Latest News
ATO’s focus on small business
The ATO is ‘detecting and addressing’ recurring errors in specific industries when businesses have a turnover between $1 million and $10 million. These industries include property and construction (including builders, contractors and tradies), and professional, scientific and technical services (including engineering, design, IT and consulting professionals). In these industries, the ATO continues to see recurring […]
ATO reminder: Business expenses that can (and cannot) be claimed
Taxpayers can claim a tax deduction for most business expenses, provided they meet the ATO’s three ‘golden rules’: The expense must be for business use, not for private use. If the expense is for a mix of business and private use, they can only claim the portion that is used for business. They must have […]
Dual cab utes and FBT
The ATO wishes to dispel the ‘common myth’ that dual cab utes are automatically exempt from fringe benefits tax (‘FBT’). If an employer provides dual cab utes to staff to complete their duties and the vehicle is available for personal use, then the benefit may be subject to FBT. By understanding how their employees use […]
ART dismisses argument that medical expenses were deductible
In a recent decision, the Administrative Review Tribunal (‘ART’) held that a taxpayer could not claim a tax deduction for medical expenses incurred by him in relation to his total and permanent disability pension. The taxpayer had been terminated from his employment due to total and permanent disablement (‘TPD’). For the 2024 income year, his […]
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 […]
Div.293 Concessional Contribution Assessments Have Been Issued
| | | The ATO has recently issued approximately 30,000 Division 293 assessments for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 financial years. Division 293 tax is an additional tax on super contributions, which reduces the tax concession for individuals whose combined income and contributions are greater than the Division 293 threshold (currently $250,000). Due to a […]
Cash Payment Limit Bill Shelved
| | | It appears that the Government has decided not to proceed with its proposal to limit cash payments in Australia to $10,000. This measure was originally raised as part of the 2018/19 Budget, and the Government subsequently introduced a Bill to the House of Representatives, proposing to make it an offence for […]
New FBT Retraining and Reskilling Exemption Available
Recent legislative amendments mean that employers who provide training or education to redundant (or soon to be redundant employees) may now be exempt from fringe benefits tax (‘FBT’). The ATO has reminded eligible employers that they can apply the exemption to retraining and reskilling benefits provided on or after 2 October 2020. There are […]
Avoiding Disqualification From SG Amnesty
The superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) amnesty ended on 7 September 2020. Employers who disclosed unpaid SG amounts and qualified for the amnesty are reminded that they must either pay in full any outstanding amounts they owe, or set up a payment plan and meet each ongoing instalment amount so as to avoid being disqualified and […]
Further STP Developments
In an indication of the far-reaching changes that Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) will be bringing, Treasury has recently finished consulting on draft legislation that expands the data that may be collected through STP by the ATO (as announced in the 2019/20 Budget). The legislation, if enacted, will broaden the amounts that employers can voluntarily […]
COVID-19 And Tax Depreciation Reports – Are Physical Inspections Necessary?
Property investors and businesses will often engage a specialist quantity surveyor to prepare a tax report on capital works and depreciation deductions available to them under the tax law in respect of their income-producing properties – for example, a rental property, office building or factory. A thorough physical inspection of the property by a quantity […]