Our Recent Blogs
Expenses incurred to obtain employment were non-deductible
The Administrative Review Tribunal ('ART') recently held that medical expenses incurred by a taxpayer to obtain (or regain) employment were not deductible as they were not incurred in gaining or producing his assessable income.
Taxable payments annual report lodgment reminder
Businesses that pay contractors for 'Taxable payments reporting system services' may need to lodge a 'Taxable payments annual report' ('TPAR') by 28 August each year.
Work-related expense claims rejected by ART
The Administrative Review Tribunal ('ART') recently disallowed a taxpayer's claims for many different types of work-related expenses.
Check GST credit claims before lodging BASs
Taxpayers who are registered for GST can claim GST credits (or 'input tax credits') for the GST included in the price of goods and services they buy for their business.
Contractors omitting income
Through data matching, the ATO is seeing some contractors incorrectly reporting or omitting contractor income. Contractors need to report all their income in their tax return, including payments made by businesses for their contracting work.
New ATO guidance for rental property owners
The ATO has released updated guidance to clarify how it assesses rental property income and expenses, to reflect changes in the way investors rent out their properties.
ATO says: "Don't delay: act now to transition from the SBSCH"!
The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House ('SBSCH') will permanently close on 1 July 2026. Therefore, employers still using it have less than a month to transition to an alternative service provider, test their new arrangements and resolve any issues before Payday Super begins.
Payday Super: How to manage super during the changeover
The ATO is providing information that employers need to know to manage the changeover from quarterly super to Payday Super from 1 July 2026 (i.e., when employers will begin paying super with each payday under the Payday Super changes).
Late payment offset will no longer be available
Currently, employers who make a late super guarantee (SG) payment, can lodge a super guarantee charge (SGC) statement and use the LPO to reduce their SGC liability by amounts paid late to a fund.
When a hobby becomes a business
Taxpayers may not think they are running a business from their hobby or 'side hustle' activities. However, if they start to earn money from doing these activities regularly, they may be carrying on a business without realising it.
Know when a new logbook is required
Keeping a car logbook may be required to accurately calculate the business-use percentage of vehicle expenses (e.g., fuel, registration, insurance and depreciation) for tax deductions.
Key Highlights form the 2026-27 Federal Budget
Fundamental reforms to the CGT regime
From 1 July 2027, the 50% CGT discount will be replaced by cost base indexation for assets held for more than 12 months, with a 30% minimum tax on net capital gains.
$20,000 instant asset write-off extended
The Government recently passed legislation to extend the $20,000 instant asset write-off for small businesses by 12 months to 30 June 2026.
ATO App Now Helping You Stay Safe from Phone Scams
With scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, it can be difficult to tell whether a phone call claiming to be from the ATO is genuine. The ATO app now includes a new “Verify call” feature, allowing you to quickly check if a call from the ATO is legitimate before sharing any information.
Reminder of March 2026 Quarter Superannuation Guarantee ('SG')
Employers are reminded that employee super contributions for the quarter ending 31 March 2026 must be received by the relevant super funds by Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
Super Stapling Reforms Passed Ahead of Payday Super
The Federal Government has passed new legislation aimed at improving the superannuation system ahead of the introduction of Payday Super. The Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures Bill 2025 is designed to streamline how super funds are selected during employee onboarding, while also addressing the long-standing issue of duplicate super accounts.
Getting the main residence exemption right
The ATO has the following tips for taxpayers in relation to the CGT main residence exemption.
Paying super guarantee
The ATO is reminding employers that they must pay super guarantee ('SG') contributions for eligible employees.
Time limits on GST and fuel tax credit claims
Taxpayers should note that GST credits and fuel tax credits will expire if not claimed within the 4-year credit time limit (i.e., generally four years from the due date of the original BAS in which the taxpayer could have claimed them).
Mandating cash acceptance
The Government recently announced that it was delivering on its commitment "to mandate cash acceptance for essential purchases by finalising regulations that require fuel and grocery retailers to accept cash from 1 January 2026."