The ATO is warning self-managed super fund (SMSF) trustees about the risks of some emerging retirement planning arrangements. Retirees or SMSF trustees who are involved in any illegal arrangement, even by accident, may face severe penalties, risk losing their retirement savings, and potentially, their rights as a trustee to manage their own fund. The Tax…
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has sophisticated data matching programs in place to ensure individuals and businesses are complying with their obligations and to uphold the integrity of the tax system for the community at large. The Tax Office uses data matching to pre-fill tax returns, ensure people and businesses are lodging tax returns and…
Good credit management is an important business strategy to maintain cash flow and stable finances. A cornerstone of managing credit is not only making sure an invoice gets paid, but gets paid on time. Before a debt recovery process commences (which may delay payment further and damage a relationship with a customer), it is worthwhile…
Consistent branding is a big factor in your business’ marketing strategy – it can help build loyal customers, improve recognition and trustworthiness. Businesses that adopt consistent branding techniques gain a competitive advantage by differentiating their products and services from other competitors in the market. Staying consistent also helps to stay on track in delivering the…
Self-managed super fund (SMSF) trustees who are in pension phase must lodge their SMSF annual returns if they remain active, or choose to wind up the fund. The ATO is warning SMSF trustees about their regulatory obligations and is paying close attention to those SMSFs that are not meeting their lodgment obligations. Trustees must lodge…
Those selling property as part of a business sale may be eligible for the margin scheme. The margin scheme is a way of working out the GST you must pay on the property that you are selling as part of your business. The scheme is only applicable if the sale of a property is taxable.…
Making your business stand out can be difficult; especially if you are offering the same services as your competitors. No matter how big or small, or what the financial status of your business may be, there is one strategy any business can adopt to set you apart: customer relationships. Building and placing value on the…
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has released its June 2017 quarterly SMSF statistical report detailing key SMSF figures. As of June 2017, the number of SMSFs increased to 596,516. The number of SMSF members in Australia is 1,124,453. The estimated value of total Australian and overseas SMSF assets is $696.7 billion. The number of annual…
