Business Garnishee Notice

A garnishee order is a serious matter, as it means a court order has been made to allow creditors to recover debt from third parties. They can do this in a number of ways, including taking money from the debtor’s bank account and/or from their salary. If you are issued with a garnishee order you […]

Shutting down your business

Whether you’re closing down your business by choice or have been forced to do so, it is an involved process with strict compliance requirements. How you shut down will depend on your business structure and why you’re no longer operating your business. Where possible, plan ahead so you can get professional advice, fulfil compliance requirements, […]

Early Release of Super

From 1 July 2018, responsibility for the administration of the early release of superannuation benefits on compassionate grounds will be transferred from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to the ATO. Superannuation benefits can be released on compassionate grounds to meet expenses related to medical treatment, medical transport, modifications necessary for the family home or […]

Amending a BAS

Once we have lodged your latest activity statement, you may realise that something has been left out or you have neglected to include a particular item. The Australian tax system is based on “self assessment”, which means the ATO generally takes your word, under our guidance, and bases its assessment on the information it has […]

Tax of Foreign Income For Australian Residents

Under Australia’s taxation regime, resident taxpayers are subject to income tax on both income derived in Australia and on foreign sourced income. As a general rule, where foreign income is derived by an Australian resident, the gross amount (including any foreign tax paid on the income) must be included as assessable income. A foreign income […]

Bitcoins and SMSFs

While bitcoin may be the most well-known cryptocurrency, there are nearly 1,500 in existence. In its simplest form, a cryptocurrency is a “peer-to-peer electronic cash system”, which means that the currency is not in a physical form like cash but sits in an electronic register. What makes bitcoin work, where previous attempts at electronic cash […]

Is your Div 7A Compliant?

Division 7A of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA36) is an integrity measure that was designed to prevent companies from making tax-free distributions to shareholders or their associates. This can occur where distributions of profit are disguised as loans or other transactions. This effectively allows the shareholder or their associate to […]

Basics of Div 7A

As the owner of a private company, it’s normal – and completely legal – to borrow money from your business. However, thanks to Division 7A of the Tax Act, failing to properly record that loan could land you in some serious strife come tax time. Here’s how it works, and how to avoid its impact […]

Can the ATO wind me up?

Unpaid tax debts can lead to serious consequences for businesses that are having problems keeping up with their tax debt. When it comes to enforcing debt, the ATO has a number of options, including pursuing wind-up proceedings in court. While the ATO will not pursue the wind-up course of action if a company has repaid its […]

Myth of a Liquidation

Liquidation is the winding up of your business with assets sold to pay creditors. While it’s a final option for shutting down the business, for struggling businesses this step can come as relief. However, myths still persist about liquidation. If you’re considering liquidation as an option for your business, it’s vital to debunk these so you […]