A short, plain English update every day on the Australian tax and small business changes that actually matter, with sources you can check. Every second day we add a practical tip for small business entities. Written by the Super Nice team.
The ATO has released a draft ruling on when an activity is a business, an investment or a hobby. Comments close on 27 November, and the answer affects whether you can claim your losses.
Read more →Advice from an accountant or lawyer on how to structure your business, and certain government fees, can be claimed in full in the year you pay them. Other set-up costs are spread over five years.
Read more →The Fair Work Commission is phasing out discounted junior rates for 18 to 20 year olds in three awards. The first step lands in three weeks, so here is a payroll checklist.
Read more →A work vehicle that sits in an employee's driveway can be treated as available for private use. Here is what the ATO says about fringe benefits tax, logbooks and records, and a short checklist.
Read more →Repaying an employee's actual costs is treated very differently from paying a flat amount. Knowing which one you are doing affects GST credits, withholding and payroll reporting.
Read more →Where you hold the party, who comes and what each person costs all decide whether fringe benefits tax applies. Here is the ATO guidance in plain English, and a short checklist.
Read more →The government has released draft legislation to ban non-compete clauses for most workers. It is not law yet, but small employers can start reviewing their contracts and templates today.
Read more →If a supplier does not quote an ABN by the time you pay them, the ATO generally expects you to withhold tax from the payment. Here is how to avoid the trap.
Read more →Payday Super is due within 7 business days of payday, but the ATO can give a class of employers more time after a disaster or major outage. Here is when that applies and what to do either way.
Read more →Christmas Day is Friday 25 December and Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December, with a Monday 28 December holiday in several states. Here is what small employers should sort out before the roster goes up.
Read more →Phone and internet bills are easy to claim in full and hard to defend. Here is how to work out your business percentage and what to keep.
Read more →If you report GST monthly, the October activity statement is due on 21 November. Here is a simple routine for getting it right, plus the next dates to put in your diary.
Read more →The Reserve Bank raised the cash rate by 0.25 points on 3 November, on a split 6 to 3 vote. Here is a practical checklist for loans, cash flow and your ATO obligations.
Read more →Unincorporated small businesses can get a tax offset of up to $1,000 a year. It is worked out when you lodge, so here is how to make sure you are not missing out.
Read more →Anonymous reports to the Fair Work Ombudsman jumped 23 per cent in 2025-26. Payslip and record-keeping breaches drew the most infringement fines, so here is a simple check for your business.
Read more →The special ATO Fuel Response Payment Plan ran from 1 April to 30 June 2026. Businesses still hurting from fuel costs can use the ATO's standard support options. Here is how.
Read more →With fuel costs a worry for many businesses, make sure you claim the fuel tax credits you are entitled to, and keep the records that back the claim up.
Read more →The ATO's super guarantee nudge letters were questioned at a Senate hearing this week. Here is what the ATO says they are, and a calm checklist if one lands in your inbox.
Read more →Annual inflation rose to 4.3 per cent in September and the Reserve Bank board meets next week. Here is what to check in your business before the decision lands.
Read more →Interest is generally deductible when the borrowed money is used for your business, but a mixed purpose loan has to be split. Here is how to keep it clean.
Read more →The ATO has refreshed its guidance on over-claiming and says it is using data analytics to find incorrect claims. Here is a simple check to run before you lodge.
Read more →Many owners pay the amount the ATO suggests without question. If your income has dropped, varying your instalments may free up cash, as long as you do it carefully.
Read more →If you cannot claim an asset outright, the low-value pool lets you group cheap items together and claim them over time. Here is how it works and when it does not apply.
Read more →Since 7 July, general protections dismissal disputes can go straight to conciliation, and the Commission has new tools for weak or repeat claims. Good records matter more than ever.
Read more →New reporting puts the spotlight on unpaid super, and payday super means employees can now see late payments within weeks. A quick check can keep you out of trouble.
Read more →Companies, partnerships and trusts need a separate business account. Sole traders do not, but the ATO says it is a great idea.
Read more →A new clause 5A in the Clerks Private Sector Award starts on 26 October 2026. It is not a right to work from home, but it sets out how requests and agreements should work.
Read more →The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House shut permanently on 1 July 2026. If you used it, here is how to make sure your super is still going out correctly.
Read more →Small businesses can usually report GST on a cash or non-cash basis. The right choice can ease cash flow, but switching can only start at the beginning of a tax period.
