A mandatory component of managing a self-managed super fund (SMSF) is planning out what will happen to the fund if its trustee was to pass away. While succession planning may not be one of the first responsibilities that comes to mind when managing an SMSF, it is a necessity that can provide certainty and peace…
The ATO is currently targeting contrived trust arrangements that minimise tax by creating artificial differences between the taxable net income and distributable income of closely held trusts. Arrangements where trustees are engineering a reduction in trust income to improperly gain favourable tax breaks or pay no tax at all are being targeted by the Tax…
When choosing between a home loan with a fixed rate of interest and a home loan with a variable rate of interest, it is important to take both your personal and financial circumstances into consideration. While both options offer certain advantages and disadvantages, individuals should consider what they will gain and lose through either option.…
Converting casual customers into brand-loyal customers is challenging in today’s competitive marketplace. With thousands of brands competing to stay top of mind; retaining customers is no easy feat. Fortunately, there are some ways businesses can encourage repeat purchase customers: Be consistent Surpass your customers’ expectations by consistently delivering the same level of quality in your…
A re-contribution strategy involves withdrawing your superannuation and re-contributing it back into the fund as a non-concessional (after-tax) contribution. It is an easy strategy to implement and can provide significant tax savings for a trustee and their family in the future. This is because the strategy converts the taxable portion of the withdrawn super amount…
Income tests are used to work out a person’s eligibility for tax offsets and benefits which can reduce the amount of tax they have to pay. The Australian Taxation Office considers various items from a person’s tax return when applying income tests. For example, a number of offsets, benefits and obligations are assessed using a…
The financial power and freedom that comes from being a successful business owner can be enough to entice anyone to take on the financial risk of starting up a business. But growing a successful business from scratch is no easy feat. Below are some tips to keep in mind when starting a business from scratch:…
With the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the transition to retirement (TTR) pension to take effect from 1 July 2017, those with existing arrangements should review them to avoid any adverse impact on their retirement funds. Following changes in the 2016 Federal Budget, from 1 July 2017, transition to retirement (TTR) pensions will no longer…
