Who is a ‘related party’ in an SMSF?

Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) have a number of investment restrictions which apply to transactions conducted within the fund. One such restriction applies to transactions involving ‘related parties’ of the fund and ‘relatives of members.’ No one associated with the SMSF should obtain a present-day benefit from the fund’s investments. The fund needs to meet the…

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ATO to report unpaid debts to credit agencies

The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2016-17 (MYEFO) announced that from 1 July 2017, the ATO will disclose tax debt information of businesses who have not effectively engaged with the ATO to credit reporting bureaus. The new measure is aimed at enhancing the integrity of the tax system and ensuring businesses who are not compliant…

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Investing on arm’s length

Running a self-managed super fund requires trustees to adhere to complex laws and follow a number of onerous rules. One of the most fundamental investment rules for SMSFs is that the trustees must transact on an arm’s length basis to ensure no conflict of interest arises. An arm’s length transaction requires trustees to conduct on…

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Preparing for the FBT year-end

With the fringe benefits tax (FBT) year ending 31 March 2017, now is the time for business owners to get their FBT affairs sorted. When calculating FBT liability, employers must gross-up the taxable value of benefits provided to reflect the gross salary employees would need to earn at the highest marginal tax rate (including Medicare…

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Tips for successful networking

Whether you are looking to make new contacts in your industry or searching for your dream job; networking is essential to forming new relationships and expanding your connections. Here are three ways to improve your networking skills: Listen Networking is all about building relationships. One of the best ways to establish a connection faster is…

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Transitional CGT relief for SMSFs

Self-managed super funds can access Capital Gains Tax (CGT) relief to provide temporary relief from certain capital gains that might arise as a result of individuals complying with the transfer balance cap, and Transition to Retirement Income Stream (TRIS) reforms, commencing on 1 July 2017. The transitional CGT relief is designed to preserve the income…

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Easier GST reporting for food retailers

Many small food retailers buy and sell products that are both taxable and GST-free. Depending on the point-of-sale equipment used, identifying and recording these sales can be difficult for business owners. The ATO has introduced a series of simplified accounting methods (SAMs) to make it easier to account for GST and work out the amount…

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Understanding financial ratios

Financial ratios are useful tools for business owners to monitor, analyse and improve their business performance. A financial ratio contains one or more financial figures and is expressed as a ratio, rate or percentage. Financial ratios are used to measure profitability, cash flow and liquidity, risk and return, and stock turnover and sales. Here are…

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