Rob is a degree qualified accountant holding a Bachelor of Commerce (with Merit) from the University of Wollongong. He is also a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA Australia), as well as a member of the National Tax and Accountants Association (NTAA).  Rob has a special interest in advising health care workers, small business operations, defence force personnel, new businesses to setup their operations, as well as assisting international businesses wishing to establish operations within Australia.  

   Skype name = robert.giffard1

Potential international clients can call Rob on Skype with any questions. 

Undergraduate degree - Bachelor of Commerce (with Merit)

Rob's undergraduate degree included a major in Accountancy, however, the degree was extended to include several marketing and small business elements with the view to provide more comprehensive advice to small and medium businesses. These subjects included business to business marketing, and small business management.

Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA Australia)

CPA Australia is the largest professional body of accountants in Australia. In order to qualify as a CPA Rob had to complete assessable postgraduate study in taxation, strategic business management, personal superannuation and financial planning, business strategy and leadership, as well as corporate governance and accountability. All CPA subjects emphasise the need for technical excellence and ethical business practices. In addition to the academic emphasis this qualification involved, Rob was required to complete a comprehensive and challenging 18 month mentoring programme. Rob regularly attends professional seminars and conferences organised by CPA Australia as a part of his ongoing commitment to professional development.

National Tax and Accountants Association (NTAA)

The NTAA is highly regarded as a practical professional development organisation for tax specialists and accountants. The NTAA is proactive in lobbying federal and state governments on behalf of members and their clients. Rob regularly attends NTAA courses in order to maintain his current knowledge, as well as investigate the latest industry trends and interpretations of issues in relation to income tax for individuals and small business, as well as salary packaging and fringe benefits tax.

Special interest areas

Medical practitioners - One of Rob's first clients was a general practitioner who was extremely busy assisting his patients while ignoring critical personal accounting, taxation, and asset protection issues. The need to address these issues led Rob to research solutions to accounting and taxation issues unique to general and specialist medical practitioners. Rob currently advises several general and specialist medical practitioners and practice managers in relation to ongoing taxation issues, asset protection opportunities, service trust arrangements, as well as other non-medical related business operations. He regularly researches other current issues; including, VMO superannuation entitlements, service trust arrangements, as well as the availability and opportunity for medical practitioners to minimise their tax through salary packaging techniques.

Nurses and other health care workers - Rob has extensive experience advising health care workers in relation to personal taxation and salary packaging issues. Many health care workers in the public sector are uniquely positioned to maximise their after tax income by accessing salary packaging opportunities. Rob regularly attends salary packaging courses to ensure he is aware of the latest salary packaging opportunities.

Defence force personnel - Rob regularly advises defence force personnel from all over Australia in relation to the unique income tax issues relevant to them. In addition to this, he proactively reviews opportunities for defence force personnel to maximise their after tax income through salary packaging, maximising future income tax deductions, as well as accessing taxation rebates where possible. Rob reads widely about taxation issues relevant to defence force personnel including: retention bonuses, tax free income, overseas postings and opportunities to salary package benefits during such a posting. Further to this, Rob assists individuals to prepare Australia's annual taxation returns for a substantial client base of ex Royal Navy individuals who have immigrated to the Australia from the United Kingdom to join Australia's Defence Force. 

International clients - Australia continues to be a popular target for international business expansion opportunities.  Rob has several clients that have expanded business operations to Australia from the United Kingdom, as well as the United States.  This is especially the case with small and medium international businesses expanding their products and services to Australia.  To maximise opportunity to succeed these businesses need to consider many issues before beginning operations in Australia; including the requirements to fully comply with the complexities of Australia's Corporations Law, Federal and State taxation obligations, understanding the different markets within Australia, as well as other general business reporting requirements.   Australia is an exciting market and presents many opportunities for international business.  It is a fast developing element of GiffardSim Accountants client base.