2022/23 Federal Budget
Federal Budget Highlights In this summary: Personal income tax changes (please scroll down) Changes affecting business taxpayers Other Budget announcements 1. Personal income tax changes 1.1 Increase to low and middle income tax offset (‘LMITO’) The Government has announced a once-off $420 ‘cost of living tax offset’ for the 2022 income year, which will be […]
2020/21 Individual Tax Return Checklist
Tax saving strategies prior to 1 July 2021 A strategy often used to reduce taxable income (and, in turn, tax payable) in an income year is to bring forward any expected or planned deductible expenditure from a later income year. However, in light of the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, any tax planning for […]
Work related expenses reminder
ATO warns on ‘copy/pasting’ claims The ATO is alerting taxpayers that its sights are set on work-related expenses like car and travel claims that are predicted to decrease in this year’s tax returns. Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh noted that COVID-19 has changed people’s work habits, so the ATO expects their work-related expenses will reflect this. […]
2020/21 Year-end Checklist for Business
Traditionally, year-end tax planning for small businesses is based around accelerating deductions and deferring income However, this year, consideration will also need to be given to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small Business Entities (‘SBEs’) – i.e., those with an aggregated turnover of less than $10 million – often have greater tax planning opportunities […]
2021/22 Federal Budget
Omnis Group Federal Budget Summary 2021/22 Key points covered by this summary: Personal income tax changes Changes affecting business taxpayers Superannuation related changes 1. Personal income tax changes 1.1 Retaining the Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (‘LMITO’) for the 2022 income year The Government has announced that it will retain the LMITO for one […]
Simplified home office expense deduction claims due to COVID-19
Update to ATO home office expense deduction claims Given that many Australians continue to work from home due to COVID-19, the ATO has updated its Practical Compliance Guideline. The Practical Compliance Guideline now allows taxpayers working from home to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour, by keeping a record of the number of […]
Tax cuts pass Parliament
The Government announced various tax measures in the 2020 Budget It was able to secure passage of legislation containing some of the important measures very shortly afterwards, as summarised below. Tax relief for individuals The Government brought forward ‘Stage two’ of their Personal Income Tax Plan by two years, so that, from 1 July 2020: […]
Tax deductions for work-related vehicles
Deduction for work-related vehicle expenses disallowed In a decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, a taxpayer, Mr Bell, was a denied a deduction for $21,565.73 of work-related vehicle expenses for the 2016 income year. Mr Bell, was a construction worker who predominantly worked on a construction site in an eastern suburb of Melbourne and lived […]
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 […]
80c per hour ‘shortcut’ method for home office expenses extended
Work-related expenses Back in April 2020 the ATO announced that a ‘shortcut’ method was to be made available to use from 1 March 2020 until 30 June 2020 for individuals claiming home office expenses due to COVID-19. The ATO recently announced an extension of this shortcut method to also include 1 July 2020 to 30 […]