The ATO has recently reported there is now $16 billion in lost and unclaimed super across Australia, and is urging Australians to check their MyGov account to see if some of the money is theirs. Super becomes “lost super” when it’s still held by the fund but the member is uncontactable or the account is […]
Late in 2022, amendments to the tax law passed Parliament that, among other things, included a measure to allow the ATO to issue a “tax-records education direction” where the Commissioner of Taxation reasonably believes that an entity has failed to comply with one or more specified record-keeping obligations. As an alternative to imposing a financial […]
It’s FBT time again, and for the 2022–2023 FBT year it’s important to remember that your business may be able to get an exemption for certain eligible electric vehicles made available for the private use of your employees. To meet the conditions for exemption, the car must be either a battery electric vehicle, a hydrogen […]
Families struggling with the current cost of living crisis could soon have some relief with cheaper child care coming mid-year. The recently passed child care subsidy reforms were a component of Labor’s election platform, with a promise to make early childhood education and child care more affordable. According to the government, with the passing of […]
In an attempt to repair the Federal Budget and lower the overall national debt, the government is seeking to introduce changes to the way superannuation in accumulation phase is taxed over the threshold of $3 million. Currently, earnings from super in the accumulation phase are taxed at a concessional rate of 15% regardless of the super […]
In a bid to increase the accessibility and affordability of quality financial advice, the government had previously commissioned a report into possible changes in the regulatory framework. The final report has now been released, containing 22 recommendations. According to the author of the report, Ms Michelle Levy, the current regulation of financial product advice focuses […]
As a part of its ever-tightening compliance net, the ATO has recently announced it is targeting specific tax avoidance behaviour in the not-for-profits sector. The first area of focus is private foundations used to operate businesses or income-producing activities on which no tax is paid. This type of tax-avoidance scheme using not-for-profit foundations first surfaced […]
Employers that have provided FBT car parking benefits for the 2022–2023 FBT year should be aware that the ATO has finalised the changes to its ruling on car fringe benefits – specifically on the concept of “primary place of employment”. A broad test of primary place of employment now applies. Considerations of whether a place […]
A new revised fixed-rate method for calculating working from home expenses will soon apply. From 1 July 2022, employees who work from home can no longer use the 80 cents per hour “shortcut” method for claiming their related expenses. The revised fixed-rate method allows claiming 67 cents per hour, to cover energy expenses; internet, mobile […]
If you’re thinking of starting a self managed superannuation fund (an SMSF) in 2023, you need to be aware of the recent changes made by the ATO on fund registration, and the application of the Director ID regime to funds with corporate trustees. Previously, after an SMSF was established and trustees were appointed, the trustees […]
The Federal Government has announced that it will abolish the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and replace it with a new Federal administrative review body. According to Attorney-General the Hon Mark Dreyfus, the AAT’s dysfunction has had a very real cost to the tens of thousands of people who rely on it each year to independently […]
As a part of the Federal Government’s strategy to combat the tax compliance risks posed by the sharing economy, it has passed into law new requirements for operators of electronic distribution platforms to provide information to the ATO on transactions made through their platforms. An “electronic distribution platform” is one that delivers services through electronic […]
The ability of the Family Court to divide the assets owned personally by a couple – including superannuation – on a relationship breakdown is largely without question. A recent case has now shed further light on the ability of the Family Court to allocate responsibility for payment of the tax debts of either spouse. A […]
Self education expenses are generally tax-deductible for individuals if there’s a sufficient connection with your income-producing activities.However, until new legislation was recently passed, the amount you could deduct was limited by s 82A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 so that only the amount spent over a $250 threshold was deductible. This threshold was an […]