Here are 4 things to keep in mind when claiming motor vehicle expenses – such as fuel, oil, servicing and registration – for your business. If you operate your business as a sole trader or partnership (where at least one partner is an individual), the method you must use to calculate your deduction depends on…
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Do you keep track of any business income in your private accounts so that you can report it correctly in your business tax return? We have no concerns with business owners banking their business takings or other sales in private accounts. However, it becomes an issue when this income isn’t reported. A good way to…
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Off-the-books transactions and side hustles have a habit of showing up the ATO’s tracing technology, says Assistant Commissioner. Make sure your business includes all income and avoid the temptation of undeclared cash transactions, the ATO is warning SMEs. Speaking on this week’s Accountants Daily podcast, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Watson said cash was making a comeback…
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Overdue invoices are costing small business $1.1 billion a year and waiting times for payment have reached an average of 6.4 days, according to the latest report from Xero. It found that almost half of all invoices are paid late — one in 10 by more than a month — and said overdue payment is…
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With all the changes due to COVID-19, you may have contracted out more services in the past year. This could mean you need to lodge a Taxable payments annual report (TPAR) for the first time. TPARs are due on 28 August each year. You may need to lodge a TPAR if your business pays contractors or subcontractors…
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What is a payment plan? A payment plan is an agreement with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to pay your tax liability in instalments over a period of time. Not only is it a practical way to meet your payment obligations, but it allows you to break down your payment into smaller amounts that are…
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Changes to Queensland’s tax code that will charge investors land tax based on the value of their entire Australian portfolios regardless of location have broad implications for the country’s landlords, particularly those who might previously have been exempt from some taxes. Speaking on a recent edition of The Smart Property Investment Show, a podcast produced…
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The ATO’s ramp-up of debt collection activity on small businesses shows up in the figures for July. Business insolvencies are back to pre-pandemic levels with the ATO firing out 120 director penalty notices a day as it ramps up debt collection to full speed. July recorded 674 businesses being wound up or entering administration, line-ball…
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Time for regulation, says ASIC, as survey finds huge rise in popularity of digital assets but investors motivated by fear of missing out. Crypto assets are now the second-most popular investment but too many holders are unaware of the dangers and there is “a strong case” for regulation, according to ASIC. The call comes after…
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Industry bodies increase pressure on Labor to deliver equality between men and women come retirement. Women are retiring with fewer savings than men because superannuation is not payable on parental leave, but industry bodies have begun to mobilise on the topic. Superannuation firm HESTA has been joined by several industry groups in calling on the…
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While inflation has implications for housing demand, housing itself influences inflation. By understanding how inflation and housing fit together, the market outlook for the year ahead becomes a little clearer. ABS figures showed the highest annual rate of inflation in June 2022 in almost 32 years. As we head into the new financial year, annual inflation is…
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You need to appoint an approved self-managed super fund (SMSF) auditor no later than 45 days before you lodge your SMSF annual return (SAR). Don’t risk approaching an auditor the day before you need to lodge as it will result in an overdue lodgment. Approved SMSF auditors are an important part of your lodgment and reporting…
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You can generally claim a tax deduction for most expenses you incur, as long as: the expense relates directly to earning your business’s assessable income you only claim the business-use portion of an expense that’s for a mix of business and private use you have records to substantiate your claims. You can claim deductions for:…
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Small businesses told under-reporting will be exposed by powerful data matching. The ATO is warning businesses that they have until 28 August to complete a taxable payment annual report (TPAR) for last year as it cracks down on the shadow economy. Around $350 billion in payments made to 950,000 contractors were reported last year and…
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As of 1 July 2022, the $450-per-month super guarantee (SG) eligibility threshold was removed. This means that if an employee meets the other SG eligibility requirements, you must pay them SG, regardless of how much they earn. However, employees under 18 must still work more than 30 hours in a week to be eligible. It’s important…
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We recognise there can be times when super is not front of mind for employers. Super guarantee (SG) obligations were due on 28 July for the last quarter. If you missed or didn’t pay the full amount of your employees’ SG, you’ll need to: lodge a super guarantee charge statement to us by 29 August to disclose any missed or…
