We have previously discussed issues surrounding the GST treatment of development leases. More recently, the ATO’s concerns with GST compliance involving development leases has led to the issue of a taxpayer alert. In this article, we take a look at the issues under consideration in TA 2018/3.

Generally, a supply of water is GST-free. However, the GST treatment of charges on specific water supply services provided by your organisation should be considered closely and may depend on the agreement in place between your organisation and the property owner. This Q&A explores the application of GSTR 2000/25 and CR 2013/39 to water supply […]

Question We are advertising for scholarships for students undertaking their first year in specified courses of relevance to the nature of the work we undertake as an organisation.  Together with the scholarship payments, the successful students will also perform vacation work for 12 weeks during the university end-of-year break.  Would this employment trigger an FBT […]

At this time of the year, it can be easy to be caught up in the festivities in the lead-up to the holiday season. But if you are planning an end-of-year function or considering providing gifts to your employees, don’t forget about the potential FBT implications. This article will explore the common issues to be […]

All readers that are interested in payroll tax should consider the outcome of the NSW Review of Payroll Tax Administration. The review should be regarded as a useful predictor of developments in all states and territories, not just NSW.

Substantiation is one of the most common GST reporting errors. It is essential that you have sufficient substantiation before claiming any GST credits. This article discusses tax invoice requirements and common queries we receive from our members.

Question We have a case where an employee is terminating employment and our organisation (the Council) is paying the employee XX* weeks’ pay in lieu of notice. According to SGR 2009/2, payments in lieu of notice are considered ordinary time earnings (OTE) (see paragraph 38). Therefore, super would be payable because the payments are equivalent […]

Question One of our staff members has enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place at university.  Since these courses are jointly paid by both the Commonwealth Government and the student, is the Commonwealth supported contribution subject to FBT as an expense payment benefit if we pay or reimburse the student for this amount?

The ATO has been closely examining work-related car expenses as part of its increasing focus on work-related deductions. It is vital to correctly distinguish between work-related and private travel for FBT purposes. This article addresses the increasing number of questions we’ve been receiving about itinerant travel.

Question We would like to provide an employee with a declaration that shows they satisfy the requirements of an exempt benefit for an electronic device they have purchased. How should the declaration be worded?