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19th May, 2025
If you’ve thought about upskilling or undertaking professional development this year, you may be able to claim some of your self-education expenses in your 2024–2025 income tax return.
You incur self-education expenses when you:
Your self-education expenses need to have a sufficient connection to your current employment income in order to make a claim. This means that your study must eithermaintain or improve the specific skills or knowledge you use in your current role, or be likely to result in increased income in your current role.
Keep in mind that sometimes only certain subjects or components of your study are sufficiently connected to your work – in these cases, you’ll need to apportion your expenses.
If you meet the eligibility criteria you may be able to claim a deduction for:
19th May, 2025
In today’s sharing economy, platforms like Airbnb have made it easier than ever to earn extra income by renting out a spare room or your entire home – but many Australians are unaware of the tax implications that come with these arrangements.
When you rent out all or part of your residential property through digital platforms, the ATO requires you to declare this income on your tax return. Keeping meticulous records of all rental income earned is essential, as is maintaining documentation of expenses you intend to claim as deductions. Most property rental arrangements don’t constitute a business in the eyes of the ATO, even if you provide additional services like breakfast or cleaning.
One area where many property owners get caught out is capital gains tax (CGT). While your main residence is typically exempt from CGT, this exemption can be partially lost when you rent out portions of your home. The reduction in your exemption is calculated based on the floor area rented and the duration of the rental arrangement. This is a crucial consideration if you’re thinking of selling your property in the future, as it could significantly impact your tax position.
When it comes to deductions, you can claim a portion of expenses related to the rented space, including council rates, loan interest, utilities, property insurance and cleaning costs. The deductible amount depends on both the percentage of the property being rented and the duration of the rental period throughout the financial year. Platform fees or commissions charged by services like Airbnb are often 100% deductible, providing some relief against your rental income.
You’ll need to maintain statements from rental platforms showing your income, along with receipts for any expenses you plan to claim. Without proper documentation, you risk having legitimate deductions disallowed during an ATO review or audit, potentially leading to additional tax liabilities.
The ATO has intensified its focus on all aspects of the sharing economy, particularly short-term rental arrangements, and has sophisticated data-matching capabilities with third-party platforms like Airbnb. This means they can identify discrepancies between what’s reported on your tax return and what the platforms’ records show.
19th May, 2025
You may be starting out in business and trying to decide whether to become a sole trader or to set up a company. Alternatively, you may already be an established sole trader and considering switching to become a company. Tax considerations are vital in deciding which of the two business structures is most suitable for you.
The first practical difference is in relation to your tax return. As a sole trader, you simply add your business income and expenses to a separate Business and professional items schedule in your individual tax return that you lodge each year.
For a company, there’s a separate annual tax return, and tax to pay on the company’s income. Companies are subject to annual reviews by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), so financial records must clearly show transactions and the company’s financial position, and allow clear statements to be created and audited if necessary. A number of strict legal and other obligations need to be met.
Tax returns for a company must clearly list the income, deductions and the liable income tax of the company. Also, directors and any employees of a company must lodge their own individual tax returns.
There’s no tax-free threshold for companies – they simply pay tax on the amount they earn. However, for sole traders, whose tax is assessed as part of the individual’s personal income, $18,200 is the tax-free threshold.
For all companies that are not eligible for the lower company tax rate, the full company tax rate of 30% will apply.
To be eligible for the lower company tax rate of 25%, the company needs to meet strict requirements to be a base rate entity. One of the tests is that your company’s aggregated turnover for the relevant income year must be less than the aggregated threshold for that year – which since 1 July 2018 has been $50 million a year.
Both sole traders and companies can:
Both types of business also need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) if a capital gain has been made, but sole traders may be able to reduce this gain by what are known as the discount and indexation methods. The latter may also be used by some companies.
If your employees in either business structure receive a fringe benefit then you may also need to pay fringe benefits tax (FBT).
19th May, 2025
In the wake of recent cyber-attacks on several large Australian super funds, you might be wondering how to protect your retirement savings.
The past few years have seen significant data breaches from well-known Australian companies outside of the superannuation sector, exposing a huge amount of consumer personal identity information. The cyber-attacks on superannuation funds reportedly used a technique called “credential stuffing” where cybercriminals used personal information stolen in previous data breaches (like email addresses and passwords) to attempt to access member accounts.
The attacks were timed for the early hours of the morning when most account holders would be asleep and unlikely to notice suspicious login attempts or account changes, and targeted members in the pension drawdown phase who are able to request lump sum withdrawals.
Most funds indicated that their member accounts and retirement savings were secure and that members had not lost any money following the attacks. One super fund revealed a small number of members had lost a combined $500,000 during the cyber-attack, but said it would make remediations out of fund reserves.
Here are some practical steps you can take to help keep your super safe:
19th May, 2025
The way superannuation is paid may be about to undergo a significant transformation. The Labor government’s proposed “payday super” reforms would require employers to pay employees’ superannuation contributions within seven calendar days of every payday. Draft laws have been released for comment, and payday super is intended to apply from 1 July 2026, it’s important to understand what this could mean for you.
According to the ATO, while most employers do the right thing by their employees, an estimated $5.2 billion in super went unpaid in 2021–2022. The change to payday super is designed to improve the management of super payments and simplify payroll arrangements, reduce unpaid super incidents, and ultimately enhance retirement savings for Australians.
For employers, transitioning to payday super represents a shift in administrative processes. Some key considerations:
For employees, payday super offers several potential benefits:
The draft legislation was open for public comment until 11 April 2025, with introduction of final legislation dependent on the 3 May 2025 federal election outcome.
17th Jan, 2025
As digital payments become increasingly prevalent, the Federal Government has announced it’s taking significant steps to modernise the nation’s payment system while working to ensure that no one’s left behind. This involves maintaining the use of cash for essential transactions and phasing out cheques in a gradual manner. The government says it intends to consult extensively with stakeholders, including small businesses and people in regional communities, to develop a cash mandate that’s both practical and inclusive
Despite the rapid adoption of digital payment methods, cash remains an essential part of the Australian economy. Approximately 1.5 million Australians rely on cash for over 80% of their in-person transactions. The government’s plan to mandate cash acceptance for essential goods and services such as groceries and fuel ensures that these individuals can continue to participate fully in the economy.
The use of cheques has seen a dramatic decline, with a 90% reduction over the past decade. As digital payment options become more accessible and preferred, the government has set a timeline to phase out cheques entirely by 2029. Cheques will no longer be issued after June 2028 and will cease to be accepted by September 2029. The government expects banks to play a crucial role in supporting cheque users by facilitating a smooth transition to alternative payment methods.
For individuals who prefer cash or still use cheques, these changes may seem worrying. However, the government says its approach is designed to ensure that everyone can continue to participate fully in the economy, regardless of their preferred payment method. By mandating cash acceptance for essential purchases and providing a long lead time for the phase-out of cheques, the government is taking steps to ensure a smooth transition.
The consultation process offers an opportunity for people and businesses to voice any concerns and help shape the future of Australia’s payments system.
Whether you’re concerned about privacy and digital security, or simply prefer traditional payment methods, staying informed and engaged is crucial as these changes unfold.