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A perfect storm is currently brewing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Soaring energy prices, supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, an increasingly high cash rate (currently at 1.35 per cent), and inflation expected to hit 7 per cent by end of this year – are all signs of a weak economy. In the 2022 financial year…
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How small businesses can get started with eInvoicing to exchange invoices with trading partners through software. How to start eInvoicing eInvoicing will help your small business save time and simplify invoice management. It’s a standardised and easy way to send and receive invoices between the buyer’s and supplier’s software through a secure network. You and…
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We’re concerned about a high volume of SMS scams pretending to be from the ATO. These scams tell you that you’re owed an income tax repayment and ask you to click a hyperlink and complete a form. Clicking the link takes you to a fake ATO webpage that asks for your personal identifying information, including…
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You may receive your business income in the form of: cash and digital payments, such as EFTPOS, online, credit or debit card transactions, and through platforms such as PayPal, WeChat or Alipay vouchers or coupons, such as state government stimulus vouchers. When calculating your business’s assessable income, it’s important that you include all income from…
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The bank’s chief economist has pitched its latest Reserve Bank prediction, predicting another half-percentage hike next month, followed immediately by a freeze. If the major bank’s prediction of a fourth consecutive lift over August to 1.85 per cent is correct, this will be the highest that the cash rate has reached in over six years. …
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Download a copy of our Tax Organiser for 2022 below…
Each year as end of financial year (EOFY) draws closer, scammers come out in troves looking to score a quick buck, and it’s apparent 2022 is no different. The latest phishing scam that MailGuard has now intercepted claims to come from myGov and could steal your account and credit card credentials. If you’re not a…
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Accountants should alert clients of the need to keep receipts to claim using other methods, says IPA. People who work from home will need more detailed records to claim expenses after the shortcut method ends in July and tax agents should start telling clients, said the IPA. The general manager of technical policy at the…
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A comprehensive toolkit gives a run-down on expenses and deductions. The comprehensive guide also highlights three areas of concern: deductions, omissions of business income and record-keeping. On deductions, the ATO reminded small-business owners to only claim what they are entitled to and outlined three rules for valid business deductions: The expense must have been for…
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SMSFs should ensure they have received any outstanding unpaid present entitlements relating to the 2021 financial year by 30 June to avoid major compliance issues, an SMSF lawyer has warned. With 30 June fast approaching, DBA Lawyers director Daniel Butler said now is a good time to check that SMSFs with entitlements in a related…
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A massive 63% of property investors were feeling concerned about rising interest rates, 40% were concerned about the cost of living, and more than one in 10 fear they may have to sell, according to new research commissioned by Australian fintech startup TaxTank. Following the Reserve Bank’s recent decision to lift the cash rate by…
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A recent survey of nearly 1,600 people revealed almost all respondents believed knowing their credit score was critical to improving their finances. The survey also found the majority of people have no clue what their score is. A credit score is a number that depicts a consumer’s creditworthiness. The higher the score, the better a…
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But common mistakes will lead to longer processing times, it says. The ATO has pledged to process most electronically lodged tax returns within 12 business days, but said delays are being caused by common mistakes. Tax agents and their clients needed to ensure information is correct, it said, because every year the ATO received inaccurate…
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The ATO is writing to thousands of businesses with outstanding tax debts to warn them that they will be reporting the debts to credit reporting bureaus unless action is taken. This move could obviously have a very detrimental effect on the businesses concerned, not only in terms of tainting their credit history and/or credit score,…
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The ATO is warning taxpayers to be vigilant on a range of claims that will come in for greater attention during tax time this year, from work-related expenses to cryptocurrency gains. Assistant commissioner Tim Loh said the ATO was targeting problem areas where it saw people making mistakes. “It’s important you rethink your claims and…
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The potential for e-invoicing to save businesses both time and money can’t be understated, but are business owners even clear on what it is? There are over 1.2 billion invoices sent in Australia alone each year, with 89 percent of these sent by small to medium sized businesses. The sheer volume of invoices sent each day leaves them open…
