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...
Will new LRBA rules stymie your SMSF contribution plans?
An “integrity” measure, which aimed to stop SMSF trustees from manipulating their total superannuation balance in order to keep below the $1.6 million threshold, may have the unintended outcome of reducing the appeal of LRBAs. Legislated changes to limited recourse...
Shares and tax: A stock market investment primer
Investing in the stockmarket is a lot more common than it was years ago, with ordinary Australians having experience with shares and the stockmarket either directly or through managed funds or via their superannuation fund. Recent research conducted by the Australian...
Self-employed? You could claim a deduction for saving for your retirement
A recent change to the rules around superannuation means that more Australians may be eligible to claim a tax deduction for putting money into super. Before June 30, 2017, if more than 10% of your income was sourced from salary or wages from an employer, you were...