BOUTIQUE
ACCOUNTANCY FIRM SINCE 1916
A C Small Maxwell & Co is a boutique accountancy firm serving the Clarence Valley and beyond.
The Principals, Derek Alden and Patrina Whyte, are backed by a small team of dedicated accounting professionals
PRACTICE
AREAS
Accounting and Taxation
We prepare Income Tax Returns, Business Activity Statements, Fringe Benefits Tax Returns and more for entities including Individuals, Partnerships, Companies, Trusts, Self-Managed Superannuation Funds and Private Charitable Foundations. Management accounts are provided as and when required. Our team are well versed in taxation law and have experience lodging private ruling applications with the Australian Taxation Office.
Business Advice
We can assist clients with starting a new business, finding the appropriate business structure, managing cashflow, finances and staff. Our effective tax planning strategies can assist to legally minimise tax liabilities. Our business expertise can help identify potential pitfalls or improvements for our clients.
Audit
We provide auditing services to many local not for profit organisations including sporting clubs, independent Aboriginal Corporations, and cultural organisations.
Financial Planning
Our Financial Planner, Derek Alden, provides our clients with exceptional financial advice relating to investment composition and structure. This aims to maximise the wealth of our clients and improve their financial plans for retirement (whether they aim to retire at 65 or 35).
Self-Managed Superannuation Funds
Our firm provides assistance in the creation of, and annual reporting of, our clients’ Self-Managed Superannuation Funds. This enables our clients to have total control over their superannuation assets and investments.
Estate Planning
We assist clients in succession planning to ensure that the allocation of financial assets upon their passing is appropriate to their situation, and done in a tax effective way. This helps to make a difficult time for families a little easier.
Establishment of Private Charitable Foundations
We have experience in establishing Private Charitable Foundations and preparing their annual reports. This allows our clients to leave a lasting legacy to those less fortunate – either through regular charitable contributions, or funding regular education scholarships bearing their family name. This ensures that our clients will be remembered long after they have passed, and for their name to be recognised and respected in the local community indefinitely.
Secretarial Services
We provide assistance with bookkeeping, payroll (including Single Touch Payroll), superannuation and other secretarial matters. This includes preparing annual and mandatory reports with ASIC on behalf of our clients.
OUR VISION
A C Small Maxwell & Co is a boutique accountancy firm serving the Clarence Valley and beyond.
Our aim is to be the most respected and professional accounting firm in the Clarence Valley, where our clients are our number one priority.
The firm has been in continuous operation since 1916 when it was established by Ambrose Cecil Small
AC Small Esq. travelled to Grafton to join the partnership of AE Barton, RD Bogan and AE Harrison who practiced in the Post Office Chambers, the site of the previous city library.
He remained with the partnership for two years before establishing his own firm.
In a long and detailed letter to his wife at the conclusion of the journey from Sydney to Grafton on the Pulganbar, Mr Small described the highlights of a journey that took almost two days before the mouth of the Clarence was reached with a further six and a half hours to travel up river to Grafton.
A description of each settlement from the village of Iluka, the point of transhipment from the Pulganbar to the river boat named Olns to Yamba, then as now the seaside resort of the Clarence, through Harwood, Maclean, Lawrence, Brushgrove and Ulmarra, vividly reminds readers of the growth that has occurred in the Clarence Valley.
Since the establishment of the Firm there have been several Principals and many staff who have been prominent in the community. Former Principals include Ronald T Maxwell, Peter W Beresford (who commenced the firms long standing support for the Ladies Golf May Tournament), Victor C Green, Peter Brooks, Geoff Shephard (still active in Valley affairs) and Steve Llewelyn (who ran the Maclean office). Former staff include Bob Turns who subsequently ran his own Practice for many years.
Client loyalty has been a feature of the Firm over the decades. An outstanding example of that is a client of Yamba who came to the Firm as an 18-year-old and remained a client until his death in 2009, aged 92 years.
Many of the current clients have been with the Firm decades rather than years.
AC Small would be proud of his legacy and impressed that his high ethical standards remain in place today.
OUR TEAM
Derek has been a Partner and Principal in the Firm for many years. Born in Derbyshire and initially educated in the UK (Stockport School) he completed his degree at Sydney University and was admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1987. Derek is particularly pleased that the high ethical standards established by A C Small when the firm commenced in 1916 continues today. Serving the community in which the firm operates has always been important to him – and this is reflected in his volunteer work – including over the years Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Anglican Diocese Treasurer, Clarence Valley Anglican School Council and Treasurer of Bendigo Community Bank (Clarence Valley Community Financial Services Ltd).