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More than half of Australian adults die without a will. Last year delivered Australia a lot of unexpected blows. We started 2021 expecting the worst of COVID was behind us, but by October Melbourne had become the world’s most locked-down city. Who would have predicted the Dees and the Bulldogs would be playing an AFL…
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Micro businesses represent around 25% of all businesses in Australia – a pretty hefty chunk of our business landscape when you think about it. So, what are micro business and how are they different to simply being small? Let’s take a look. What’s the difference between a micro business and a small business? In Australia, a small…
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Getting superannuation contributions right is an important element of any employers end of financial year period. These tips will guide you on the right path. Superannuation contributions have been compulsory for three decades in Australia, and as the years have ticked over, the requirements have evolved quite substantially. Simply put, superannuation – or ‘super’ –…
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Office steps up debt collection with scores of director penalty notices and hundreds of credit referrals. The ATO is sending out 30-40 director penalty notices every day and has begun referring taxpayers to credit agencies as it steps up debt collection post-COVID. The DPNs follow 52,319 warning letters dispatched last month to directors of companies with…
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Getting your business’s end of financial year work done smoothly is no small task. This handy checklist offers a quick overview of the key processes and major to-do items. End Of Financial Year (EOFY) isn’t just a marketing opportunity for businesses looking to entice business customers to make the most of available tax deductions (although…
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Businesses that have trouble paying employee super will need to lodge before 30 May. Employers that will struggle to pay an employee’s minimum superannuation guarantee (SG) amount on time and to the right fund, must remember to pay the superannuation guarantee charge (SGC) this tax time, says the ATO. “We understand that paying your employees’…
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Widely used trust practices had been known about for years, says IPA. Advisers have relied for years on common practices “considered legitimate” for trust taxation and the ATO should have acted earlier if they were unacceptable, the IPA says in its 100A submission. As a result, IPA members were “blindsided” by the 100A draft ruling…
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From Saturday 12th July 2025 through till Saturday 30st of August 2025 we will be offering extended hours during Tax Season as follows: Mondays 8:30am to 5:00pm Tuesdays 8:30am to 7:00pm Wednesdays 8:30am to 7:00pm Thursdays 8:30am to 5:00pm Fridays 8:30am to 5:00pm Saturdays 9:00am to 1:00pm We will extend the additional hours should…
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Download a copy of our May Newsletter…
Expect a stronger compliance regime after the office returns to business as usual. The ATO is focusing on a range of claims that have come into greater attention this tax year, from changing work-related expenses to the sharing economy and digital currencies, said H&R Block. Speaking to Accountants Daily, H&R Block director of tax communications…
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Inflation has hit its highest level since the introduction of the GST, with the market to now eagerly watch for how the Reserve Bank manoeuvres the cash rate. New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.1 per cent over the March quarter. During the year to…
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CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) for Q1 2022 showed national residential construction costs increased 9% over the 12 months to March 2022, the highest annual growth rate on record outside of the introduction of the GST (10.2% over the year to March 2001). The CCCI quarterly growth rate reaccelerated in Q1 2022 to 2.4%,…
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Treasury bill lapses that would have forced sharing platforms to report transactions. Ride-sharing and short-stay rental apps have been given a reprieve from mandatory reporting requirements thanks to the election. The 21 May federal vote means a law, which would have required digital platforms to relay all transactions to the ATO, lapses and must start…
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The status of benefits paid to a member after death remains problematic, hears SMSF conference. An ATO decision over whether benefits paid after the death of an SMSF member are classified as member benefits or death benefits will come to a head in legal action, warns the SMSF Association. The deputy chief executive of the SMSFA, Peter…
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Tahni had already acquired over 10 years’ experience in the Accounting and Taxation Industry prior to joining the Accountplan team this week. The last 5 years of this was spent operating her own accounting business at North Lakes.This experience has armed Tahni with an incredibly strong ability to relate to small business owners, this is…
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Expenses incurred from the test before the individual engages in work will most likely be covered, says CPA Australia. CPA Australia’s senior manager tax policy, Elinor Kasapidis, said the ATO is likely to take a “common-sense approach” to tax deductions on COVID-19 workplace tests. This would allow employees to claim tax deductions for COVID-19 tests…
