Latest News
PAYGW reminders for activity statement lodgments
The ATO will be sending certain employers a reminder to lodge their activity statements. The reminder will include the amounts the ATO has on record for them, such as: PAYG withheld amounts reported through Single Touch Payroll; and any other pre-filled amounts, including GST instalments and PAYG instalments (instalment amount option). The ATO’s reminders are […]
ATO AFCX data-matching program
The ATO will acquire relevant account and transaction data (data-matching) from the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (‘AFCX’) for the 2025 to 2027 income years, including the following: Client identification details (names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, identity verification document details, IP addresses, etc); and Bank account transaction details (bank account details, transaction date and […]
Small Business Superannuation Clearing House is closing
The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (‘SBSCH’) will close on 1 July 2026. Editor: The SBSCH is a free online service provided by the Australian Government through the ATO. The SBSCH can be used by employers to pay superannuation for all their employees through a single payment. The SBSCH will then distribute the money to […]
Getting the main residence exemption right
The ATO has the following tips for taxpayers in relation to the CGT main residence exemption. They should consider if they have bought or disposed of property in the past income year. If they have sold property, were they using it solely as their primary place of residence, earning income from it (rental or business), […]
Bill to reduce student debt now law
Legislation has recently been enacted which delivers on the 2025/26 Federal Budget announcement to reduce student debts. Pursuant to this legislation: there is a one-off 20% reduction to Higher Education Loan Program debts and other student loans that were incurred on or before 1 June 2025; the minimum repayment threshold is increased from $54,435 in […]
ATO to include tax ‘debts on hold’ in taxpayer account balances
From August 2025, the ATO is progressively including ‘debts on hold’ in relevant taxpayer ATO account balances. Editor: A ‘debt on hold’ is an outstanding tax debt where the ATO has previously paused debt collection actions. Tax debts will generally be placed on hold where the ATO decides it is not cost effective to collect […]
Taxpayer’s claims for various ‘home business’ expenses rejected
In a recent decision, the AAT rejected in full a taxpayer’s claims for “several classes or categories of deductions.” For the relevant period of 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022, the taxpayer was (according to his employer) a ‘technical architect’. However, the taxpayer also claimed he worked from home 6am to 11pm seven days […]
ATO reminder about family trust elections
Taxpayers may be considering whether they should make a family trust election (‘FTE’) for a trust, or an interposed entity election (‘IEE’) for a trust or other entity. Making an FTE provides access to certain tax concessions (assuming the relevant tests and conditions are satisfied), although there are important things to consider. In particular, once […]
CGT withholding measures now law
The Government recently passed legislation making changes to the foreign resident capital gains withholding laws (among other changes). Editor: Foreign resident capital gains withholding is relevant for all vendors selling certain taxable real property (e.g., Australian land). Even Australian residents can be caught by these laws because, if they do not have a valid ‘clearance […]
ATO debunks Division 7A ‘myths’
Editor: The ATO has recently published a document ‘debunking’ various Division 7A ‘myths’. Division 7A of the tax legislation is intended to prevent profits or assets being provided to shareholders or their associates tax free. A payment or other benefit provided by a private company to a shareholder or their associate can be treated as […]
ATOs notice of rental bond data-matching program
The ATO will acquire rental bond data from State and Territory rental bond regulators bi-annually for the 2024 to 2026 income years, including details of the landlord and tenant, managing agent identification details, and rental bond transaction details. The objectives of this program are to (among other things) identify and educate individuals and businesses who […]
Study/training loans — What’s new
The indexation rate for study and training loans is now based on the Consumer Price Index (‘CPI’) or Wage Price Index — whichever is lower. This change has been backdated to indexation applied from 1 June 2023 for all HELP, VET Student Loan, Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan, and other study or training support loan accounts. […]