Urgent note - Default assessment letters being sent to non-lodgers
From 12 December 2011, the Australian Tax Office will send default assessment warning letters to some clients of tax agents with overdue income tax returns where the Tax Office has evidence these taxpayers received taxable income in the relevant financial years.
Personal insurance will provide you and your children with a stress-free life
Statistics indicate that the majority of the Australian public are under-insured. These statistics also indicate that in the event of the premature death of a parent, most Australian families would require at least ten years current annual income to ensure their family’s lifestyle could be maintained.
Maximising your share portfolio
When we consider purchasing shares we generally think about capital growth. That is, whether the share price has gone up or conversely, gone down. If you are considering investments that provide steady income, Australian Industrial Shares may be a solution. The Australian Industrial Share price may rise or fall, but generally they continue to pay dividends to shareholders. For example, the dividend return of the S&P/ASX 300 Industrial index was 5.6% for the financial year ending 30 June 2011.
Tips on keeping good records for your Business
Keeping good records requires more than just knowing which records to keep and for how long. It also includes setting up systems and maintaining records in a way that makes it easier for you to monitor the progress of your business to track business is improvement, which items are selling and changes that are required – knowing how best to keep records can be the difference between the failure and success of your business.
ATO Compliance Focus for 2011/12
The Australian Taxation Office recently released its Compliance Focus for the new financial year. The Compliance program expresses the ATO’s particular concerns and their plans to combat them, with a focus on tax and superannuation compliance. A number of their concerns may implicate small business owners, and these are listed below.
Land Taxes Levied 31 December
Land tax is a tax levied on the owners of land in NSW as at midnight on 31 December of each year. In general, your principal place of residence (your home) or land used for primary production (a farm) is exempt from land tax. If you own property other than your principal place of residence or primary production land, and the combined value of this land is greater than the land tax threshold, you will need to register for land tax.
Due Diligence in Occupational Health and Safety
Under Section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (OHS), all employers have a duty of care to their employees. The most effective way of meeting this duty of care is to integrate health and safety concerns into your planning and implementation strategies. All employers are required to take ‘due diligence’ in the workplace. At its most basic, that simply means that you take care.
What Does Bankruptcy Really Mean?
In the September quarter of the year alone, Australia saw 5,677 new bankruptcies. Bankruptcy occurs when an individual does not have enough money or assets to pay their debts, and is entered into by a formal process. Only individuals can be declared bankrupt – when a company enters a similar state it is termed ‘insolvent’ and may face liquidation.
Taking the Next Big Step - Is Franchising for You?
Franchising has become one of the most progressive and dynamic business sectors in Australia. With estimated revenue of $128 billion in 2010, franchising has become a significant part of the Australian business scene and a valuable contributor to our economy. If you are thinking about going into business for yourself, but aren’t sure whether you should attempt it on your own or buy a franchise business; then you need to weigh up all the important factors before you make any decisions.
Christmas Functions and Fringe Benefits Tax
Christmas is slowly creeping up on us and most of the annual party preparations are underway. As business owners start making decisions about events for clients and employees, an important issue to consider is the possible fringe benefits tax that may be applicable when providing ‘entertainment’ to staff.
