ACCelerate is New Zealand's only dedicated ACC refund specialist.
Operating under a "no refund no fee" policy, the kiwi owned-and-operated company prides itself on "having the back" of business owners and the self-employed.
Over the past five years, ACCelerate has reviewed over 65,000 ACC accounts, recovering over $8.2 million in refunds for clients all over New Zealand.
According to O'Meara, ACC calculations are incredibly complex and processes are computer driven, which can lead to mistakes.
"Tax and compliance requirements can be confusing, misleading and onerous. Coupled together with the day-to-day reality of running a business, this means that for a lot of people, examining their ACC payments has never made it to the top of their 'to-do' list."
The thought of chasing money from a government department is enough to send a shiver down the spine of most people, particularly when they have a lot on their plate.
"We understand that people are busy," O'Meara says.
"We take the hassle out of dealing with ACC and make sure you're paying the right amount and not a cent more. Being able to go back up to 12 years means we can take a thorough look at what refunds may be there. We also guarantee that no review by us will ever result in additional ACC invoicing costs."
An average of around 65 per cent of all refunds identified are in the Agriculture Industry, and the average refund is around $850, compared with other industries of $600.
On average, over a third of those who seek advice from ACCelerate are entitled to a refund. With an average $618 refund per case and a "no refund no fee" promise, more and more people are jumping online for an assessment.
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Richie O'Meara on The Country below:
Far from being a convoluted process, ACCelerate has created a bespoke online tool that provides the sort of fast and easy experience people expect from a seasoned financial service provider.
As a business owner and chartered accountant himself, O'Meara knows that time is money.
"By entering a few basic details into our online tool, you'll be able to get an idea within seconds whether you might qualify for a refund or not. Its the sort of thing you can do over a cup of coffee - its that straightforward."
And its a method that's found favour with time-poor farmers who've been quick on the uptake, representing over half of all refunds secured.
O'Meara points out that due to the nature and fluctuations of their work, farmers are prone to overpaying, and those who are now retired from working in the agriculture industry are even more likely to receive a refund.
"Farmers are a hard-working bunch who often don't have time to work through the detail of every invoice they receive, so having someone to take care of this for them is something they really appreciate."
For one southern client with a fluctuating income, getting ACCelerate on board was a wise move.
"My company runs a farming business in Otago. We paid ACC cover that wasn't required resulting in an ACC overpayment of $1,410. We assumed ACC would have refunded us but they didn't. ACCelerate identified where I had been overcharged and obtained the ACC refund."
This story echoes the sentiments shared by other clients whose testimonials feature on ACCelerate's new website.
"I work in the fishing industry on the West Coast and have paid a hefty amount in ACC levies over the years," another client said.
"I never realised that ACC could get their invoicing wrong. Getting an ACC refund made a real difference to the bottom line of my business."
It's this sort of feedback that motivates Richie O'Meara.
"Its a fantastic feeling to know we've played a part in putting money back into the pocket of our fellow kiwis. Business owners and self-employed people work incredibly hard to get ahead so if we can make things a little bit easier and get a result that benefits them financially, its a win-win."
When all that's required is a visit to ACCelerate's website for a no-obligation, free check, the team at ACCelerate can expect to see plenty more business owners and self-employed people heading their way.
