tax from your couch

2020 Tax Returns

This peak tax season (July to September) there will be no in person tax return appointments at Optimised Accounting. This is to help keep everyone safe by reducing the risk of community transmission. Last year we developed an online data…

Family trusts under ATO scrutiny

Family trusts have stood the test of time as a means of protecting family and business wealth, and managing the distribution of trust income in a tax-effective way. But the misuse of these tax benefits by a small minority periodically puts trusts…
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EOFY checklist

It always takes some planning to get your finances in order for the end of financial year, and this year may look a little different, come June 30. The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted your circumstances and therefore your situation could…
australia tax changes 2020
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What's changing on 1st July 2020?

  Company tax rate reduces to 26% for base rate entities Cents per km rate for work-related car expenses increase to 72 cents Expected reforms to allow 66 and 67 years olds to make voluntary superannuation contributions without…
working from home

Calculating your working from home deductions

With many people now working from home because of COVID-19, some of the expenses your employer normally pays – such as electricity, heating and cooling – are now coming out of your wallet. Although some employers may provide a daily…

Guest post: Depreciation on investment properties

We have a guest post from our friends over at Capital Claims Tax Depreciation. How claiming for depreciation boosts cash flow Right now cash flow is front of mind for so many landlords.  With the economy hurting, maximising cash flow from…
foreign resident

CGT and the family home: expats and foreigners excluded from tax exemption

Late last year, legislative changes were made that exclude non-residents from accessing the main residence exemption. The retrospective changes directly impact foreigners and expats whose main residence is in Australia or overseas. We explore…
ATO targeting in 2020

ATO targets lifestyle assets

The ATO has requested insurance policy information from 30 insurers for lifestyle assets such as yachts, thoroughbred horses, and fine arts. The review, expected to impact 350,000 taxpayers, reaches from the 2015-16 to 2019-20 financial…
bushfire relief from ATO

Bushfire relief from the ATO

Ten million hectares, lives lost, wildlife on the brink, billions in lost revenue and clean-up costs. For many, returning life to normal is a long way off this summer. Among all the generosity from Australians, celebrities and businesses,…
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What happens if you don't pay your super on time?

Super guarantee requires employers to contribute a minimum percentage of each eligible employee's earnings to a complying super fund. This is to be paid by the employer to the super fund on a quarterly basis. In the past, monitoring of superannuation…
what do i record in a logbook

Logbooks: what you need to do

Using your car for work purposes? We explain what what you need to record, what you can claim and for how long. What to record in your logbook Your logbook for each car that you wish to claim must contain: when the logbook period…
small local business
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Tax concessions: helping small businesses

Running a business keeps you pretty busy, so it’s easy to overlook the help that’s available. Many small businesses don’t realise the government offers a range of valuable concessions that can make a real difference to their annual tax…
avoid FBT christmas
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Christmas is coming – avoid being stung by FBT

As the festive season fast approaches, it’s time to start thinking about and planning for the break. If possible, we want to avoid paying more tax in the form of FBT this Christmas time. Because really, who wants to pay an additional tax? (not us!) We’ll show you how.

Vacant land deduction changes

Legislation that passed through Parliament last month prevents taxpayers from claiming a deduction for expenses incurred for holding vacant land. The amendments are not only retrospective but go beyond purely vacant land. Previously,…
ATO is cracking down on bitcoin

How the ATO is cracking down on bitcoin

After years of puzzling over how to deal with cryptocurrencies, the world’s governments – and their tax authorities – are finally getting serious about regulation. In an effort to crack down on tax evasion and other criminal activities,…

Positives and negatives of gearing

Negatively gearing an investment property is viewed by many Australians as a tax effective way to get ahead. According to Treasury, more than 1.9 million people earned rental income in 2012-13 and of those about 1.3 million reported a…
rental property tax expenses

Rental property expenses: what you can and can't claim

It’s not uncommon for landlords to be confused about what they can and can’t claim for their rental properties.  In general, deductions can only be claimed if they were incurred in the period that you rented the property or during…
small business tax gap
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The small biz tax gap

Last month, the ATO released statistics showing small business is responsible for 12.5% ($11.1 billion) of the total estimated ‘tax gap’. These new figures give visibility to tax compliance issues within the small business sector…
International travel

Travel for work – what can I claim?

