find the firm straightforward to work with for day-to-day accounting needs.
108 Albert Street, Terrace End, Palmerston North
About this ranking
What the 8 accountants listed above hold, at the 3 September 2026 check.
Across the 14 locations we assess accountants in, the 134 businesses listed have a median rating of 5.0, and one-star reviews are 1.2% of their total.
How are the top accountants in Palmerston North chosen?
We build this page from Google Maps results for accountants in Palmerston North. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer?
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed?
We build this page from Google Maps results for accountants in Palmerston North. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.