Read more →The ATO has put out new guidance for content creators and a draft ruling on when an individual is carrying on a business. Here is what to check if you earn money online.
Read more →The Fair Work Ombudsman issued 358 infringement notices for unlawful pay rates in job ads last year. Here is a quick check to run before you post your next ad.
Read more →Small businesses can often claim an immediate deduction for an expense paid in advance. The service period has to be 12 months or less and end by the last day of the next income year.
Read more →Since 1 July 2026, accountants, lawyers, conveyancers and real estate agents have been under Australia's anti money laundering rules. Here is what that means for you as a client, and what to do if you run one of these businesses.
Read more →The Government wants a 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts from 1 July 2028. The bill is still being fought over in Parliament, but trust owners can use the quiet period to get their facts in order.
Read more →If you run your business from home, the ATO fixed rate method can cut the paperwork on running costs. But an estimate of your hours will not do, so start a simple log now.
Read more →From 1 July 2026 the ACT tax free payroll threshold fell from $2 million to $1.75 million a year. If your Australia wide wages are creeping up, here is how to check whether you now need to register.
Read more →A national audit found small business holds about two thirds of the ATO's collectable debt, and the ATO has agreed to set tougher targets. Here is how to get ahead of firmer collection action.
Read more →A new address, phone number or email can mean missed ATO letters. Updating your ABN details is quick, and it is a legal requirement.
Read more →The ATO received 52,000 reports of unfair business practices in 2025-26, and 83 per cent were assessed as worth a closer look. Here is a short checklist to make sure your records and payments stand up.
Read more →The Fair Work Ombudsman is running more proactive investigations, and intentional underpayment is now a criminal offence. Here is a simple payroll check, and the free advice service for smaller employers.
Read more →Personal super contributions are only deductible once your fund has acknowledged a valid notice of intent. Get this sorted before you lodge your return.
Read more →Money you draw from your company that is not wages or dividends can be taxed as an unfranked dividend. With the ATO matching more data, now is the time to check your loan account.
Read more →The government has stepped in to delay the end of credit card payments to the ATO from 30 November 2026 to 30 June 2027. Use the breathing space to plan your cash flow.
Read more →Many small businesses can set up an ATO payment plan online in minutes. Some may even qualify for an interest-free plan on activity statement debt.
Read more →Casuals at small businesses can ask to move to permanent work after 12 months. You must consult them and reply in writing within 21 days, so plan before a notice arrives.
Read more →The first payday super quarter finished on 30 September. If any contributions were missed or late, the ATO says how fast you fix them decides your risk rating.
Read more →Many GST errors can be corrected on your next BAS, and others need a revision. Telling the ATO yourself is taken into account when penalties are considered.
Read more →Where you hold the party, who comes and what you spend per person decide whether fringe benefits tax applies and whether you can claim a deduction. Here is a plain English checklist.
Read more →If a big quarterly GST bill keeps catching you out, the ATO says smaller monthly payments may help. Here is who can switch, how it works and what to check first.
Read more →Buying equipment is not enough to claim the instant asset write-off. The asset must be first used, or installed ready for use, in the income year you claim it.
Read more →Whether you can make staff take annual leave over the break depends on your award or agreement. Sort it out now, while there is still time to give proper notice.
Read more →CPA Australia estimates tax compliance costs have hit $60 billion a year, with small and medium businesses carrying about $31 billion. Here is how to cut your own share.
Read more →You may be able to claim a deduction and a GST adjustment for an invoice that will never be paid, but you must record the write off before the income year ends.
Read more →The ATO has named its small business focus areas, from mixing business and personal money to cash payments and sloppy records. Here is how to check your own house first.
Read more →Business.gov.au has published fresh guidance on closing a business. GST must be cancelled within 21 days and the ABN within 28 days, so here is the order to do things in.
Read more →If your stock value changed by $5,000 or less over the year, the ATO simplified trading stock rules may let you skip a formal stocktake.
Read more →The ban started on 1 October. The ACCC says describing a card surcharge as another type of fee may be misleading. Here is what you can do instead.
Read more →The July to September BAS is due on 28 October 2026. It is the first quarterly BAS since payday super started, and super is no longer part of the 28 October deadline. Here is your checklist.
Read more →You generally need a valid tax invoice to claim a GST credit on a business purchase over $82.50. Here is how to avoid losing credits at BAS time.
