Latest News
Businesses using cash to dodge obligations
The ATO is ‘cracking down’ on businesses that use cash to dodge obligations on their tax, employer and business. Businesses that do this may: – fail to report all sales transactions and fail to issue receipts; – avoid paying GST, income tax, PAYG withholding, super guarantee, insurance and work cover protection; – report their income […]
$20,000 instant asset write-off extended
Editor: The Government recently passed legislation to extend the $20,000 instant asset write-off for small businesses by 12 months to 30 June 2026. Taxpayers should note that if their business has an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million, they may be able touse the instant asset write-off (‘IAWO’) to immediately deduct the business […]
Tax dodgers banned from leaving the country
The ATO is actively using departure prohibition orders (‘DPOs’) as part of a broader shift towards strengthening payment performance and debt collection. A DPO is an enforcement action available to the ATO to prevent certain persons with tax liabilities from leaving Australia without paying their outstanding tax. Since July 2025, the ATO has issued 21 […]
Paying super guarantee
The ATO is reminding employers that they must pay super guarantee (‘SG’) contributions for eligible employees. Employers need to pay a minimum of 12% (the current SG rate as from 1 July 2025) of each employee’s ordinary time earnings into a complying super fund on a quarterly basis (the due date for the March 2026 […]
Taxpayer’s dog breeding activities held to be an enterprise
The Administrative Review Tribunal (‘ART’) recently held that a taxpayer had carried on an enterprise of dog breeding for GST purposes. He had lodged activity statements for the quarters ended 30 September 2018 to 31 December 2021 inclusive, claiming input tax credits (‘ITCs’) for the dog breeding activities he carried on from his home (among […]
Time limits on GST and fuel tax credit claims
Taxpayers should note that GST credits and fuel tax credits will expire if not claimed within the 4-year credit time limit (i.e., generally four years from the due date of the original BAS in which the taxpayer could have claimed them). Once credits expire, the ATO has no discretion or ability to amend the assessment […]
Beware Division 7A When Borrowing From Your Business
Business owners of private companies often borrow money from their own companies for all sorts of reasons. However there is an area of the tax law that seeks to sanction against situations in which private companies dole out money to those within a business, in a form other than salary or dividends, that needs to […]
Retirement
Under new transition to retirement rules at the ATO, if you have reached your preservation age, you may now be able to reduce your working hours without reducing your income. You can do this by topping up your part-time income with a regular ‘income stream’ from your superannuation. Previously, you could only access your superannuation […]
Is That a Travel Allowance or Living Away From Home Allowance?
Travel allowances are paid to employees where in some cases the period away from home is less than 21 days, and in others, more than 21 days. With travel allowances, typically employees are: paid standard travel allowance for accommodation and food work at the one location visit home on weekends stay in accommodation provided by […]
Tax and Christmas Party Planning
Christmas will be here before we know it, and the well-prepared business owner knows that a little tax planning can help make sure there’s no unforeseen tax problems. The three benefits typically provided include: Christmas parties for employees (and perhaps their family members, and even clients) gifts to employees, their family members and clients, and […]
Small Business Car Parking FBT Exemption
A business becomes liable for car parking fringe benefits tax where it provides parking for more than four hours on its premises to its employees, and is situated within one kilometre of a commercial car park where the minimum all day cost is more than the current parking fringe benefit threshold ($8.66 a day for […]
Considering Ride Sharing For Income? Tips and Traps
Have you or someone you know considered taking up ride-sharing (also called ride-sourcing) to earn extra income, or even as an alternative form of employment? When providing ride-sharing services through Uber or GoCatch and other facilitators for a fare, there are things you need to know, and traps you need to be aware of. The […]