Derek and his wife Kay are great supporters and advocates of the arts in the Clarence Valley and believe the quality of life in a country town is significantly enhanced through music, art, and literature. Currently not much time for sport – but in earlier years Derek played representative soccer in the UK and then for Sydney University with Tennis also being important. Derek has twin daughters Kate and Sarah and four grandchildren.
DEREK ALDEN
PRINCIPAL
Patrina has worked in the Accounting Industry since she finished High School over 15 years ago. She has completed a Bachelor of Business with Honours, Majoring in Accounting and Management.
Her Honours thesis focused primarily on Sustainability. She started with A C Small Maxwell in 2019, after having a break in her career to focus on raising her family.
She is a keen and avid researcher, always ready to dig the depths of taxation law (never a pretty place). She became Partner of the Firm in 2021, for which she is absolutely thrilled. She hopes to see the Firm flourish in the years ahead, developing the best possible place for all of our employees and clients.
PATRINA WHYTE
PRINCIPAL
HEIDA BELL
ACCOUNTANT
Born in Germany, Heida started her working life as a surveyor. She moved to Australia in 2000 and decided to join the NSW Police Force in 2005. She had various roles within the Police Force and has been working at Coffs Harbour Water Police since 2015. She decided she needed a career change and has completed a Business degree at Southern Cross University, majoring in Accounting. She and her husband moved to a property at Nana Glen a few years ago where she is enjoying the country lifestyle with their horses, cattle, chickens and dogs.
AMY BOOTH
ADMINISTRATION
Amy joined the team at A C Small Maxwell & Co back in 2019 and is excited to start an administration career in the Accounting industry. Amy was born and raised in Queensland and has recently moved to Grafton after purchasing a rural property with her partner.
Amy holds a Certificate 3 in Business Administration (Finance) and has over 7 years’ experience working in various admin roles. Amy provides administrative support to the office team and to the long-standing clients of the Clarence Valley. In her spare time Amy has a passion for photography, music, spending time with family and animals.
HELEN THOMPSON
BOOKKEEPER
Helen always strives to build relationships with those she meets. Throughout the years she has served in many roles, commencing her career in Melbourne as wife to Ian and mum to 4 children, then training as a Personal Carer in the Aged Care field.
In 2000 Helen and her family relocated to SE Qld where she then branched out into Property Management. After opting to move and make the Clarence Valley their home, Helen and Ian took on the ownership of the Grafton Optus Shop in 2010.
In early 2021, Helen and Ian’s life changed again, and, after letting go of their shop and having a well-earned break, AC Small Maxwell was only too happy to make Helen a part of their team in early 2022. Since that time, Helen has completed her Accreditation in Aged Care Steps (Financial Strategies), and Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. She now specialises in bookkeeping, preparing Business Activity Statements, and providing Aged Care Steps Financial Strategies.
KELLIE THOMSON
ACCOUNTANT
Kellie was born and raised in the Clarence Valley, but relocated to Queensland where she completed her schooling and started her career in Event Management.
During that time Kellie worked with a diverse range of businesses and charitable organisations, organising several large scale events and fundraisers.
It wasn’t until after travelling abroad that Kellie returned to Grafton in 2008, to be closer to family and her partner Zac.
After being offered a position at a local accounting firm, she found her passion for numbers and accounting.
Kellie Joined our team in 2020, and brings with her over 15 years of experience in the industry.
Kellie enjoys a challenge, is eager to learn and continues to study. With outstanding attention to detail she produces a high standard of work and strives to get her clients the best possible tax outcome.
Kellie & Zac live in Grafton by the river with their 9-year-old twins.
Kellie volunteers regularly at her children’s school and is the Treasurer of the P&F Association.
BARBARA THOMPSON
ACCOUNTANT
Barbara lives in the Clarence Valley with her husband, 2 children and 3 dogs.
She has worked in the accounting industry for over 20 years.
She commenced her accounting studies whilst working in the industry.
After 9 years she took some time off to focus on her family and then recommenced her working career in accounting in 2009 and has been actively employed since.
She only recently joined the team at AC Small & Maxwell and is passionate about assisting and supporting clients.
She loves spending time with her family, cooking and reading.
CONTACT
Contact Us
Level 1, 50 Victoria Street,
Grafton NSW 2460
Phone: 02 6642 2377
Email: admin@acsmallmaxwell.com.au
Postal Address
PO Box 45, Grafton Nsw 2460
For any general inquiries, please fill in the following contact form:
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