The Latest News

On 9 May 2023, the Australian Government handed down its first full Budget since it was elected in 2022. In relation to the immigration, the Government announced the following changes.
Read More
Last chance to claim deductions under temporary full expensing   Deductions under ‘temporary full expensing’ are only available in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 income years, and are expected to come to an end on 30 June 2023.
Read More
Tasmania   Extra Subclass 190 places Tasmanian Skilled Migration has announced that 150 additional SC 190 places will be made available by the Department of Home Affairs to meet the unexpectedly high demand in that state.
Read More
New 15% super tax to apply from 1 July 2025   The Government recently announced it will be imposing a 15% additional tax on individuals that have more than $3 million in superannuation.  The new measure is expected to commence from 1 July 2025 (i.e., the start of the 2026 income year).
Read More
Twenty top occupations in demand   The latest Labour Market Update report from Jobs and Skills Australia has provided the list of the top 20 occupations in demand nationally this quarter. This information is derived from a range of Jobs and Skills Australia and Australian Bureau of Statistics data sources to analyse the state of the Australian…
Read More
Significant change to claiming working from home expenses   Before 1 July 2022, an individual taxpayer that incurred additional deductible expenses as a result of working from home, had a choice of three methods to claim these expenses.
Read More
Permanent residence pathway for sc482 visa holders with an occupation on the Regional Occupation List (ROL)   The Department of Home Affairs has advised in a news article on their website dated 13 February 2023, that the pathway that allows s482 STSOL visa holders to apply for a s186 (TRT stream) if they have been…
Read More
Super guarantee contributions for the December 2022 quarter   A reminder to employers that their December 2022 superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) contributions were due by 28 January 2023.
Read More
Year-end (and other) staff parties Editor:  With the well earned December/January holiday season on the way, many employers will be planning to reward staff with a celebratory party or event.  However, there are important issues to consider, including  the possible FBT and income tax implications of providing ‘entertainment’ (including Christmas parties) to staff and clients. 
Read More
Super guarantee opt-out for high income earners now law From 1 January 2020, eligible individuals with multiple employers can apply to opt out of receiving super guarantee (‘SG’) from some of their employers, to help them avoid unintentionally going over the concessional contributions cap.
Read More
$30,000 instant asset write-off The ATO is reminding businesses that are looking to expand or improve their business and thinking of buying new or second hand assets, that medium sized businesses with a turnover up to $50 million (but at least $10 million) are eligible for the instant asset write-off.
Read More
“Outrageous” deductions rejected The ATO has published some of the most unusual claims that they disallowed last financial year.
Read More
Tax cuts become law The Government has announced that more than 10 million Australians will receive immediate tax relief following the passage of legislation through the Parliament, which increases the top threshold for the 19% tax rate from $41,000 to $45,000 and increases the low income tax offset from $645 to $700 in 2022/23.
Read More
‘Cash in hand’ payments to workers no longer tax deductible The ATO has reminded employers that any ‘cash in hand’ payments made to workers from 1 July 2019 will not be tax deductible. ‘Cash in hand’ refers to cash payments to employees that do not comply with pay as you go (‘PAYG’) withholding obligations.
Read More
Many of our business clients like to review their tax position at the end of the income year and evaluate any year-end strategies that may be available to legitimately reduce their tax.   Traditionally, year-end tax planning for small businesses is based around two simple concepts – i.e., accelerating business deductions and deferring income.
Read More
Tax saving strategies prior to 1 July 2019 A good strategy to reduce tax payable is normally to accelerate any income tax deductions into the current income year, which will reduce overall taxable income in the current year. The tax rates for resident (adult) individual taxpayers for the 2018/19 income year are as follows:
Read More
Single Touch Payroll Update Employers with 19 or fewer employees are required to start reporting through Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) from 1 July 2019. The ATO will be working with employers to support them as they transition to STP, including allowing small employers to start reporting any time from 1 July to 30 September (and…
Read More
Federal Election called! The Federal Election has been called for Saturday 18 May 2019, and the Governor-General has ‘prorogued’ the Parliament from 11 April 2019 until 18 May 2019, and dissolved the House of Representatives.
Read More