Employees who are not living or working in their regular location due to COVID-19 mobility restrictions need to be aware of the tax implications that apply to their situation. Individuals who ordinarily work and live in Australia but are temporarily overseas due to COVID-19 restrictions will not experience any changes to their Australian tax obligations.…
Paying your employees superannuation is an integral part of being an employer. Superannuation provides income for your workers in retirement and it is your legal obligation to make sure you are paying your eligible employees the right amount, on time, to the right place and also in the right way. The ATO has also introduced…
Businesses now working from home can take the opportunity for employers to learn from the experience and consider new work structures coming out of COVID-19. This could mean increased flexibility for employees when it comes to working remotely. Here’s why you should consider flexible work arrangements with your employees. Increase productivity Flexible work arrangements can…
While there are benefits to running an SMSF, they do not come without their compliance responsibilities. This includes lodging your fund’s annual return on time, attending to reporting obligations, and having an investment strategy. SMSFs who do not meet their obligations are subject to penalties by the ATO through the following measures. Education direction An…
The ATO has published a ruling on the decline in turnover test for businesses applying for the JobKeeper scheme as part of the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Rules 2020. This turnover test requires businesses to calculate their ‘current GST turnover’ and ‘projected GST turnover’, subject to modifications to the definitions outlined in…
Increasing living expenses and commitments can make it challenging to manage and save money, especially for low income earners. Here are some tips that may help you reduce financial pressures on a low income… Prioritise high-interest debts:If you have a lot of different debts to pay off, prioritise them by their interest rates. Paying off…
Contracts, sales or purchases are bound to be cancelled with financial uncertainty plaguing the economy as a result of COVID-19. To help you get through this, the ATO recommends making a goods and services tax (GST) adjustment when cancellations do occur. In the event of contracts, sales or purchase cancellation, you can make a GST…
Individuals looking to buy their first home may claim up to $30,000 of their super contributions through the First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme, which aims to reduce pressure on housing affordability. The scheme allows first home buyers to save money within their superannuation fund and accumulate faster savings with the concessional tax treatment of…
Due to COVID-19 and unforeseen financial circumstances, the ATO has announced a series of lodgement deferral dates available for tax returns, fringe benefits tax returns, monthly and quarterly BAS, annual GST returns, PAYG summary annual reports and taxable payment annual reports. Lodgement deferrals extend the due date for lodgement of a document without incurring a…
Despite unprecedented circumstances, employers still need to consider the requirements of dismissal under the Fair Work Act when ending employment to avoid legal action against them. When dismissing or standing down employees due to COVID-19 limitations, employers must continue to comply with the applicable award, enterprise agreement, workplace policy or employment contract, as well as…