SMSF advice appetite strong, says ASIC

A new ASIC report has highlighted demand for further advice on the specifics of SMSFs among the Australian population, particularly among those who have a financial planner.

The report, titled Financial advice: What consumers really think, found that 25 per cent of consumers who had recently received financial advice wanted more guidance around SMSFs.

Around 50 per cent of financial advice customers also wanted advice on retirement income planning, while around 45 per cent wanted guidance on growing their superannuation, highlighting the potential value for accountants in establishing a referral partnership with advice businesses to tap into this demand.

Within this group of consumers who had seen a financial adviser, 45 per cent chose their adviser based on their level of experience, while about 43 per cent chose them based on their ability to understand the consumer’s personal goals.

An additional 43 per cent selected their adviser as they were someone the consumer was comfortable talking to.

However, demand for SMSF advice was not limited to those who had seen a financial planner, with 15 per cent of the broader consumer population also indicating a desire for guidance around self-managed funds.

This broader group selected their adviser based primarily on their reputation (38 per cent), their experience (41 per cent) and their ability to talk to the consumer in a way they could understand (36 per cent).

Across all respondent groups, the majority indicated that the adviser would need at least five to 10 years in the industry to be trustworthy, the report said.

Sarah Kendell
28 August 2019
accountantsdaily.com.au

Taxpayers confused by Scott Morrison’s $1,080 tax refund

The excitement over the tax sweetener is quickly turning to confusion, as many Aussies wait for a handout that will never arrive.

The refund is actually a tax offset, which is calculated when you lodge your income tax return

The tax offset reduces your overall tax bill, so you might end up having to pay less if you receive a tax bill.

The low and middle income tax offset is a non-refundable offset, which means any unused offset amount itself cannot be refunded or reduce the Medicare Levy.

Taxpayers with a taxable income that does not exceed $37,000 will receive a low and middle income tax offset up to $255. People with a taxable income that exceeds $37,000, but is not more than $48,000 will receive $255, plus an amount equal to 7.5% to the maximum offset of $1,080.

Quick Guide

Taxable Income Rebate

0 to $37,000 255

37,000 to 48,000 255 + 7.5%

48,000 to 90,000 1,080

90,000 to 126,000 1,080 – 3%

126,000 plus 0

AcctWeb

Scams targeting ASIC customers

Scammers pretending to be from ASIC have been contacting Business Name owners asking them to pay fees and give personal information to renew their business or company name.

These emails often have a link that provides an invoice with fake payment details or infects your computer with malware if you click the link.

Warning signs the email is not from ASIC

An email is probably a scam and is not from ASIC if it asks you:
•   to make a payment over the phone
•   to make a payment to receive a refund
•   for your credit card or bank details directly by email or phone
•   pay fees that are different to the fees on our website
ASIC notifications will come from the email address ASIC.Transaction.No-reply@asic.gov.au.

What should I do if I am unsure?

If you are unsure at all please contact Nicole or Rie at Guests Accounting who will be able to confirm if the email is a scam.

Nicole Bedoya/Rie Tsandilis
info@guests.com.au
03 9509 7033

Client Alert – August 2019

ATO will inform certain tax agent clients their information is “Tax ready”

If tax agent clients’ employers report through Single Touch Payroll (STP) and the clients are linked to ATO online services through myGov, the ATO will send them a myGov Inbox message to let them know that their end of year payment summary (income statement) has been marked by their employer as “Tax ready” and can be used in their tax return and they can access their income statement in ATO online services through myGov, or the tax agent can give them the information.

If tax agent clients do not already have myGov accounts, agents should let them know they do not need one for the agent to lodge their tax return. Tax agents can access their employment data and lodge for them once their information is “Tax ready”.

Top mistakes to avoid this tax time: ATO

The ATO has revealed some of the most common mistakes people make at tax time. Top mistakes include lodging before all prefill data is available or failing to report all income and claiming the wrong thing – work-related expenses is one area where people commonly make mistakes. To help taxpayers work out what they can claim, the ATO has developed 30 occupation guides for specific occupations; forgetting to keep receipts; and claiming for something never paid for.