Read more →Days after the card surcharge ban started, the ATO announced it will stop accepting credit card payments after 30 November 2026. Here is who is affected and what to do before then.
Read more →The government plans to lift the turnover limit for the small business 50 per cent active asset reduction from $2 million to $10 million. Here is what it means and how to prepare.
Read more →Once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 you have 21 days to register. Miss it and you can owe GST on sales you never charged it on.
Read more →The Reserve Bank raised the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.60 per cent on 29 September. Here is how it can hit your business and the practical steps to take this week.
Read more →The general interest charge on overdue ATO debts is 11.43 per cent for the September quarter, and since 1 July 2025 it is no longer tax deductible. Here is what that means and what to do if you owe the ATO.
Read more →Most business records need to be kept for five years, but some need to be kept much longer. Know which is which before you clear out the filing cabinet or the cloud folder.
Read more →Sole traders and individuals who prepare their own return are due on 31 October, not next May. Here is what happens if you miss it, and the one move that buys you until 15 May 2027 instead.
Read more →All four major banks now expect the RBA to lift the cash rate on 29 September, with relief not expected until 2027. Here is what to check this week if your business has a loan, overdraft or lease with a variable rate.
Read more →If your total super balance was under $500,000 at 30 June 2026, you may be able to carry forward unused concessional contributions cap space from as far back as 2021-22, but that year's amount disappears at the end of this financial year.
Read more →Draft laws to ban unfair non-compete clauses for most workers were released on 7 September, with submissions closing 2 October. Here is what the ban would do, who it affects, and how to prepare without panicking.
Read more →From 1 October, surcharging debit, credit and prepaid card payments is banned across eftpos, Mastercard and Visa. Here is what changes, what stays allowed, and what to check on your terminal this week.
Read more →Calling someone a contractor does not make them one for tax and super purposes. Get the classification wrong and you can end up owing super, PAYG withholding and penalties on top.
Read more →The regulator's 2025-26 figures show proactive investigations almost doubled and recoveries up 27 per cent. Here is what protects a small business that makes a genuine payroll mistake, and what to check this week.
Read more →From 1 October the Tax Practitioners Board can hand out new criminal penalties to unregistered preparers and tougher civil penalties to registered agents who breach the rules. Here is why it is worth checking who actually does your tax work.
Read more →Moving from a sole trader or partnership into a company or trust can normally trigger capital gains tax. The small business restructure rollover can let you make that move tax free, if the restructure is genuine.
Read more →Accountants say a wave of stern ATO letters warning of possible super guarantee shortfalls, some reaching back years, is catching business owners who thought they were compliant off guard.
Read more →The cash rate has already risen three times this year to 4.35 per cent, and the Reserve Bank governor has just told parliament that upside inflation risks are showing up. Time to plan for costlier money, not cheaper money.
Read more →If a new employee does not choose a super fund, you cannot just default them into your usual fund. You have to ask the ATO for their stapled fund first.
Read more →The ATO says shadow economy prosecutions for failing to lodge have surged, with more than 305 convictions and over $2.7 million in court fines. If you are behind, act before they call.
Read more →Treasury has released draft legislation for several Budget measures, including monthly PAYG instalments from 1 July 2027 and phased changes to the FBT exemption for electric cars.
Read more →The Government this week put the spotlight on ASIC's free Small Business Director Essentials hub. If you run your business through a company, it is worth an hour of your time.
Read more →NAB's August business survey shows conditions below zero and profitability at a post-COVID low, with costs rising much faster than prices. Here is how to respond.
Read more →Two months into payday super, the ATO is reminding employers that wrong names, birth dates, TFNs and fund details are a common reason super contributions bounce or arrive late.
Read more →The national accounts show GDP rose 0.4 per cent in the June quarter and 2.1 per cent over the year. Households are still careful with money, and small businesses should plan for that.
Read more →The Tax Ombudsman is reviewing whether the ATO issues director penalty notices fairly, after more than 84,000 were sent in one year. Directors can have a say until 29 September.
Read more →A draft ATO ruling explains how the proposed $1,000 standard deduction for work-related expenses would work from this financial year. Business income does not count, which matters for sole traders.
Read more →The ABS says annual CPI fell to 3.5 per cent in July, down from 3.8 per cent, while underlying inflation held at 3.6 per cent. Here is what it means for small business costs and pricing.
Read more →Parliament has passed a bill that lets eligible companies turn a tax loss into a refund of tax paid in the previous two years. Here is how it is expected to work and how to prepare.