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Download a copy of our April Newsletter…
Ingrid Liddy recently joined our Financial Planning team bringing 20 years of experience in the Financial Planning Industry – the last 8 years being spent right here in Redcliffe. Ingrid assists our Snr Financial Planner in the provision of Super & SMSF strategies, Tax effective investments, Retirement Planning, Centrelink & Aged Car entitlements & even…
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Many spending initiatives go to support for low-income individuals and families. “Decent” and “encouraging” were two verdicts from the tax industry on the 2022 budget, with measures to address cost-of-living pressures high on the list. Big-ticket items were left untouched: stage 3 personal tax cuts remain scheduled to start in 2024-25 and the superannuation guarantee…
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If you’re a sole trader running your own small business in Australia, then you’re lucky enough to have the flexibility and freedom to do things your way. But unfortunately, at tax time, you have to fall in line like everybody else. Only you have the additional burden of a sole trader tax. If you’re not up to…
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Businesses seeking to adopt e-invoicing will need to use providers accredited by the ATO. The ATO has released the latest register of e-invoicing service providers accredited by the Australian Peppol Authority. “The service providers included on this register have completed the Australian Peppol Authority accreditation process and are trusted to operate in the network,” the…
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Existing rules already allow claims for rapid antigen tests and other pandemic kit required by employers, says H&R Block. Teachers, medical staff and personal services workers such as hairdressers could claim deductions for masks, hand sanitisers and RATs without the need for legislative changes, said the director of tax communication at H&R Block. Mark Chapman…
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The ATO has got its sums wrong with its increase in vehicle deductions by just 3¢ per kilometre. The rise in the work-related car expense deduction to 75¢ a kilometre from July fails to reflect the reality, said accounting bodies, and will leave millions of taxpayers short-changed. The ATO announced the rise, up from 72¢, last…
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Retirement advice must be tailored for the individual, writes industry expert Jeremy Duffield. Is there a typical investor? Even if two people are in the same industry, with a similar income, they won’t have the same investment goals. Their personal financial situations will be different, so it makes sense to personalise super investment. Everyone’s circumstances…
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Cryptocurrency is catching on fast in Australia and accountants need to be alert to the tax implications, says the ATO. Trades in cryptocurrency leapt 64 per cent in 2021 and the ATO is using data matching to make sure nothing slips through the net, acting assistant commissioner Sylvia Gallagher said last week. With more than…
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During the pandemic the ATO pressed pause on its usual regime, but it’s slowly returning to business as usual. The ATO will focus on chasing debts and artful tax dodgers now that Australia is returning to normal post-COVID, acting assistant commissioner Sylvia Gallagher said. Speaking at the Accountants Daily Strategy Day in Sydney last week…
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Property market performance across Australia’s east coast, particularly South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales over the past year, could be summarised as having leading price growth, increased auction activity, and favourable internal migration trends. However, the end of February was a sobering reminder of the impact of extreme weather events and climate change. Numerous…
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The recent ATO ruling on trust distributions is an “unfair” change to the game and accountants need to be aware that clients will be under increased scrutiny, says ChangeGPS founder Timothy Munro. Speaking at a recent ChangeGPS webinar, Timothy Munro said accountants were “livid” about the rulings that would force them to completely rethink their strategies heading…
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The federal government has announced financial support is available for flood-impacted victims, as major flooding continues in South-East Queensland and the NSW North Coast. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Queenslanders impacted by the unfolding “flooding disaster” can apply for up to $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child, as part of the government’s Disaster…
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Download a copy of our March Newsletter…
Small business owners often waste time. Even though a study conducted by TSheets (now QuickBooks Time) found that nearly 60% of self-employed workers in the U.S. said they either worked every weekend or every other weekend, if you’re truly honest with yourself, you’ll probably admit that there’s a difference between spending time on work-like activities…
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National Australia Bank (NAB) has warned mortgage holders that their loan repayments could climb by a third, or an average of $721, during the next 18 months. A surge home loan pain would also see Australian borrowers experiencing the tightest budget pressures in a decade. NAB has forecasted mortgage rates to increase by 2.25 percentage…
