If you run your business through a family trust, there’s some good news on the distribution front. In mid-April, the ATO responded to the landmark trust distribution case, namely the Guardian AIT appeal ruling in January by the Full Federal Court, with a decision impact statement that where the ATO concedes that it will have...

One of the most common decisions facing business is how to finance and account for the acquisition of a motor vehicle. There are numerous ways of doing so, with each resulting in differing accounting, taxation and GST treatment. Options How should you go about purchasing a vehicle? While it may seem a relatively straightforward question,...

Are you an employer who needs to make superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions for your employees? If so, it may be worthwhile bringing forward these SG contributions to before 1 July to benefit from a tax deduction this financial year. However the timing of when SG contributions are deductible to an employer can be tricky if...

This could be the final opportunity for your business to take advantage of Temporary Full Expensing (TFE)…but get in before 1 July! To recap, TFE encourages and supports businesses by allowing an immediate deduction for the business portion of the cost of a depreciating asset. There is no cost threshold – the whole cost of...

Many employers assist workers with work-related expenses by reimbursing them or paying them an allowance. Failure to do so, can sometimes result in resentment from the employee who is otherwise forced to incur the cost themselves. While they may be able to claim a deduction, this would still leave them out of pocket as a...

The Government has welcomed the actions of an ATO-led taskforce in relation to what is termed “the biggest GST fraud in Australia’s history”. The ATO states that the fraud was first detected in early 2022 and involved offenders inventing fake businesses and ABN applications, then submitting fictitious Business Activity Statements in an attempt to gain a false GST refund....

ASIC has released fresh and timely information around crypto scams. Scammers use cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin or ether, because they are not easily recovered. Crypto can be sent overseas quickly with limited oversight. If you lose your money to a crypto scam, your money is likely gone. If you buy crypto, only invest what you can...

With car fringe benefits one of the most common benefits provided by employers to employees, a new ATO fact sheet shines more light on the FBT exemption for electric vehicles. To recap, in the October 2022 Federal Budget, the government announced that it would exempt from FBT the private use, or availability for use, of...

If you carry on your business affairs through a trust structure, there is now more clarity around the law on distributions following much uncertainty throughout the year. Neither the taxpayer, Mr. Springer, nor the Commissioner has appealed against the Full Federal Court decision handed down in January 2023 (Commissioner of Taxation v Guardian AIT Pty...

In February, the Commissioner released Taxpayer Alert TA 2023/1: Interposition of a holding company to access company profits tax-free. In the Alert, the Commissioner says the ATO is currently reviewing arrangements where an individual accesses the profits of a private company in a tax-free form (that is, without an additional tax liability for the individual)...