Read more →Two ABS releases this week show a labour market losing a little heat. Employment fell by 16,000 in July and annual wage growth eased to 3.2%. Here is what that means for employers.
Read more →Treasury's consultation on the second tranche of draft capital gains tax and negative gearing legislation closes on 21 August. Here is what the draft covers and who should be paying attention.
Read more →The ATO has gazetted a new motor vehicle registries data matching program running to 2029-30, covering about 2.5 million people a year. Here is what it collects and how to stay out of trouble.
Read more →A new draft GST ruling, GSTR 2026/D2, sets out when a buyer can issue the tax invoice instead of the seller. The old 2000 ruling has been withdrawn and feedback is open until 11 September.
Read more →For the first time the ATO will pre-fill about $21 billion of contractor payments into tax returns. Most of that data lands after 28 August, so lodging too early could mean an amendment later.
Read more →If you paid contractors last year, your taxable payments annual report is due 28 August. And for the first time, that TPAR data will pre-fill contractor tax returns, so sole traders are better off lodging after the deadline passes.
Read more →The super guarantee does not stop at your payroll. If a contract is mainly for a person's labour, you probably owe them super, ABN or not. Here is the three part test.
Read more →Economists broadly expect the cash rate to stay at 4.35 per cent, with cuts pencilled in for 2027 rather than this year. Plan on money staying expensive for a while yet.
Read more →Tax time is peak season for impersonation scams, and this year's fakes are convincing. The rule that beats all of them: never open your tax accounts through a link in a message.
Read more →Mixed money makes your books fiction, your tax return risky and, if you run a company, can trigger Division 7A. One account for the business, one wage for you.
Read more →A lower bottom tax rate, a $130,000 non concessional cap, a $2.1 million transfer balance cap and the $1,000 instant work deduction. Your one page guide to the new year settings.
Read more →Firmer action is the phrase of the year: director penalty notices, garnishees and credit bureau disclosure are all in play. The protected move is to engage before they call.
Read more →Turnover under $10 million unlocks a menu of concessions that plenty of eligible businesses never claim. Run through the list once a year, ideally before your return is lodged.
Read more →The May Budget made the $20,000 threshold permanent from 1 July 2026, but the legislation has not passed. Here is what you can rely on now, and what still needs Parliament.
Read more →The tranche 2 enrolment window shuts tonight. If your firm provides designated services and has not enrolled, enrol now and document everything. Late is better than never.
Read more →Super leaving with every pay run changes the rhythm of your bank account. Price it into every quote, hold a payroll float, and stop treating super as a quarterly problem.
Read more →Super for the April to June quarter is due today under the old rules, even though payday super is already running. Miss it and the super guarantee charge applies, with no deduction.
Read more →From 1 July 2026 the revised Division 296 design taxes realised earnings on total super balances above $3 million. Unrealised gains are out, and the threshold will be indexed.
Read more →The ATO bases your instalments on last year. If this year looks different, you can vary them on your activity statement. Just be honest with the estimate.
Read more →Award minimums rose 4.75 per cent from the first full pay period after 1 July, and the national minimum wage is now $26.44 an hour. Flat rates and annual salaries need a fresh check.
Read more →Accountants, bookkeepers, lawyers and real estate agents captured by the new AML rules have until Tuesday to enrol with AUSTRAC. Missing the date is itself a breach.
Read more →Twelve weeks of writing down your trips sets your business use percentage for up to five years. For anyone driving a lot for work, it is the highest paying paperwork there is.
Read more →Record keeping, income that never hits the return, and unmanaged tax debt. The ATO has been unusually clear about what it is checking this year, which makes it easy to stay off the list.
Read more →The 70 cent fixed rate looks easy until you read the record keeping rules. No full year record of your hours means the deduction can be denied on review.
Read more →Poor record keeping is the number one avoidable problem the ATO sees in small business. A short weekly bookkeeping ritual fixes it almost for free.
Read more →Since 1 July, super has to move with every pay run and land in the fund within seven business days. The clearing house is gone. Here is what employers are learning three weeks in.
Read more →Prefill data is landing, the fixed rate for working from home is 70 cents an hour, and the ATO has named its focus areas. Here is what actually matters for your 2025-26 return.
Read more →The simplest fix for BAS and tax bill shock is a separate savings account that gets fed a slice of every dollar that comes in, before you spend a cent.
Read more →