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National home loan affordability fell “dramatically” in 2021, with a record calendar year decline of 14.5 per cent, according to non-bank lender Bluestone. Bluestone Home Loans has released its Home Loan Affordability Index for December quarter, revealing the index fell to 93.8 in December 2021 quarter compared to 82.9 in the December 2020 quarter. The latest…
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The governor of the Reserve Bank has defended the central bank’s cash rate forecasting, despite increasing expectations from market that a rate rise will come sooner than flagged. Speaking to the House of Representatives standing committee on economics for its hearing on monetary policy on Friday (11 February), the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia…
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Despite an easing in the quarterly growth rate, national construction costs increased 7.3% over the 2021 calendar year – the highest annual growth rate since March 2005, according to the latest figures from CoreLogic. CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) found a softening in quarterly construction cost growth in Q4 to 1.1%, from the 3.8% surge…
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Professional accounting bodies have welcomed the federal government’s move to make COVID-19 testing expenses tax-deductible and FBT exempt. In an address to Australian Industry Group on Monday (7 February), Treasurer Josh Frydenberg confirmed the federal government would look to ensure COVID-19 testing expenses are tax-deductible. “Since the start of 2022, the Government has secured more than 80 million Rapid…
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The ATO has urged businesses to consider the use of e-invoicing as it becomes the new and improved way to send and receive invoices for organisations. In a recent update, the ATO said that the adoption of e-invoicing can help businesses simplify and automate the exchange and processing of invoices. “Government agencies, business, and software…
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Capital cities, regional areas, houses and units all saw an increase in rents last quarter, culminating in the highest calendar year growth rate since 2007. CoreLogic’s quarterly Rental Review shows the national rental index increased 1.9% during the December quarter, a repeat of the figures recorded in the September quarter. Despite quarterly growth rates easing since…
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In February last year, the ATO launched a new compliance campaign targeted at late lodgements in response to concerns that a lapse in lodgement often indicates broader regulatory issues. ATO assistant commissioner, SMSF segment Justin Micale noted at the time that despite the due date for lodgement of the 2019 SMSF annual return being deferred until 30…
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Download a copy of our February Newsletter…
Switching to less-frequent payroll periods can save time and money on payroll processing costs, but to navigate the change successfully, you need to recalculate payments, make changes to your accounting software, and communicate with your employees about the change. Weekly Payroll Sending out weekly pay slips results in processing payroll 52 times per year and…
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Interest rates could be hiked as early as May, economists have predicted following a sharp rise in inflation. Australia’s consumer price index (CPI) rose to a bigger-than-expected 1.3% in the December quarter, pushed up by soaring petrol and housing construction costs. The figure is up from an 0.8% increase over the previous three-month period. The…
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Small Business Australia is appealing for Canberra officials to replace the SME Recovery Loan Scheme with the revenue contingent loan (RCL) of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS). The scheme allows SME owners to access low-rate loans with the option of deferring repayments for up to 24 months to give them more breathing space as…
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The ATO has issued a reminder to those who have clients currently not up to date with their lodgment and payment obligations. The Tax Office said the new year is a good opportunity to check in with clients, noting that “if you find some are not up to date with their lodgment and payment obligations,…
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You control your data. When you put your data in OneDrive cloud storage, you remain the owner of the data. For more info about the ownership of your data, see Office 365 Privacy by Design. How you can safeguard your data Here are some things you can do to help protect your files in OneDrive: Create a…
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Cloud accounting may sound like more tech-industry jargon, but the concept behind it has caused huge and overwhelmingly positive impacts for business owners over the past decade. Also known as ‘online accounting’, cloud accounting generally makes managing your finances and tax affairs easier, faster and safer for business owners. What is ‘the cloud’? When someone…
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Cloud computing got you perplexed? You’re not alone. Most of us talk about ‘the cloud’ without even realising what it really means. We’re clearing the air on cloud computing and how it can benefit your small business. So what is the cloud? The cloud is where you put all your data, all your files and…
