The Federal Court has recently agreed that ride-sourcing is taxi travel. For GST purposes, the word taxi means a car (vehicle) made available for public hire that is used to transport passengers for fares. State and territory laws regulating transportation of passengers contain specific definitions of the term taxi. A vehicle can be considered a…
Fuel tax credit rates increased on 1 February 2017. These rates are indexed twice a year, in February and August, in line with the consumer price index (CPI). The rates vary depending on when you acquire the fuel, what fuel you use and the activity you use it for. Rates may also change for fuel…
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a ruling that clarifies the circumstances in which a deduction for bad debts is allowable. To obtain a bad debt deduction under section 63 of the Act, a debt must exist before it can be written off as bad. A debt exists for the purposes of section 63…
Business owners who make a car (leased or owned) available for employees to use for private travel may be subject to fringe benefits tax (FBT). If a car is garaged at or near your employee’s home, even if only for security reasons, it is considered by the ATO to be available for their private use…
The Australian Tax Office is collecting data from financial institutions and online selling sites as part of their data matching programs for credit and debit cards, online selling and ride-sourcing. The data will include: the total amount of credit and debit card payments businesses received online sellers who have sold at least $12,000 worth of…
Tax rates for working holiday makers who are in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa have changed. From 1 January 2017, employers who employ a working holiday maker in Australia on a 417 or 462 visa: – Must withhold 15 per cent from every dollar earned up to $37,000 with foreign resident tax rates…
The ATO have introduced a simpler BAS to take effect from 1 July 2017 to help reduce GST compliance costs for small businesses. From 1 July 2017, small businesses will only need to report GST on sales (1A); GST on purchases (1B) and Total sales (G1) on their BAS. Businesses will no longer need to…
Giving to charity this Christmas is a great way to give to those less fortunate while receiving some extra tax perks. Charitable donations are tax deductible which only adds to the incentive to be generous this holiday season. Here are some tips for maximising your tax breaks on charitable donations: The charity must be registeredMake…
