FBT and business vehicles

Business owners who make a car (leased or owned) available for employees to use for private travel may be subject to fringe benefits tax (FBT). If a car is garaged at or near your employee’s home, even if only for security reasons, it is considered by the ATO to be available for their private use…

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Improving productivity

Staying productive in the workplace can be challenging – whether it’s interruptions from colleagues, unnecessary meetings or simply distractions such as social media, it is hard to stay focused on the task at hand. Here are three ways to be more productive in your work day: Take more breaks Although taking more breaks sounds counterintuitive…

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SuperStream checklist

All businesses should now be SuperStream compliant. SuperStream is a standard for processing superannuation data and payments electronically. Employers must pay employee super contributions electronically (EFT or BPAY) and send the associated data electronically under SuperStream. SuperStream ensures the data is in a standard format so it can be transmitted consistently across the super system…

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ATO targeting online selling and ride-sourcing

The Australian Tax Office is collecting data from financial institutions and online selling sites as part of their data matching programs for credit and debit cards, online selling and ride-sourcing. The data will include: the total amount of credit and debit card payments businesses received online sellers who have sold at least $12,000 worth of…

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2017 Business Resolutions

The start of the New Year is generally a time to reflect on the previous year’s achievements and challenges and work towards setting new goals. The New Year can offer business owners a powerful motivation for business growth. Whether you want to expand your business or increase your network; goal-setting plays a critical role in…

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Overview of the transfer balance cap

The transfer balance cap was introduced as part of the reforms to superannuation in the 2016 Federal Budget and will commence on 1 July 2017. The cap applies to the total amount of super that has been transferred into the retirement phase. The cap will start at $1.6 million, and will be indexed periodically in…

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Changes to tax rates for working holiday makers

Tax rates for working holiday makers who are in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa have changed. From 1 January 2017, employers who employ a working holiday maker in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa: – Must withhold 15 per cent from every dollar earned up to $37,000 with foreign resident tax rates…

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