26

Jun

Small Business – Get ready for tax time

Are you ready for tax time? This might be your last chance to make any tax-deductible purchases before this financial year ends on 30 June. See if there are any tax-deductible items your business needs, or any concessions you can access. Finalise your employees’ Single Touch Payroll (STP) If you have employees, make sure you finalise their 2023–24 STP information by 14 July. This is an important end-of-year obligation and ensures your employees have the right information they need to lodge their income tax return. Remember to finalise all employees you’ve paid in the financial year, even those you haven’t paid for a while, like terminated employees. Check your pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and instalments From 1 July, individual tax rates and thresholds will change. This […]

17

Jun

ATO flags 3 key focus areas for this tax time

The ATO announces its priorities for Tax Time 2024. As ‘tax time’ approaches, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced it will be taking a close look at 3 common errors being made by taxpayers: ATO Assistant Commissioner Rob Thomson said the ATO is focused on supporting taxpayers to get their lodgment right the first time. ‘These are the areas that people are most likely to get wrong, and while these mistakes are often genuine, sometimes they are deliberate. Take the time to get your return right.’ Work-related expenses In 2023 more than 8 million people claimed a work-related deduction, and around half of those claimed a deduction related to working from home. Last year, the ATO revised the fixed[…]

04

Jun

Easy guide to functional currency rules

accountant Melbourne Information about functional currency rules, eligibility and the implications for tax accounting and reporting. How to use this guide The electronic version of this document is the only authorised version. Printed copies may be out of date. Read this guide to find out more about the functional currency rules, including: You can use this guide if you are: This guide does not cover income from overseas permanent establishments of resident taxpayers. Functional currency translation rules The functional currency translation rules are an exception to the core foreign currency translation rules. Under the core foreign currency translation rules, amounts in a foreign currency must be translated into Australian dollars (A$). There are also rules about when and at what exchange rate[…]

21

May

Application for payment of ATO-held superannuation money

How to apply for super held by the ATO online or by using the paper application form (NAT 74880). Manage your super online You can manage your super using our online services. This includes applying for your ATO-held super money and uploading supporting documents. To use our online services, you need to create a myGov account and link to the ATO. For more information, see Keeping track of your super. Eligibility criteria You can only apply for a payment of your super held by us if you meet at least one of the eligibility criteria outlined in the tables below. If you apply using ATO online services, in most instances we will automatically work out if you are eligible. Depending on[…]

21

May

Register or manage an asset

Instructions for foreign investors who need to register an asset or update details about an existing asset. What is an asset An asset can be a: There is no fee payable to register assets. Register a new asset Check the information required to register the relevant asset type. Have the information you need ready to complete the registration in one session, as: Each asset must be registered separately. Log in to Online services for foreign investors. From the home page, select the Asset menu or Register asset quick link. At the Asset page select Add then Register new asset. The asset will have an Asset ID after it is registered. Required information The information you need to provide for each asset type: Property Each registration represents one property. If a property has[…]

03

May

ATO assessment of eligibility of taxpayer activities

NFPs need to get ready for new return From 1 July 2024, non-charitable not-for-profits (‘NFPs’) with an active Australian Business Number (‘ABN’) (sporting, community and cultural clubs, among other organizations) will be required to lodge a new annual NFP self-review return with the ATO to confirm their income tax exemption status. Non-charitable NFPs that have an active ABN can get ready now by: NFPs can use Online services for business lodgment: When it comes time to lodge, NFPs can use Online services for business which lets organizations manage their reporting at a time that is convenient for them. If an NFP has engaged a registered tax agent, their agent can also lodge on their behalf through Online services for agents.[…]

03

May

Warn alarm–fake MyGov scam, super access and false invoicing

Government warns of ‘malicious’ MyGov scammers The Government says the ATO or MyGov will never send an email or text message with a link to sign in to MyGov. The ATO has received a large number of reports of scammers using fake MyGov sites to steal MyGov sign-in details, which can be used to commit tax and refund fraud in other people’s names. These criminals will often use text message or email to lure people into clicking a link using phrases such as ‘You are due to receive an ATO Direct refund’ or ‘You have a new message in your MyGov inbox – click here to view’. The Government has urged Australians to be vigilant regarding scammers who target ATO[…]

02

Apr

如何在澳洲注册公司?如何在澳洲做生意?

在澳洲注册公司要准备哪些资料、走哪些步骤、注册完成后还要办什么:公司名称与注册地址的要求、董事与股东资料清单,以及注册之后的 ABN、GST 与年度合规安排。墨尔本与布里斯班双城中文服务。

18

Mar

Use our small business benchmarks to improve your business

Find out how your small business compares to others in your industry. We’ve updated our small business benchmarks for 2021–22. The benchmarks help you compare your business turnover and expenses to other small businesses in the same industry. For example, Deb runs a pizza shop as a sole trader. She’d like to track her business against other pizza shop businesses, and see how she can improve. Deb downloads the ATO app and opens the Business performance check tool. She uses this tool to work out the cost of sales to turnover benchmark for her pizza shop. It’s within the higher end of the range and above the average for pizza shop businesses. Deb works out her main supply costs. She then negotiates a better[…]

12

Mar

ATO warning regarding prohibited SMSF loans

Loans to members continue to be the highest reported contravention of the superannuation laws that the ATO sees in auditor contravention reports. SMSF trustees should remember that they cannot loan money or provide other forms of financial assistance to a member or relative, and if they do, they can incur a penalty of up to $18,780.  They may also be disqualified as a trustee. SMSF trustees also cannot loan money to a related party, such as a business, where the value of the loan exceeds 5% of the value of the fund’s total assets, as this is a prohibited ‘in-house asset’ investment.