News + Events

Multinational ride-sharing system Uber has successfully contested six Revenue NSW payroll tax assessments totalling over $81.5 million. The assessments were issued on the basis that Uber drivers were employees and therefore payroll tax was payable.  The Payroll Tax Act 2007 (NSW) imposes the ... READ MORE

The politicians have weighed in on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s economic policy and their reticence to reduce interest rates in the face of community pressure. We look at what the numbers are really showing.  Treasurer Jim Chalmers has stated that global uncertainty and rate rises are ... READ MORE

Own an investment property or an expensive lifestyle asset like a boat or aircraft? The ATO are looking closely at these assets to see if what has been declared in tax returns matches up. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has initiated two data matching programs impacting investment property ... READ MORE

ASIC’s annual insolvency data shows corporate business failure is up 39% compared to last financial year. The industries with the highest representation were construction, accommodation and food services at the top of the list. Restructuring appointments grew by over 200% in 2023-24. Small ... READ MORE

The Government has amended the legislation guiding registered tax practitioners to include compulsory reporting of material uncorrected errors to the Tax Commissioner. The Government has legislated a series of changes to the Tax Agents Services Act 2009 that place additional requirements on ... READ MORE

Breaking up is hard to do. Beyond the emotional and financial turmoil divorce creates, there are a number of issues that need to be resolved. What happens when there is a family company? For couples that have assets tied up in a company, the tax consequences of any settlements paid from the ... READ MORE

The Tax Commissioner has successfully argued that more than $1.6m deposited in a couple’s bank account was assessable income, not a gift or a loan from friends. The case of Rusanova and Commissioner of Taxation is enough for a telemovie. The plot features an Australian resident Russian couple ... READ MORE

It’s essential that any income earned from sharing economy platforms such as Airbnb, Stayz, Uber, etc., is declared in your tax return. Since 1 July 2023, the platforms delivering ride-sourcing, taxi travel, and short-term accommodation (under 90 days), have been required to report transactions ... READ MORE

The main residence exemption exempts your family home from capital gains tax (CGT) when you dispose of it. But, like all things involving tax, it’s never that simple.  As the character of Darryl Kerrigan in The Castle said, “it’s not a house. It’s a home,” and the Australian Taxation ... READ MORE

Legislation increasing the instant asset write-off threshold from $1,000 to $20,000 for the 2024 income year passed Parliament just 5 days prior to the end of the financial year. Purchases of depreciable assets with a cost of less than $20,000 that a small business makes between 1 July 2023 and ... READ MORE

Will 2024-25 be another year of volatility or a return to stability?  Personal tax & super As you would be aware (at least we hope so after a $40m public education campaign), the personal income tax cuts came into effect on 1 July 2024. At the same time, the superannuation guarantee ... READ MORE

New nationwide research released by ASIC’s Moneysmart reveals that 47% of Australian adults with debt, the equivalent of 5.8 million people, have struggled to make repayments in the last 12 months. Alarmingly, the research revealed that more than half surveyed, said they are not aware that they ... READ MORE

The ATO has warned that it is looking closely at how trusts distribute income and to who. The way in which trusts distribute income has come under intense scrutiny in recent years. Trust distribution arrangements need to be carefully considered by trustees before taking steps to appoint or ... READ MORE

The end of the financial year is fast approaching. We outline the areas at risk of increased ATO scrutiny and the opportunities to maximise your deductions. For you Opportunities Take advantage of the 1 July 2024 tax cuts by bringing forward your deductible expenses into 2023-24. Prepay ... READ MORE

Here’s a summary of the key changes coming into effect on 1 July 2024: - Tax cuts reduce personal income tax rates and change the thresholds. - Superannuation guarantee increases from 11% to 11.5% - check the impact on any salary package arrangements. - Superannuation caps increase from $27,500 to ... READ MORE

Budget 2024-25 is a pre-election budget for the people with everyone getting a little something to ease cost of living pressures. Like the Price is Right gameshow, it will all come down to the price paid at the checkout. For business, there is the extension of the $20k instant asset ... READ MORE

The ATO has made a call to professional accountants to help identify and manage illegal early access to superannuation by members of self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).  In general, access to your super is only possible if: - You retire and turn 60; or - You turn 65 (regardless of ... READ MORE

Generational succession - handing your business across to your kids or family - sounds simple enough but, many families end up in a dispute right at the point when the parents, business, and children are most vulnerable. It’s important that generational succession is managed as closely and ... READ MORE

The great wealth transfer from the baby boomer generation has begun and home ownership is the catalyst. The average price of a home in NSW is $1,184,500, the highest in the country. Canberra is next at $948,500, followed by Victoria at $895,000, with the Northern Territory the lowest at ... READ MORE

The ATO is cracking down on business owners who take money or use company resources for themselves. It’s common for business owners to utilise company resources for their personal use. The business is often such a part of their life that the line distinguishing ‘the business’ from their life can ... READ MORE

A new issues paper from Treasury’s Competition Review questions whether non-competes and other restraints are limiting job opportunities and movement.  A recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey found that 46.9% of businesses surveyed used some kind of restraint clause, including ... READ MORE

For many small business owners, their business is their largest asset and for many, one that is expected to help fund their retirement. But what is your business really worth and what sets a high value business apart? Every business owner is naturally curious about just how much their business is ... READ MORE

The ATO has signalled that it is willing to pursue professional services firms who divert profits to avoid tax. Two new cases before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal demonstrate how serious the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is about making sure professional services firms - lawyers, ... READ MORE

The 2024-25 Federal Budget is the third for the Albanese Government and consistent with previous years, the primary themes are expected to be the cost of living and the economic shift to net zero.  According to election guru Antony Green, the window for the next election starts on Saturday, ... READ MORE