190,000 taxpayers ‘examined’ in ATO online rental blitz The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced a new data-matching program targeting taxpayers earning income from the exploding popularity of short-term rentals available on platforms like AirBNB and Stayz. Utilising information from online platform sharing sites matched to information from financial institutions, the ATO is targeting 190,000…
Last minute changes to company tax and franking rate passed by Parliament Legislation passed by Parliament late last month introduces a new test that will restrict some companies from accessing the lower company tax rate from the 2017-18 financial year. Across a 3 year period, the company tax and franking rate changed, then the definition…
Will Australians pay more for a good cause? In the same month that desperate farmers made headlines preparing to destroy starving flocks and pleading with the public to pay a few cents more for their dairy products, Dick Smith’s nationalistic brand announced its closure. The question is, will Australians pay more for a cause? Comments…
Take all the tax advantages you can For small business, in particular, there is a range of concessions and funding you can access. Many businesses simply don’t realise the opportunities available to them. A simple example is trading stock valuations Your trading stock is an asset that is recorded on your balance sheet. In most…
Successful start for Single Touch Payroll Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting is off to a successful start, with around 40,000 employers already sending tax and superannuation information from their payroll software each time they pay their employees. The STP transition year for employers with 20 or more employees started on 1 July, delivering on the commitment to streamline reporting obligations and…
Clothing deductions hung out to dry The Australian Taxation Office is closely examining work-related clothing and laundry expense claims of taxpayers submitting their 2017-18 tax returns. The ATO says that clothing claims are up nearly 20% over the last five years with people either making mistakes or deliberately over-claiming. Common mistakes include people claiming ineligible…
What can you claim if you’re a flight attendant, police officer or a nurse? What you can and can’t claim Each occupation has specific circumstances which affect what can and cannot be claimed. Here are some snippets from some ATO occupation guides. Remember, regardless of the occupation you are in, you can only claim the…
Overcoming the biggest problems in business often comes down to simple things Here are a few simple things you can do to capitalise on your opportunities and reduce your risks. “I didn’t get time…” No more excuses Most people simply don’t set aside the time to do the forward planning they know they need to…
Tax myths busted! With tax season underway, the ATO has identified the top 10 tax myths and misunderstandings it says are causing incorrect claims. Helping Australians get their returns right Assistant Commissioner Kath Anderson says unreliable tax advice is leaving taxpayers exposed. Top of the list is the myth that everyone is entitled to claim a…
$20k accelerated deductions for small business extended another year The ability for small business entities to claim an immediate deduction for assets costing less than $20,000 has been extended for another 12 months until 30 June 2019. From 1 July 2019, the immediate deduction threshold will reduce back to $1,000. There are no limits to…