Superannuation changes for employers
The superannuation guarantee rate has now been increased from 9% to 9.25% (and the rate will increase gradually over 7 years to 12% by 2019). Also, the upper age limit for paying super for an employee has been removed, meaning that there will no longer be a...
Key Strategies with Business Succession Planning
Succession planning is often treated as one of those things that business owners will get to “one day”, when they need to start thinking about it, usually when they decide they want to retire or realise the proceeds of many years of hard work. For many owners...
What the “Cloud” means for Business Owners
“Cloud technology” has become a common term in IT jargon, but what exactly is it and how can it be used effectively by businesses. The idea of “cloud computing” is to use the internet to access software rather than physically installing it on a computer. It is...
Business Succession Essentials – Shareholders Agreements
Background In this article, we will consider an essential business succession strategy, shareholders agreements. Overview While buy sell agreements can be used to address most insurable risks (such as the death, total and permanent disablement or trauma of an...
Capital Gains Tax Issues on Selling a Business
With an increasing number of small business owners reaching retirement age and looking to sell their business, it is important to properly deal with all of the tax considerations to maximise the after-tax sale proceeds. For example, one tax concession that...
Pension deeming rates to be reduced
Clients on full or part government pensions will be pleased to know that the government will reduce pension ‘deeming rates’ to better reflect returns available to them from their financial investments. Deeming rates reflect the standard rates of return that...
Payments for electricity generated from solar panels
More and more homeowners are installing solar panel systems in their homes. In some cases, the solar panel system may produce more electricity than they consume. If this is the case, the homeowner can often “sell” the excess electricity back to their electricity...
Cars on the ATO’s ‘FBT radar’
This financial year, the ATO will be conducting a campaign to make sure employers who have purchased a car during the fringe benefits tax (FBT) year are aware that they may have FBT obligations. An FBT year runs from 1 April until 31 March. Data has been...
Employees V Contractors – Differing Payer Obligations
The Australian Taxation Office has advised there will be increased audit activity in the coming year targeting contractor arrangements. The introduction of the new contractor reporting regime, which will apply to the building and construction industry from 1...
Current gearing issues for SMSF’s
Introduction Since 2007 self-managed super-funds (SMSF’s) have been able to borrow for investment purposes to buy real property and other assets such as shares. There are a number of conditions applying which include: the loan must be used for the purchase of a...