If Santa was an Australian tax resident A lighter look at the complexity of Australian taxation laws and the year that has been. Dear Mr Claus, Thank you for the opportunity to provide strategic business, tax and compliance advice for your operation. We’re pleased you have initiated this advice as the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) [...]
Overseas gifts and loans in the spotlight The ATO has recently issued an alert on gifts or loans from overseas. The ATO is particularly concerned about schemes and arrangements designed specifically to circumvent Australian tax laws. In general, Australian-resident taxpayers need to declare their worldwide income in their Australian tax return. Some schemes however disguise [...]
SMSF COVID-19 audit relief extended The ATO has extended COVID-19 relief for SMSF trustees. The relief measures, which protect trustees from COVID-19 related contraventions of the super laws, now extend from the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years. The relief measures provide: Residency relief where the pandemic has prevented members from returning to Australia. This [...]
Tax and the normalisation of cryptocurrency The Australian Taxation Office recently updated its guidance on tax and cryptocurrency. In early November, the Commonwealth Bank announced that it is now Australia’s first bank to offer customers the ability to buy, sell and hold crypto assets, directly through the CommBank app. You know when the banks come [...]
How to set up your Director ID Directors are now required to register for a unique identification number that they will keep for life. What is a director ID? A director ID is a 15 digit identification number that, once issued, will remain with that director for life regardless of whether they stop being a [...]
Recruiting new employees? The 1 November superannuation rule changes When your business hires a new employee, the Choice of Fund form is used to identify where they want their superannuation to be directed. If the employee does not identify a fund, generally the employer directs their superannuation into a default fund. From 1 November 2021, [...]
What happens to your superannuation when you die? Superannuation is not like other assets as it is held in trust by the trustee of the superannuation fund. When you die, it does not automatically form part of your estate but instead, is paid to your eligible beneficiaries by the fund trustee according to the rules [...]
Unwinding COVID-19 Relief COVID-19 support will roll back as states and territories reach vaccination targets. The National Plan, the road map out of COVID-19, does more than provide greater freedoms at 70% and 80% full vaccination rates, it withdraws the steady stream of Commonwealth financial support to individuals and business impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and [...]
Mental Health Support for Business Owners Running a business can be an isolating experience. And, with COVID-19 lockdowns and disruptions to trade, the pressure can be intense. NewAccess for Small Business Owners is a free and confidential mental health program developed by Beyond Blue to give small business owners the support they need. Whether you’re [...]
Did your super fund receive a compensation payment? Is a financial services compensation payment to your superannuation fund a contribution? Of late, there have been several compensation payments made by financial services providers to customers that were inappropriately charged or overcharged for insurance premiums or services they did not receive, etc. New guidance from the [...]