Latest News
Hybrid vehicles and FBT changes
Employers that provide plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (‘PHEVs’) to employees (or associates) for personal use should remember the following. Home-charging expenses — new shortcut method The ATO has updated its guidelines to include a new method to make it easier to calculate PHEV electricity costs when a vehicle is charged at an employee’s home. To […]
When a hobby becomes a business
Taxpayers may not think they are running a business from their hobby or ‘side hustle’ activities. However, if they start to earn money from doing these activities regularly, they may be carrying on a business without realising it. Generally, carrying on a business involves ongoing and repeated activities with the intention of making a profit. […]
Know when a new logbook is required
Editor: Keeping a car logbook may be required to accurately calculate the business-use percentage of vehicle expenses (e.g., fuel, registration, insurance and depreciation) for tax deductions. Taxpayers can keep the same logbook for their car for five years, but there are circumstances where they may need a new one during that period. Relying on a […]
Work-related expense claims rejected by Administrative Review Tribunal (‘ART’)
The Administrative Review Tribunal (‘ART’) recently disallowed a taxpayer’s claims for many different types of work-related expenses. The taxpayer was employed full-time as an engineer, working from home two days a week. For the 2023 income year, he claimed deductions totalling over $61,000, in relation to (among other things) car expenses, travel expenses, clothing expenses, […]
Check GST credit claims before lodging BASs
Taxpayers who are registered for GST can get GST credit claims (or ‘input tax credits’) for the GST included in the price of goods and services they buy for their business. However, if they buy something for both business and private use, they need to apportion their GST credit to only claim the business use. […]
Government payments programs
The ATO is reminding taxpayers that receive government payments for delivering services under a Commonwealth program, such as healthcare, disability support or child care, that they have an obligation to: keep accurate records; and report any such income they receive in their tax return. The ATO recently advised that it would be contacting taxpayers and […]
ATO Rates And Thresholds
The ATO has updated a number of rates and thresholds on their website, including the following. Division 7A – Benchmark Interest Rate The Division 7A benchmark interest rate for the 2020 income year is 5.37% (up from the rate for the 2019 income year of 5.20%). Car Cost Limit For Depreciation The maximum value […]
What’s New For Taxpayers
Before you complete your tax return for 2015, there are some changes you should be aware of in case they affect you. Mature age worker tax offset You can no longer claim the Mature age worker tax offset (MAWTO) in your tax return. Previously, to be eligible for the offset you needed to be an […]
FBT And Taxi Travel
Taxi travel by an employee is an exempt benefit for FBT purposes if the travel is a single trip beginning or ending at the employee’s place of work (or if it is a result of sickness or injury in certain circumstances). However, the ATO is reminding taxpayers that this exemption is limited to travel undertaken […]
Private Health Insurance Rebate and Medicare Levy Surcharge
If you have private health insurance cover, you may be eligible for the private health insurance (PHI) rebate. Most people claim the rebate as a reduction in the amount of premiums they pay to their insurer. The rebate is income tested, which means that if you have a higher income, your rebate entitlement may be […]
Private Health Insurance Statements Now Optional
Taxpayers with private health insurance should be aware that insurance providers are no longer required to provide statements to their members. Taxpayers lodging their tax returns using a registered tax agent should have their health insurance details ‘pre-filled’ into their return (but they will need to contact their health insurer if they cannot get this […]
Records you need to keep
During the financial year you’ll receive documents that are important for doing your tax, such as payment summaries, receipts, invoices and contracts. Generally, you need to keep these for 5 years from when you lodge your tax return in case we ask you to substantiate your claims. Records you need to keep include: Payment summaries […]