Legislation in limbo A budget, an election and the legislation that hasn’t made it through. The February 2019 Parliamentary sitting days were the last opportunity before the Federal Budget for the Government to introduce or push through new legislation. Next month, on 2 April, Parliament reconvenes for the Federal Budget and it’s likely that an…
Travelling to and from your investment property From 1 July 2017, new rules came into effect that prevent taxpayers claiming a deduction for expenses they incur travelling to and from their residential investment property. The Government restricted travel deductions to curb “widespread abuse around excessive travel expense claims relating to residential investment properties….This will stop…
First home buyers The First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSS) enables first-home buyers to save for a deposit inside their superannuation account, attracting the tax incentives and some of the earnings benefits of superannuation. Home savers can make voluntary concessional contributions (for example by salary sacrificing) or non-concessional contributions (voluntary after-tax contributions) of $15,000 a year within…
The cash sitting in your super fund can be tempting, particularly if you are short of cash. But, the reality is there are very few ways you can take advantage of your superannuation once it has been contributed to the fund – even if you change your mind. The sole purpose test underpins access to…
What’s changing on 1 July 2018? Superannuation Event-based reporting for SMSFs – A new reporting regime commences for SMSFs. All SMSFs must report events that affect their members’ transfer balance accounts (for example, when an SMSF member first starts to receive a pension from their fund). Timeframes for reporting are determined by the total superannuation balances of the SMSF’s…
Definition of an SMSF to change The Government has announced that the maximum number of members an SMSF can have will increase from four to six. At present, under section 17A of the SIS Act, to meet the definition of an SMSF the fund must have 4 members or less. There is a long way…
The main residence exemption is not the only issue that comes up with property flipping. Tax deductions for rental properties and renovating for profit inside a self-managed super fund (SMSF) are common topics: Can I claim a tax deduction for renovations on my investment property? It is not generally possible to claim an upfront deduction for…
Arguably, an SMSF can invest in cryptocurrencies but there are several factors to take into account before investing. Cryptocurrencies are a high-risk product as they are blockchain driven and unregulated. While there have been numerous stories in the media about massive gains made on the currency by early investors, the price fluctuates, cryptocurrencies face new…
July 2017’s super reforms introduced a new reporting regime for funds. SMSFs now need to advise the ATO of key events within the fund that impact on retirement income streams (pensions): When you start a pension When you stop a pension or take a lump sum When the fund accepts a structured settlement contribution such as personal…
The Tax Commissioner’s hit list Every so often the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) sends a ‘shot across the bow’ warning taxpayers where their gaze is focussed. Last month in a speech to the National Press Club, Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan did exactly that. Part of the reason for this public outing is the gap between…