Latest News
ATO warning regarding private use of work vehicles and FBT
Employers that supply work vehicles to their employees need to check how the work vehicles are used and whether any exemptions apply to determine if they attract fringe benefits tax (‘FBT’). FBT generally applies when a work vehicle is made available for private use, even if it is not actually used. Private use includes any […]
Tips to help sole trader clients
The ATO is seeing sole traders make mistakes in the following areas: not reporting all income — this includes income earned outside their business (like a ‘side hustle’), cash jobs, or payments in-kind/barter deals; overclaiming expenses — this includes claiming the portion of an expense related to personal use, or overstating the cost of goods […]
Correctly dealing with rental property repairs
Taxpayers who have had work done on their rental property should ensure the expense is categorised correctly to avoid errors when completing their tax return. A deduction for ‘repairs and maintenance’ expenses can be claimed for work done to remedy, or prevent defects, damage or deterioration from using the property to earn income. These expenses […]
Reminder of September Quarter Superannuation Guarantee (‘SG’)
Employers are reminded that employee super contributions for the quarter ending 30 September 2025 must be received by the relevant super funds by Tuesday, 28 October 2025. If the correct amount of SG is not paid by an employer on time, they will be liable to pay the SG charge, which (as noted above) includes […]
Employees incorrectly treated as independent contractors
The ATO is warning businesses that if they incorrectly treat an employee as an independent contractor, then they risk receiving penalties and charges, including: PAYG withholding penalty for failing to deduct tax from worker payments and send it to the ATO; Super guarantee charge (‘SGC’), which is more than the super that would have been […]
PAYGW reminders for activity statement lodgments
The ATO will be sending certain employers a reminder to lodge their activity statements. The reminder will include the amounts the ATO has on record for them, such as: PAYG withheld amounts reported through Single Touch Payroll; and any other pre-filled amounts, including GST instalments and PAYG instalments (instalment amount option). The ATO’s reminders are […]
Very pleasant and helpful
From the outset, of phoning to make an appointment to get our returns completed, I spoke to a very pleasant and helpful lady. She was able to confirm an appointment convenient to us all without too much of a time delay to get to see our agent. Client name withheld – Malaga
Crowdfunding and Taxes
Not so many years ago, the concept of raising funds via crowdfunding would more likely be seen as a way to fund community-based, local-issue or help-your-neighbour initiatives. But increasingly these days crowdfunding is viewed as a viable source of seed capital and is no longer regarded as the shy little sister of venture capitalism. So […]
Get a Clear View With a Private Tax Ruling
There have been cases where people believe the idle talk about being able to coerce a better tax outcome simply by applying for a private ruling from the ATO. But there are some sober facts that you may need to keep in mind if you have thought of it yourself. Any taxpayer can apply for […]
Changing Details in Your Tax Return After It’s Lodged
Say for example that we have already lodged your 2017-18 tax return and forwarded your notice of assessment to you saying that everything is as discussed, but you then realise that something has been left out of your return, or you accidentally included an extra deduction or doubled one up. You ask yourself – Can […]
Personal Services Income: An Overview
It is not uncommon for professional people who provide services to set up a separate entity to run their business, be it a trust, partnership or incorporated company. The allure of course is the lower tax rate that these can secure, rather than at the top marginal tax rate that an individual would generally wear. […]
How Much Do You Need To Retire
The question “How much do you need to retire?” requires an individual answer. Each one of us lucky enough to reach the brink of those golden years will feel a lot better doing so with some assurance that we’ve squirreled enough away to be comfortable in retirement. The answer to the above question is made all […]