You may or may not subscribe to the belief that Australia faces a change of government in the near future. The arguments for and against and the volume of discussions held over the barbecue are likely to ramp-up in the time between now and the next federal election, which must be held before the end...

Under the regulations, self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are not prohibited from carrying on a business, however the business must be: allowed under the SMSF’s trust deed, and operated for the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits for fund members. Note however that the rules governing SMSFs prohibit or limit some activities available to other businesses,...

If you rent out part or all of your home, the rent money you receive is generally regarded as assessable income. This means: you must declare your rental income in your income tax return, and you can claim deductions for the associated expenses you may not be entitled to the full main residence exemption from...

It’s not quite Christmas time yet, but most businesses will be in the process of thinking ahead to the yuletide festivities, if not already into well-advanced planning. One of the perennial questions is if and how fringe benefits tax applies to these activities. There is no separate fringe benefits tax (FBT) category for Christmas parties...

The question of how much a person needs to have saved before confidently launching into their retirement years very much requires an individual answer. The more the better may seem to be an obvious response, but then again each one of us lucky enough to reach the brink of those golden years will feel a...

As the FBT year runs from 1 April to 31 March, the months of October to December marks the “third quarter” of the FBT year, and so here is an overview of the FBT elements that can attract the ATO’s attention. This can be a timely period for a compliance check-up, so that employers who...

Access our Wallace Partners Client Information Newsletter November 2018 below: Wallace Partners CIN November 2018

No more deductions for non-compliant payments The government recently released exposure draft legislation that removes the ability of taxpayers to deduct certain payments – including payment of wages and payments to contractors – if the entity making the payment fails to comply with its obligations to withhold and report information to the ATO. If the...

It is not uncommon for professional people who provide services to set up a separate entity to run their business, be it a trust, partnership or incorporated company. The allure of course is the lower tax rate that these can secure, rather than at the top marginal tax rate that an individual would generally wear....

Say for example that we have already lodged your 2017-18 tax return and forwarded your notice of assessment to you saying that everything is as discussed, but you then realise that something has been left out of your return, or you accidentally included an extra deduction or doubled one up. There’s no need to panic...