ATO business support
ATO support for businesses in difficult times The ATO has reminded taxpayers that it has a range of support available for small businesses experiencing difficult situations, such as natural disasters, mental health challenges or financial hardship. Depending on the business taxpayer’s circumstances, the ATO may be able to: give the business extra time to pay […]
ATO support for employers with expansion of STP
STP Phase 2 As part of the expansion of Single Touch Payroll (known as STP Phase 2), from 1 January 2022, employers will need to report additional payroll information in their STP reports including: disaggregation of gross amounts (including separate reporting of paid leave, allowances, overtime, directors’ fees and salary sacrifice amounts); employment and taxation […]
ATO’s taxable payments reporting system update
Taxable payments annual report (‘TPAR’) for the 2020 financial year The ATO has confirmed that more than 60,000 businesses have not yet complied with lodgement requirements under the taxable payments reporting system (‘TPRS’) for 2019/20. The TPRS is a black economy measure designed to assist the ATO to identify contractors who don’t report or under-report […]
Superannuation guarantee amnesty ends today
Super Guarantee Amnesty Update Time runs out today for employers to apply for the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) amnesty to catch up on past unpaid super without incurring a penalty. The ATO encourages employers to apply for the amnesty and make payments as early as they can. Importantly, eligible amnesty amounts paid by 7 September 2020 […]
SG amnesty ends 7 September 2020
Time running out for employers to apply for superannuation guarantee (SG) amnesty Catch up on past unpaid super without incurring a penalty or paying administration fees. The ATO is encouraging employers to apply for the amnesty and make payments as early as they can. Any amnesty amounts paid before 7 September 2020 are tax-deductible. For […]
Company directors personally liable for GST
New laws can make directors personally liable for GST The government recently passed new legislation designed to strengthen laws to “crack down on illegal phoenixing activity by dodgy business operators who try to avoid their obligations to their customers, employees and creditors.” In particular, the changes allow the ATO to collect estimates of anticipated GST […]
Coronavirus: Government announces new tax measures
ATO’s support measures to assist those affected by COVID-19 The Government has announced a number of economic responses to the Coronavirus (or ‘COVID-19’) pandemic, including economic stimulus packages worth billions of dollars. Some of the key tax measures include: From Thursday 12 March 2020, the instant asset write-off threshold has been increased from $30,000 (for […]
Proposed new record-keeping course
MYEFO – 2019/20 Treasury has released its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (‘MYEFO’) for 2019/20 forecasting a surplus of approximately $5 billion. One new tax-related measure of note in the MYEFO was the announcement the ATO would be provided with a new discretion to direct taxpayers (found to be lacking in their substantiation efforts under […]
Personal Services Income rules
Federal Court provides clarification on the PSI rules The Federal Court recently handed down two decisions relating to the personal services income (‘PSI’) rules. Income is classified as PSI when more than 50% of the income received under a contract is for a taxpayer’s labour, skills or expertise. The PSI rules are integrity provisions which […]
Rental property audits
Tax office to double audits of ‘dodgy’ rental deductions Rental property owners are being warned to ensure their claims are correct this tax time, as the ATO has announced it will double the number of audits scrutinising rental deductions, with a specific focus on: over-claimed interest; capital works claimed as repairs; incorrect apportionment of expenses for […]