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The accounting industry’s interest in cloud services — from online bookkeeping to full-featured accounting software — shows no signs of slowing down. Intuit’s e-book “The Appification of Small Business,” forecasts 78 percent of small businesses will be fully cloud operational by 2020. The cloud is a collection of securely networked physical servers where customers upload and…
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Whether you run a boutique restaurant, franchise, food truck or catering service, key areas of focus tend to be the same across business types—sales and cash flow; labour and food and beverage costs. And that’s as it should be: sales and cash flow ensure you have enough money to pay your bills and your staff, while…
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In the past, starting a small business was a rarity. In today’s landscape, it’s possible for virtually anyone with the motivation and drive. For many small business owners, the role of Uber driver (or any ridesharing profession) has become a great way to earn a living while being your own boss. Ridesharing, using a personal…
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If life and work are ticking along, you’ll be so focused on your business that the last thing you’ll be thinking about is what would happen if you couldn’t work. However, the best time to think about the spectre of illness or injury, is while you are healthy. The healthier you are, the cheaper insurance…
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The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is accusing the state government of treating the property market like a “cash cow” it can milk for profit. The state government announced plans to change existing regulation that sees investors with portfolios split across various states and territories pay less land tax than those with property located…
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Download a copy of our January Newsletter…
The ATO has released new information for individuals who need to access their superannuation early on compassionate grounds during the Christmas shutdown period. The ATO offices will close from midday Friday, 24 December 2021, reopening on Tuesday, 4 January 2022. The ATO said that for those who need a compassionate release of super determination before…
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Learn how managing the fine line between work from home and living at work is worsening sleep working. Australia has recorded some of the longest working hours among full-time employees in OECD countries over the past two decades. The direct and indirect costs of sleep deprivation in Australia are estimated at A$51 billion a year.…
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NAB has come out in support of CoreLogic’s assessment that the property market is at or near its peak. CoreLogic’s most recent Home Value Index, released this morning, suggested that the slower growth in November of 1.3% suggests that the market is close to an apex. November was the slowest month since January, and CoreLogic analyst Tim…
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Download a copy of our December Newsletter
Up to 15 per cent of current households would have been able to enter the property market in the 1990s but are now forced out, an economist has said. Independent economist and University of Tasmania vice-chancellor’s fellow Saul Eslake appeared before the House of Representatives tax and revenue committee for its ongoing inquiry into housing affordability last…
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According to the Australian Taxation Office, more than 600,000 taxpayers have invested in crypto assets in recent years, and many have failed to declare their capital gains. The technology that supports cryptocurrencies is relatively new, but the tax laws that apply are well established under capital gains tax provisions for cryptocurrency investors. Australia is supporting…
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Business confidence has seen a resurgence across industries in October, as NSW and Victoria reopened and companies returned to pre-pandemic trading. A newly released survey conducted by HSBC found 65% of Australian businesses are optimistic they can generate growth over the next 12 months, in line with international peers. However businesses named supply chain chaos…
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The majority of mortgage holders are already maintaining higher loan repayments than required and won’t be shaken by a climbing cash rate, according to the Reserve Bank. Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) assistant governor (economic) Luci Ellis appeared before the House of Representatives standing committee on tax and revenue on Monday (15 November), for its…
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Interest rates are rising, but it’s the banks rather than the RBA that have moved first. Tom Uhlich of Boss Money looks at what’s driving the change – and at the implications for the property market. We haven’t seen it in years. The RBA has not raised interest rates for more than 130 months. But we all knew it…
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has hinted that the popular tax-saving measure may return in 2022. The federal government has teased the possibility of extending its popular tax offset ahead of the next election. In a recent interview with The Herald Sun, Prime Minister Scott Morrison played coy when asked whether the current federal government would consider…
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New laws came into force from 1 November 2021 requiring all Directors to obtain a Director Identification Number (Director ID). This applies if they are the director of a company, registered Australian body, registered foreign company or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation. When must you apply for your Director ID? Date You Became…
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