R&D reminder The ATO has issued a reminder for companies wishing to claim a tax offset for their R&D (research and development) activities. The reminder was issued in the context of the ATO’s success in the Federal Court decision T.D.S. Biz Pty Ltd v FCT[1]. By way of background, the research and development tax incentive (R&DTI) helps companies...

SMSFs and higher interest rates SMSF trustees with limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) are now feeling the impact of 10 interest rate rises since May 2022 in one hit, from July 2023. SMSF trustees relying on the ATO’s safe harbour terms to ensure that an LRBA remains, at all times, at arm’s length will face...

Gifting to employees Some employers, especially at Christmas time or for birthdays, give small gifts to their employees or the employee’s associates  (i.e. spouses). These gifts typically take the form of bottles of wine, movie tickets, gift vouchers etc. The tax treatment of these gifts from an employer standpoint, depends upon a range of factors...

The recent ATO crackdown on trusts will no doubt have some business owners (and even some advisors) asking themselves the question: Is this structure for business purposes still worth it? To recap, trust distributions have been under the ATO microscope in recent years. The latest ATO crackdown was in February 2022 when it updated its...

Access our Wallace Partners Client Information Newsletter August 2023 below: Wallace Partners CIN August 2023

The ATO has issued a new Taxpayer Alert around SMSFs engaging in property developments. Developments can be very lucrative given how much property prices have appreciated in Australia over the past decade or two. For background, while it is permissible for SMSFs to engage in property development, it is subject to a number of stringent...

The recently announced Small Business energy incentive is now open for business! The Energy Incentive will help up to 3.8 million small‑ and medium‑sized businesses save energy and save on their energy bills. The incentive is delivered by way of a bonus tax deduction which will provide businesses with annual turnover of less than $50 million an...

The ATO has just announced that the cents per kilometre rate has increased to 85 cents per kilometre for 2023/24. To recap, there are two methods to claim work-related car expenses as follows: Cents per kilometre method This method is easier for record keeping, involves a more simple calculation, and is generally suited to those...

Since Budget night, the ATO has released more information around the small business lodgement amnesty…which can now be taken advantage of from 1 June 2023! The amnesty was announced in the recent Budget. It applies to tax obligations that were originally due between 1 December 2019 and 28 February 2022 and runs from 1 June 2023 to 31 December...

The new financial year can be a time where business owners look at their operating structure and consider whether it still meets their needs. Choosing a structure is not simply about minimising tax, rather a range of factors should be considered as such as asset protection, establishment and ongoing compliance costs, succession planning, and your...