This is a question that we get quite often. Everyone likes to hope that they can go overseas and claim it as a business expense. But can you? The short answer is sometimes, yes. But often not the entire trip. Firstly there needs to…
Lego tax deduction fail

Weirdest tax deductions revealed

Would you claim the Lego you bought for your kids throughout the year as a tax deduction? One taxpayer did and it made the Australian Taxation Office’s 2018-19 list of most unusual claims. The Lego was not the only claim for money spent…
Uber taxi FBT ruling
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FBT and Uber style ride sharing

When an employee uses a taxi service for travel to or from work or if the employee is sick, it is generally exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) under the FBT taxi travel exemption. The question is, what about Uber and other ride sharing services,…
wheres my $1080?

Confusion over personal income tax changes – what are you really entitled to?

In early July all three stages of the Government’s personal income tax plan passed through Parliament and are now law. The amendments to the legislation are as follows: The income tax rate thresholds to be progressively increased in the…
Rental Investment

Own an investment property?

Get ready for tax time Tax time has arrived, and we have put together some practical information to help rental property owners prepare and lodge your tax return this year. There are helpful resources available for rental property…
1 July changes from the ATO
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1st July changes: what you need to know

As of 1st July 2019 there were some changes that came into affect. This includes: Insurance inside Superannuation funds We let you know the tax tip-offs from the ATO Laundry expenses are going to be reviewed Who owns the assets…
tax from your couch

Tax from your couch 2019

Life is busy – we not only get it, but this year we are actually embracing it by making a way to do your tax without actually coming in. This year we have introduced a new way of doing tax. From your couch. Yep you heard that right. It's…
30 days of june tax tips

June tax tips

Throughout June we will be sharing some tax tips for businesses this coming tax time. These will be short and sweet and we hope you will learn something for this upcoming tax season. 1. Working from home  If you don’t have a dedicated…

What are PAYG Instalments?

PAYG Instalments, something that alot of our clients get confused about. Pay as you go instalments (PAYG) get issued by the ATO, and you get sent a welcome or adjusted letter. But do you understand it? Shaun Farrugia explains all you need…

Phone tax appointment

We know you're busy, if you'd like to have your tax appointment by phone or Zoom that is easy to do. We explain what we need you to email through to us prior to your appointment.

Don’t blow it. Make the most of your tax refund

Most Australians receive a tax refund, but not all spend it wisely. Here’s how to make the most of your tax windfall – and not blow it all in Bali. It's now October, and we have already lodged most of our clients individual tax returns.…

What makes your debt tax deductible?

There are two kinds of debt in this world: the kind that is tax deductible and the kind that isn’t. Knowing the difference, and planning your purchases accordingly, can significantly improve your cashflow, opportunities and overall…
Salary sacrificing Australian tax

Could you benefit from salary sacrificing?

Keen for a new laptop, car, or even an airport lounge membership? Sick of putting your hand in your pocket for school fees, the rent or your mortgage? All of these things could be paid for through a salary sacrifice arrangement. With…

Do you know what you can and can't claim?

Taxpayers are being put on notice by the ATO, which will be paying close attention to claims for ‘other work-related expenses’ this year. Ensuring you have appropriate records, and sound advice, will be more important than ever for…
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Dissecting the PM's Tax cut teaser

You may have heard the PM drop a big hint earlier this week that tax cuts are coming for middle-income Aussie families. However it was all very light on detail, so here’s what to make of it. In case you missed it, here’s the tidbit…
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List of possible deductions

Can you believe it's tax time again already? As we aren't holding in person tax return appointments this year, all information will be collected using our Tax from the Couch. If you'd like to gather your information in a spreadsheet prior…
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2017 Budget wrap-up

We have put together a summary of the key tax and financial changes that were announced in last night’s federal budget. This was Scott Morrison's 2nd budget and is focused on increased transport infrastructure spending which will support…
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Your 2 minute guide to the tax and super changes that affect you and your business.

Below is a summary of the key tax and superannuation changes that were announced in this years federal budget. There are some wins for business – aimed to stimulate ‘Jobs & Growth’ which was this year's slogan. There are plenty…