Understanding the new $3m super tax The much-debated tax on superannuation balances over $3 million is inching closer and those who may be affected should ensure they have considered the implications. Although it is not yet law, the Division 296 tax should be taken into account when it comes to investment strategy and planning, particularly in relation to any end-of-financial-year contributions into super. Tax for higher account balances The new tax follows a Federal Government annou...

Investing successfully and improving your investment portfolio can be as much about minimising mistakes as trying to pick the ‘next big thing’. It’s all about taking a calm and considered approach and not blindly following trends or hot tips. Let's delve into some of the most prevalent investment mistakes and look at the principles that underpin a robust and successful portfolio. Chasing hot and trending shares Every so often there are industries or shares that are al...

Making Sure Your Deductions Don't Get Personal It can be easy to overlook your personal use of business assets when it comes to completing your business and self managed super fund tax returns but be warned, the ATO is taking an interest in this area. The ATO’s Small Business Random Enquiry Program found around 16 per cent of small businesses were either carelessly or deliberately overclaiming expenses in their tax returns. If business assets are used for a mix of business and pr...

We’re all now only too aware of the risk of cybercrime after the well-publicised data hacks of Medibank Private and Optus. Although these crimes involved large organisations, email scams, cyberattacks and online scams also represent a major risk for small businesses, particularly if you don’t have the funds or knowhow to strengthen your digital security. The latest Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Annual Cyber Threat Report warned no-one was immune to cyber threats, with ...

Trusts and the New Super Tax Rules Ensuring you’ve structured your finances tax-effectively is always a concern, but with new tax rules for super on the horizon, many people with large balances are considering alternative vehicles to save for retirement. Unsurprisingly, this has sparked a renewed interest in an old favourite – trusts. Trusts have always been popular in Australia, with the government’s Tax Avoidance Taskforce (Trusts) estimating more than one million&...