Accounting Support for Commercial Property Investors
Specialist tax and accounting advice for investors buying, holding and growing a commercial property portfolio — offices, retail, industrial and mixed-use — so every decision is backed by the numbers.
Accounting Built Around How Commercial Property Investors Actually Make Money
Commercial property is a different game to residential — yields, lease structures, GST treatment and depreciation all work differently, and the tax rules follow suit. We help investors building a portfolio of offices, retail, industrial and mixed-use property get the structure, reporting and tax treatment right from the outset, so growth isn’t undone by decisions made without the full picture.
Whether you’re weighing up your first commercial purchase or adding to an existing portfolio held personally, through a trust, a company or an SMSF, we make sure the numbers behind each property — and the structure holding it — are working together, not against each other.
We provide objective, unbiased property and tax advice, with no commissions or kickbacks from developers or promoters.
Our Services
We offer tailored services designed around the specific needs of property investors like you.
Commercial Property Tax Returns & Compliance
With decades of experience specifically in property tax, we make sure your commercial holdings are reported correctly and every legitimate deduction is claimed.
- Lease income, outgoings and expense reporting
- Depreciation on buildings, plant and fit-out (Division 40 & 43)
- GST advice on commercial sales, leasing and the margin scheme
- Land tax and stamp duty planning across states
- Capital gains tax planning ahead of a sale or restructure
Ownership Structures & Asset Protection
The right structure affects everything from your day-to-day tax bill to what happens to the property when you eventually sell it, or pass it on.
- Tax-effective structuring — individual, trust, company or SMSF ownership
- Asset protection planning
- Structuring for a growing commercial portfolio
- Succession and estate planning for property assets
Finance & Debt Structuring for Commercial Assets
Commercial lending works differently to residential — lower LVRs, shorter terms, and outgoings usually covered by the tenant. We help make sure the debt behind your portfolio is structured tax-effectively.
- Loan structuring for tax efficiency
- Interest deductibility and debt recycling strategies
- Cash flow modelling across a growing portfolio
- Working alongside your finance broker to align lending with your tax position
Due Diligence Before You Buy or Sell
Getting advice before you sign is worth more than advice after settlement. We help you understand the tax and structuring impact of a commercial property decision before you commit.
- GST treatment on the purchase or sale (including margin scheme eligibility)
- Land tax and stamp duty modelling for the target state
- Recommended ownership structure for the acquisition
- Fast-turnaround advice when you’re working to a contract deadline
Meet Garry Wolnarek
Garry Wolnarek founded Umbrella Accountants on a belief most accountants don’t act on: your accountant should be building your next thirty years, not just reporting on your last twelve months. He works with business owners and property investors who are good at making money but want to be just as good at keeping it — coordinating tax, structure, finance, and estate planning so that the wealth they build today becomes wealth their family keeps for generations. Property has long been at the heart of his work, guiding everyone from first-home buyers to seasoned investors in buying, selling, and developing with confidence — and that same discipline extends to the businesses that fund it all. Unbiased by design, with no products to sell, Garry offers something rarer than advice: genuine stewardship, with everything under one umbrella.
- Bachelor of Business in Accounting from Monash University
- Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants (FIPA)
- Public Practice Certificate
- Registered Tax Agent for over 25 years
Frequently Asked Questions
What accounting services do you offer commercial property investors?
Everything from commercial property tax returns through to ongoing strategic advice — GST on sales and leasing, land tax and stamp duty planning, depreciation on buildings and fit-out, capital gains tax planning, and the right ownership structure for your portfolio, whether that’s individual, trust, company or SMSF.
Why use a property-specialist accountant instead of a general accountant?
Commercial property has its own rules — GST on leasing and sale, land tax thresholds, depreciation on plant versus building, margin scheme eligibility — and getting them wrong is expensive. We’ve spent 25+ years focused specifically on property tax, across residential, commercial and development, so the advice you get is grounded in real experience with the ATO rules that actually apply to your assets, not general small-business advice applied to property.
How are you different from property investment promoters or spruikers?
We’ve seen plenty of property investment promoters put their own interests ahead of their clients’. As accountants, we hold ourselves to a professional and ethical standard in everything we do — there are no commissions or kickbacks from developers or promoters influencing our advice. Our job is to help you make an informed decision, not steer you toward whatever benefits us.
What's the best structure for holding commercial property?
It depends on your goals — asset protection, tax rate, succession planning and how you intend to fund the next purchase all point in different directions. Individual ownership is simple but offers no asset protection; trusts and companies bring asset protection and income-splitting but higher setup and running costs; an SMSF has its own rules again. We’ll talk through your circumstances and recommend a structure that fits, rather than a one-size-fits-all answer.
How do I get started, and what does it cost?
Start with a free, no-obligation consultation to talk through your portfolio and what you’re trying to achieve. From there, we put together a tailored plan with clear, fixed pricing — so you know what to expect upfront, with no hidden costs.