ATO’s small business focus for 2022 income year The ATO announced that it will be focussing on the following matters for small business tax returns for the 2021/22 year: Deductions that are private in nature and not related to business income, as well as over-claiming of business expenses (especially for taxpayers running a home-based business). … Read more
ATO priorities this tax time The ATO has announced four key areas that it will be focusing on for Tax Time 2022: Record-keeping. Work-related expenses. Rental property income and deductions. Capital gains from crypto assets, property, and shares. Before claiming income tax deductions for their expenses, taxpayers must ensure: they spent the money themselves and … Read more
No reduction in the Private Health Insurance rebate as of 1 April 2022 An event that we have become accustomed to every 1 April, is that the amount of the Private Health Insurance (‘PHI’) rebate decreases. The Australian Government rebate on PHI is annually indexed on 1 April by a Rebate Adjustment Factor (‘RAF’) representing … Read more
2022-2023 Budget Measures that are now law Low and Middle Income Tax Offset A measure that will no doubt be beneficial for individual taxpayers is the increase in the Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (‘LMITO’) for the 2022 income year by $420. The LMITO is a tax offset which reduces an individual taxpayer’s tax … Read more
Tax deductibility of COVID-19 test expenses After much speculation, the Government announced that COVID-19 tests, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (‘PCR’) and Rapid Antigen Tests (‘RATs’), will be both: tax-deductible; and exempt from FBT; broadly where they are purchased for work-related purposes. This will require the introduction of new specific legislation (i.e., to clarify that work-related … Read more
ATO support for businesses in difficult times The ATO has reminded taxpayers that it has a range of support available for small businesses experiencing difficult situations, such as natural disasters, mental health challenges or financial hardship. Depending on the business taxpayer’s circumstances, the ATO may be able to: give the business extra time to pay … Read more
Super is now following new employees The ATO is reminding employers that, as of 1 November 2021, there is an extra step they may need to take to comply with the choice of super fund rules. If a new employee does not choose a super fund, most employers will need to request the employee’s ‘stapled … Read more
Preparing for the new Director ID regime As part of its Digital Business Plan, the Government announced the full implementation of the ‘Modernising Business Registers’ program. This included recently enacted legislation introducing the new director identification number (‘director ID’) regime. The director ID is a unique identifier that a director will need to apply for … Read more
Extending administrative relief for companies to use technology The Government has passed legislation renewing the temporary relief that allows companies to use technology to meet regulatory requirements under the Corporations Act 2001. These temporary relief measures will allow companies to hold virtual meetings and use electronic communications to send meeting-materials and execute documents until 31 … Read more
Reminder of superannuation caps indexation for 2022 From 1 July 2021, the superannuation contributions caps have been indexed for the 2022 income year. The new concessional contributions cap for the 2022 financial year is now $27,500 (increased from $25,000). The new non-concessional (i.e., non-deductible) contributions cap for the 2022 financial year is now $110,000 or … Read more
