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Passive investment companies excluded from lower tax rate

From the 2017 income year, the small business company tax rate has been reduced to 27.5%. Currently you are a small business entity if you are a sole trader, partnership, company or trust that: is carrying on a business for all or part of the income year, and has an...

Does your superannuation fund invest in bonds?

What effect does rising interest rates have on your investment in bonds? The Shadow Reserve Bank board member, Paul Bloxham, who is also HSBC’s Australian Chief Economist, was quoted in October as saying “What is becoming increasingly clear this month is that the...

Strategies to Reduce your Tax Debt

It is not uncommon for taxpayers to owe tens of thousands in tax debt to the ATO as a result of extenuating factors beyond their control.  Where primary tax is not paid on time the ATO imposes interest and penalties which can make an already large tax debt more...

There’s property and there’s property trusts

With the residential property market going gang busters many investors are now turning their attention to alternative property investments such as commercial or industrial property. Commercial and industrial property are considered to offer a better  yield, or net...

Small Business Restructure: Is it “Genuine”?

The small business restructure roll-over came into effect on 1 July 2016 to provide greater flexibility for small business owners to change the legal structure of their business by allowing them to defer gains or losses that would otherwise be realised when business...

Personal and Carer’s Leave

The minimum leave entitlements that apply to all employees are found in the National Employment Standards (NES). These apply regardless of their position and whether a contract of employment or an award or enterprise agreement applies.  The NES creates certain rights...

Red Flags That Can Trigger a Tax Audit for Private Business

Regardless much income your business produces there are several common ways of getting on the ATO radar and triggering an audit.  Often a simple GST audit escalates to a larger review to include income tax and other issues. Taking steps to manage the risk ensures that...

New changes to GST remission on new residential premises

To strengthen compliance with the GST law pursuant to a previous announcement in the 2017-18 Budget, the government recently released an exposure draft of legislation requiring purchasers of new residential premises, home sites or new subdivisions to remit the goods...

New ATO Powers to Report Tax Debts

In the 2017 mid-year budget the Government announced that it will allow the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to disclose tax debt information to registered credit reporting bureaus (CRBs).  These new powers are intended to encourage taxpayers to manage their unpaid...