Personal Services Income – Are you affected?

This week I was asked a fairly straightforward question – I am a sole trader, operating with an ABN, can I claim travel to client premises? What’s the big deal you say, of course she can! But as is always the case with tax, the devil is in the detail. The other part of the email gave me some more facts. There is only one client, payment is made on an hourly rate and the travel involves a three hour round trip by car. Suddenly Personal Services Income (PSI) alarm bells were ringing and the answer becomes much more complex. Continue reading “Personal Services Income – Are you affected?”

What are your new financial year resolutions?

I know I’m an accounting nerd, but surely I’m not the only one who loves the beginning of a new financial year? It’s time to draw a line in the sand, review what happened last year, but more importantly, focus on the endless possibilities that the future may bring.

How is your business going to grow in 2019/20? Are you going to leave it to chance or are you going to take control and focus on growing your business? Are you working harder than ever but don’t seem to have cash in the bank? Time to set your budget. And while you can start at any time of the year, it’s good to start with a whole new year in front of you! Continue reading “What are your new financial year resolutions?”

Cars, cars, cars and fringe benefits

By far and away the largest category of fringe benefits provided in Australia are cars. In the 2016 year, the Australian Taxation Office indicated that the total taxable value of all cars provided to employees in the year was $1.3 billion. This makes car benefits a significant contributor to tax revenue in Australia. But just because you have provided your employee with a motor vehicle does not automatically guarantee that there is fringe benefits tax (FBT) to pay.

So let’s go through an overview of when your business might be liable for FBT on the vehicles they provide. Continue reading “Cars, cars, cars and fringe benefits”