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 […]
ATO’s record-keeping tips
The ATO has reminded taxpayers that they should understand the record-keeping requirements for their business and keep accurate and complete records as they occur, as this should help them avoid penalties that may apply and reduce the possibility of the ATO denying their expense claims. The following are some of the ATO’s top tips to […]
What is Income For Tax Purposes
You pay income tax on assessable income you receive, such as salary and wages, most Centrelink payments, investment income from rent, bank interest or dividends, business income; and capital gains from selling assets like shares or property. Employment income You must show all employment income, payments and benefits on your tax return, including salary and […]
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 […]
ATO Spells Out its Big FBT Concerns
March 31 and the end of the FBT year is around the corner, so to help taxpayers get things right, the ATO has made public the fringe benefits tax issues that attract its attention. Broadly (not just in relation to FBT), the ATO says the following behaviours and characteristics tend to raise a red flag: […]
Know the rules for accessing superannuation
The ATO has reminded SMSF trustees that their SMSF must be operated for the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits for its members. This means SMSF trustees can’t use funds from their SMSF to pay for personal or business expenses. This is known as ‘illegal early access’ of superannuation, and severe penalties apply. The ATO […]
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. […]