Wallace Partners Federal Budget Newsletter May 2017

The budget announcements contain a suite of tax and superannuation measures aimed at increasing housing stock and improving housing affordability. While the government has not gone close to clamping down on the political and social hot potato of negative gearing, it has taken some steps to restrict the travel expense and depreciation tax breaks enjoyed by investors.

Last year, many individual taxpayers received small “cake and coffee” tax cuts (so called because they averaged around $6) which were touted as an important first step to addressing bracket creep; but one year later, the government announces that the Medicare Levy will increase by 0.5% to 2.5%, which will surely eat into those tax cuts (for those lucky enough to have received them).

Last year’s budget was one for small businesses. This year, the small gift is a one year extension of the $20,000 instant asset write-off for 2017-18. Unfortunately, the government will tighten access to the small business CGT concessions.

Please contact us for clarification, or further advice, regarding any of the topics covered in this newsletter.