Tips and Tricks
Employee vs Contractor: What Every Small Business Needs to Know
Getting worker classification wrong can cost your business big time. Fines, penalties, back-payments and even reputational damage are all on the line if the ATO, your State Revenue Office (SRO), or your local WorkCover authority decides you’ve misclassified a worker. With regulators now sharing more data and running detailed analytics, small businesses are under more…
Important changes for small business employers from 26 August 2025
From 26 August, important workplace law changes now apply to small business employers (those with fewer than 15 employees). While all employers have obligations under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Fair Work Act), small businesses are sometimes given extra time to prepare for new requirements. That “grace period” has now ended for two key areas: 1.…
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Company Tax and Franking Credits
Most business owners understandably want to minimise tax. So when a company pays 25% corporate tax, it can feel like a hit to your bottom line. But in Australia, company tax isn’t the end of the story — it’s often just a temporary withholding. Thanks to our franking credit system, that tax becomes a benefit…
Crucial Property Tax Deductions for EOFY 2025 – Are You Ready?
As the End of Financial Year approaches, it is time for property investors to get their finances in order. Whether you own property individually or through a business, now is the moment to claim all eligible deductions, especially tax depreciation, a powerful but often overlooked way to boost your cash flow. What is Tax Depreciation?…
Fringe Benefits Tax: What Employers Need to Know Before 31 March 2025
Fringe Benefits Tax Exemption for Electric Cars Employers that provide employees with the use of eligible electric vehicles (EVs) can potentially qualify for an Fringe Benefits Tax exemption. This should normally be the case where: Plug-in hybrid vehicles no longer FBT exempt From 1 April 2025, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will no longer qualify…
Federal Budget 2025–26: What’s In It (and What’s Not)
The 2025-26 Federal Budget has landed – and while there are a few wins for households, small business owners will feel overlooked. There’s no meaningful new support, and the clock is ticking on key tax measures that still haven’t passed Parliament.Here’s a quick breakdown. What’s in it for Individuals & Families? Tiny tax cuts –…
Support Available in the Wake of Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred
When a disaster strikes, as we’ve seen recently, it’s often difficult to navigate avenues for support across different agencies.We’ve put together this guide to summarise what support is available in the wake of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, and the eligibility conditions to access that support. We cover both Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW).If we…
How the ATO Uses AI to Keep an Eye on Small Businesses
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assess small business tax compliance, using custom-built systems to analyse deductible expenses and detect income hidden in the shadow economy. AI Models for Tax Compliance Among the AI tools is the ‘Black Economy Omitted Income Scoring Job,’ designed to identify undeclared cash-in-hand earnings and…
The Importance of Keeping Your ATO Lodgments & Payments Up to Date
The ATO may require small businesses to switch from quarterly to monthly GST reporting from 1 April 2025. Who Will The ATO Target? Anyone who has a history of non-compliance Anyone who has missed/made late payments Anyone who has lodged a BAS late Anyone who reports GST incorrectly This shift aims to help businesses meet…
Maximising your Returns: How Property Depreciation Works
Property tax depreciation refers to the decline in value of an investment property’s assets over time due to wear and tear. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) allows investors to claim this depreciation as tax deductions, thereby potentially increasing tax refunds and increasing the effectiveness of negative gearing. How is Depreciation Categorised? 1. Capital Works (also…