How much do we need to retire?
The question of how much a person needs to have saved before confidently launching into their retirement years very much requires an individual answer. The more the better may seem to be an obvious response, but then again each one of us lucky enough to reach the...
Carrying on a business through your SMSF
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...
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...
The work Christmas party
It’s not quite Christmas time yet, but most businesses will be in the process of thinking ahead to the yuletide festivities, if not already into well-advanced planning. One of the perennial questions is if and how fringe benefits tax applies to these activities. There...
Three-quarter FBT year compliance check-up
As the FBT year runs from 1 April to 31 March, the months of October to December marks the “third quarter” of the FBT year, and so here is an overview of the FBT elements that can attract the ATO’s attention. This can be a timely period for a compliance check-up, so...
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...
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...
Private ruling facts you may need to know
There have been cases where people believe the idle talk about being able to coerce a better tax outcome 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. Of course it is...
Crowdfunding and tax
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,...
Have you had a change in creditable purpose for GST reporting purposes?
Sometimes your business may end up using an asset you purchased, such as a property for example, in a way that is different to what you had originally planned. It pays to remember that if you claimed GST credits for assets that have had their intended use change from...