logo
23rd Sep, 2023
Small businesses may be able to get a bonus 20% tax deduction for any business expenses and depreciating assets used to improve their digital operations. This includes digital enabling items such as computer software and hardware, digital media and marketing, e-commerce related goods or services, and systems or monitoring services related to cyber security. The bonus deduction applies to up to $100,000 of eligible expenditure incurred in each relevant period, with a maximum bonus deduction amount of $20,000 per income year or specified time period. This bonus deduction is available to all entities that meet the definition of a small business entity.
Any private-use portion of expenditure is not eligible for the bonus deduction. Also, the bonus deduction does not cover general operating costs related to employing staff, raising capital, construction of business premises, and the cost of goods and services the business sells. Training and education costs are also excluded, as they are specifically covered under the skills and training boost measure (which provides a separate 20% bonus deduction).
23rd Aug, 2023
Remember temporary expensing, which allowed just about every business (unless annual turnover was at least $5 billion) to immediately write off the cost of an eligible depreciating asset? Well, that is no longer available. To use temporary full expensing, you had to acquire and use, or install ready for use, an eligible depreciating business asset by 30 June 2023.
The good news for small businesses is that the instant asset write-off is still available.
Eligible businesses can claim an immediate deduction for the business portion of the cost of a depreciating asset in the year the asset is first used or installed ready for use.
Any small business that uses the simplified depreciation rules can claim the instant asset write-off. A small business is a business with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million.
The instant asset write-off applies to eligible depreciating assets costing less than the specified threshold (these are called low-cost assets).
For 2023–2024, the low-cost asset threshold will be $20,000. To take advantage of the $20,000 threshold, you will need to acquire the asset and first use it, or install it ready for use, between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.
The $20,000 threshold applies on a per-asset basis, so small businesses can instantly write off multiple assets. In certain circumstances, the instant asset write-off also applies to additional expenditure incurred on a low-cost asset.
09th Feb, 2021
If you own a small business still recovering from the COVID-19 induced downturn, remember that you can take advantage of FBT concessions to lower the amount of FBT you may need to pay. The concessions include exemptions for car parking in some instances, and work-related portable electronic devices.
All this could mean more cash to invest in the revitalisation and ultimate success of your business.
For small business employers, the car parking benefits provided to employees could be exempt if the parking is not provided in a commercial car park and the business satisfies the total income or the turnover test. This is the case if the business is not a government body, listed public company or a subsidiary of a listed public company.
The second exemption relates to work-related devices. Small businesses can to provide their employees with multiple work-related portable electronic devices that have substantially identical functions in the same FBT year, with all devices being exempt from FBT. Note, however, that this only applies to devices that are primarily used for work, such as laptops, tablets, calculators, GPS navigations receivers and mobile phones.
17th Nov, 2020
Several tax announcements from the 2020 Federal Budget have now been passed into law.
These include bringing forward changes to the personal income tax thresholds so that they apply from 1 July 2020. From that date, the top threshold of the 19% personal income tax bracket is increased from $37,000 to $45,000. The top threshold of the 32.5% tax bracket is increased from $90,000 to $120,000. The low income tax offset increases to $700 and the low and middle income tax offset (up to $1,080) is retained for 2020–2021.
A range of tax concessions already available to small businesses have been extended to medium sized businesses as well, and businesses with turnover less than $5 billion can deduct the full cost of eligible depreciating assets that are installed ready for use between 6 October 2020 and 30 June 2022.
The ATO has issued updated tax withholding schedules to reflect the 2020–2021 income year personal tax cuts. Employers must now make sure they are withholding the correct amounts for pay runs processed in their systems from no later than 16 November onwards.
With these changes coming partway through the income year, employees and other payees will receive their entitlement to the reduced tax payable for the entire 2020–2021 year when they lodge their income tax returns for that period.