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 […]
Three-Quarter Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) Year Compliance Check-Up
As the Fringe Benefits Tax year runs from 1 April to 31 March, the months of October to December mark the “third quarter” of the FBT year, and so, as an early fix before year’s end, here is an overview of the FBT elements that can attract the ATO’s attention. This can be a timely […]
Carrying on a Business Through Your Self Managed Super Fund
Under the regulations, self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are not prohibited from carrying on a business, however the business must be: allowed under the SMSF’s trust deed, and operated for the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits for fund members. Note however that the rules governing SMSFs prohibit or limit some activities available to other businesses, […]
Renting Out Part or All Of Your Home
If you rent out part or all of your home, the rent money you receive is generally regarded as assessable income. This means: you must declare your rental income in your income tax return, and you can claim deductions for the associated expenses you may not be entitled to the full main residence exemption from […]
Taxpayer Alert, Not Alarm
Every now and then you might read or hear about a “taxpayer alert” being issued by the ATO. Taxpayer alerts are the ATO’s “early warning” signals to the public about a certain area of concern — it could be about fraudulent schemes, or dodgy investments, or perhaps about a tax minimisation tactic that the ATO […]
Do you need an agreement between two business partners?
Going into new business with other people is exciting and can be extremely rewarding. The question remains … should you get an agreement between two business partners? A formal agreement can set the ground rules and stop owners getting caught out if things don’t quite go as well as planned. Whether your firm is structured […]
Consumers Compensated by Financial Institutions Still Need to Consider Tax
With the ongoing financial services Royal Commission, and likely future cases brought before various courts for compensation — or indeed the present building of class action lawsuits on the back of various revelations to come out of the Royal Commission — the ATO has felt the need to run over the rules (as they stand) […]