Pension deeming rates cut from 1 July 2019

The Government has announced that it will lower the social security deeming rate from 1.75% to 1.0% for
financial investments up to $51,800 for single pensioners and $86,200 for pensioner couples. The upper deeming rate of 3.25% will be cut to 3.0% for balances over these amounts.

The Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Anne Ruston, said the changes would benefit about 630,000 age pensioners and almost 350,000 people receiving other payments. Under the new rates, age pensioners whose income is assessed using deeming will receive up to $40.50 a fortnight for couples, $1053 extra a year, and $31 a fortnight for singles, $804 a year.

The reduced deeming rates have been backdated to 1 July 2019. Any additional pension payment will flow through into pensioners’ bank accounts from the end of September 2019 in line with the regular indexation of the pension.

Personal tax cuts Bill passed without amendment, now law

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More Of Their Money) Bill 2019 fully implements the personal tax cuts measures announced in this year’s 2019-20 Federal Budget. Starting immediately, low and middle income earners with an income up to $126,000 will receive up to $1,080 in low and middle income tax offset (LMITO), or $2,160 for dual income couples, with the increased tax relief to apply from the 2018-19 income year.

As a result of the amendments, the Treasurer said around 94% of Australian taxpayers are projected to face a marginal tax rate of 30% or less in 2024-25.

ATO statement on administration of the low and middle income tax offset (LMITO)

The ATO announced on 5 July 2019 that it is implementing the necessary system changes so taxpayers that have already lodged their 2018-19 tax returns will receive any increase to the low- and middle-income tax offset (LMITO) they are entitled to. Any tax refund will be deposited in the taxpayers nominated bank account.

The amount of the offset taxpayers may be entitled to, and the amount of any refund, will differ for everyone depending on individual circumstances such as income level and how much tax was paid throughout the year.

STP reporting irregularities: ATO contacting businesses

The ATO has advised tax agents that it is currently emailing Single Touch Payroll (STP) enabled employers who have either ceased reporting for over 45 days; or have submitted employees under multiple payroll or BMS IDs. Some of these businesses may be tax agent clients. These reporting irregularities may cause their employees to see incorrect, incomplete or multiple entries in their income statements.

Employees guide for work expenses: ATO

The ATO has released an employees guide for work expenses to help employees decide whether their expenses are deductible, and what records they need to keep to substantiate them. The Guide says that not all expenses associated with employment are deductible and also debunks some myths about work expense deductions.

FBT, taxi travel and ride sourcing – ATO clarifies

For businesses, taxi travel by an employee is an exempt benefit if the travel is a single trip beginning or ending at the employee’s place of work. The ATO says taxi travel can also be an exempt benefit if it is a result of sickness or injury.

For Not-For-Profits, depending on the type of NFP organisation, certain benefits they provide to employees may receive concessional treatment from FBT. However, some benefits may be exempt from FBT altogether.

New ATO data-matching program – overseas movement data and HELP debt

The ATO said it will acquire overseas movement data from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for
individuals with an existing HELP, VSL or TSL debt. The data matching program will be conducted for the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years.

Those living and working overseas with a Higher Education Loan Program (HELP), Vocational Education and Training Student Loan (VSL) and/or Trade Support Loans (TSL) are required to update their contact details and submit an overseas travel notification if they have an intention to, or already reside overseas, for 183 days or more in any 12 months; and lodge their worldwide income or a non-lodgment advice.

GST on low value goods – “very successful initiative”, says ATO

The ATO says it has now collected over $250 million in additional GST since the GST on low value goods measure began on 1 July 2018, outstripping forecasts by $180 million.

As businesses do not need to register unless they meet the A$75,000 GST turnover requirements, most small independent operators do not need to register and have not been affected by this measure.

