Nelson-based accounting firm Johnston Associates South has a new addition to its skilled team.
Tax specialist Katrina Scorrar, who has more than 10 years of experience as a tax advisor, will be based in the Nelson office working alongside an experienced and highly competent team of accountants and business advisors.
Katrina completed her Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting at NMIT and her post graduate Diploma in Business Administration through Massey University.
With a self-confessed ‘passion for tax’, Katrina has specific expertise on tax residency, taxation of overseas investments and pension transfers as well as a well-rounded knowledge of the tax issues facing businesses and individuals.
She enjoys helping people negotiate what can often be an overwhelming array of rules and regulations when it comes to tax.
Ben Halliday, business development manager with Johnston Associates South says Katrina will work with existing tax specialist Kelvin Scoble to make a formidable team.
“We have a very good reputation when it comes to our tax team and Katrina being on board will only enhance that,” he says.
Katrina is particularly skilled in international areas such as foreign trusts and tax treaties and has specialist knowledge in restructuring, succession planning, international structuring for business operations, complex primary sector tax issues and relationship property agreement issues.
With such a taxing work portfolio, Katrina makes sure she enjoys her downtime by enjoying weekends with her family in the outdoors.
Mountain biking is a particular passion and she is also treasurer on the board of Post Natal Support Nelson.
Johnston Associates South has been operating in Nelson and Havelock for 10 years and opened their Blenheim branch in April last year.
The move over the hill was to cater for the demand in Marlborough given the province’s booming economy.
“We had a lot of clients over here so it made sense to open an office,” says Ben. “People want to see that you’re committed to the region.”
Johnston Associates South offers all the usual accounting services however they don’t see themselves as traditional accountants.
“We don’t just post out your completed annual accounts and leave it at that,” says Ben. “We like to sit down with our clients and talk about how business is doing, how you want to grow, your goals and how we can help you. A lot of what we do is really around consulting and advisory.”
The business advisory team helps clients with a wide range of issues including cash flow forecasting, valuations, debt restructuring, risk management, company structures, tax planning, transfer pricing and succession planning.
They have specialists in the wine industry, marine farming, horticulture, forestry, farming and tourism.
Tax is quite complex and always changing and having a specialist tax team keeping a watching brief on your affairs can help avoid nasty surprises according to Ben. In this electronic age, the IRD has greater access to a wide range of data and the resources to investigate transactions.
Johnston Associates South is a fast growing accounting firm in the Top of the South that is upping its commitment to the region by expanding its tax capabilities.