Payroll update
Single Touch Payroll Update Employers with 19 or fewer employees are required to start reporting through Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) from 1 July 2019. The ATO will be working with employers to support them as they transition to STP, including allowing small employers to start reporting any time from 1 July to 30 September (and […]
Robocall technology targets taxpayers
Scammers impersonate ATO phone numbers The ATO is warning that scammers have adopted ‘Robocall’ technology to target taxpayers across the country. Assistant Commissioner Gavin Siebert said: “Scammers are sending pre-recorded messages in record numbers and are manipulating caller identification so that your phone displays a legitimate ATO phone number despite coming from an overseas scammer”. […]
Single Touch Payroll deferrals
Transitional deferrals A transitional deferral should be used if you need more time to get ready to report through Single Touch Payroll (STP) including, being unable to report by your software provider’s deferred start date or needing more time to transition. Employers with 20 or more employees Your software provider may have applied to us for a […]
ABN applications
Changes to ABN application process The ATO has made changes to the Australian Business Number (ABN) application process to help safeguard its integrity. The recent changes focus on: identifying people going through the application process multiple times confirming entitlement and helping people understand their obligations where there may be some doubt ensuring only those who […]
Latest ATO benchmarks released
ATO has released updated benchmark data from 1.5M small businesses around Australia To “help small businesses across the country . . . gauge the strength of their business and keep an eye on their competition”. Updated benchmarks for more than 100 industries are now available for the following categories: Accommodation and food Building and construction […]
New GST withholding rules
Common errors with new GST withholding rules The ATO has noticed some common errors made in activity statements since the introduction of “GST at settlement” on 1 July 2018. These new laws require purchasers to withhold GST on settlement (and pay it to the ATO directly) generally when buying ‘new residential premises’ from developers. In […]
Six FBT issues
FBT issues on the ATO’s radar The ATO has updated their What attracts our attention list with six items that specifically relate to fringe benefits tax (‘FBT’), as follows: Failing to report motor vehicle fringe benefits, incorrectly applying exemptions for vehicles or incorrectly claiming reductions for these benefits. Incorrectly calculating car parking fringe benefits due to: […]
ATO cash economy
Continued focus on the cash economy ATO Assistant Commissioner Peter Holt has announced that, in the 2019/20 financial year, the ATO will be visiting a further 10,000 small businesses across the country. He further said that businesses that advertise as ‘cash only’ and businesses that are operating outside of the ATO’s performance benchmarks for their […]
Employer warning re leave loading and OTE
ATO warning regarding annual leave loading and OTE The ATO has warned employers that it considers that annual leave loading should normally be part of ordinary time earnings (‘OTE’) for superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) purposes, unless it is referrable to a “lost opportunity to work overtime”. Therefore, if employers have self-assessed on the basis that their […]
Latest ATO scam warning
Tax scammer alert The ATO has again warned taxpayers to be alert for scammers impersonating the ATO, as it appears they have changed tactics in 2019. Specifically, the ATO is seeing the emergence of a new tactic where: “scammers are using an ATO number to send fraudulent SMS messages to taxpayers asking them to click […]