Super downsizer contributions reach $1 billion: Minister

The Assistant Treasurer, Michael Sukkar, has announced that older Australians downsizing from their family homes have contributed $1 billion to their superannuation funds. The downsizer measure, which commenced on 1 July 2018, allows older Australians choosing to sell their home and downsize or move from homes that no longer meet their needs, to contribute the proceeds from the sale of their home into superannuation up to $300,000.

Reasonable travel and overtime meal allowance amounts for 2019-20

Taxation Determination TD 2019/11, issued on 3 July 2019, sets out the amounts the Commissioner treats as reasonable for the 2019-20 income year in relation to employee claims for overtime meal expenses; domestic travel expenses; and overseas travel expenses.

For employee truck drivers who receive a travel allowance and are required to sleep (take their major rest break) away from home, TD 2019/11 provides separate meal expense amounts for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Australia at a glance

The following link takes you to a site that sets it all out in black and white, though a strong coffee will help!

One great source of data about Australia. Become better acquainted with the country we love.

An up-to-date snapshot of Australia's vital statistics.

Please click on the following link to see all this interesting information. The areas covered are:

Overview
Markets
GDP
Labour
Prices
Money
Trade
Government
Business
Consumer
Housing
Taxes
Climate

Access all this data here.

Life Insurance

Important: A major change to life insurance in many super funds.

The Federal Governments Protecting Your Super package starts on 1 July 2019 and will see an estimated three million people affected as new rules automatically switch off life insurance policies in super funds that have not received contributions in 16 months.

It’s designed to stop unwanted insurance premiums eating into retirement savings.

But a side effect is that those who need insurance but haven’t contributed recently – perhaps after taking time off work to raise children may lose that protection and be unable to get it back.

Fixing this is simple. Contact your super fund or make a (small) contribution.

AcctWeb

Community tip-offs trigger ATO visits

Around 700 small businesses in Western Australia are set to receive door knocks from the ATO next month after the agency received intelligence around possible black economy behaviour.

The ATO is planning to visit around 700 small businesses in Broome, Cable Beach, Derby and Kununurra, Western Australia in August as it looks to tackle black economy behaviour.

ATO assistant commissioner Peter Holt said these towns have been singled out as a result of some tell-tale signs of black economy behaviour.

“Black economy signs that we look out for are things like not being registered for GST or pay as you go withholding, lifestyle and assets far exceeding reported business income, or a lack of merchant payment facilities like EFTPOS,” Mr Holt said.

“We understand that some businesses may not have merchant payment facilities due to individual circumstances. The issue is when businesses are deliberately ‘cash only’ to avoid reporting all their income. By detecting and addressing this behaviour, we’re helping to keep things fair for honest small businesses.

“Another reason we’re heading to Broome, Cable Beach, Derby and Kununurra is because we’ve received intelligence from the community that some businesses aren’t playing by the rules, such as paying their workers cash in hand and keeping them off the books.”

Prior to the visits, local businesses and tax professionals are invited to attend a one-hour information session that will explain the purpose of the visits, what to expect if visited, and how to avoid common mistakes. Single Touch Payroll information sessions will also be offered in both locations.

The industries that are more likely to be visited by the ATO include:

Residential building construction
Building completion and installation services
Other construction services
Building cleaning, pest control and gardening services
Accommodation
Automotive repair and maintenance
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services
Personal care services

The latest number of towns set for a visit comes after the ATO announced it was planning to visit around 500 businesses in or around Port Macquarie and Wauchope in late July and early August.

Jotham Lian
30 July 2019
accountantsdaily.com.au

10 top global corporations since 1998

A very interesting, graphical, summary of the monsters of our global economy. Fascinating stuff!!

The following video is a really great representation of how the top 10 global corporations have changed since 1998.

Catch-up Contributions

July 2019 sees the introduction of the new catch-up contribution rules, which allow people with less than $500,000 in super to make extra concessional contributions up to their previously unused $25,000 annual cap.