Tax News & Articles

This article considers a core FBT issue. We analyse the recent BQKD and Commissioner of Taxation case and consider the issue of whether three directors of a trustee company of a discretionary family trust were employees for FBT purposes and, if so, whether the use of vehicles owned by the company were benefits provided in respect of their employment.

A recent Federal Court decision should give advisors pause before crystallising a capital loss to assist with managing clients’ tax liabilities from realised capital gains. Dive into our article to learn more.

Earlier this year the Administrative Appeals Tribunal issued its decision in Lance’s Case. The decision highlights the importance of GST fundamentals, and that a taxpayer requires sufficient supporting evidence to discharge it’s onus of proof when challenging tax matters. 

In this article, we focus on other categories of residential land that could potentially be exposed to VRLT, including uninhabitable residence and residential construction and renovation. 

Are you an owner of more than one property? If so, you may receive an additional land tax bill from the SRO in 2025. This article highlights the changes to the vacancy residential land tax and when you property may be considered ‘vacant’.

ATO data matching has always existed. It is mostly used to pre-fill reports on tax returns, which can be helpful. Increasingly, the ATO has been using data matching to find inconsistencies in tax returns. In some cases, this approach seems to be focussed only on whether there is a technical breach of a tax law, with no consideration made of whether there has been any real tax mischief.

In this article, we further discuss the burden of proof for the taxpayer at the AAT. We consider aspects of the WYVW decision including penalties, the safe harbour provisions and the level of care expected of directors when engaging a tax agent.

The recent decision in Bendel’s Case has caused more than a ripple in income tax circles. There are numerous case summaries and commentary about what the decision might mean for the application of Division 7A. This case, in our view, represents a symptom of a bigger issue in relation to the way tax is being administered.

Most practitioners are familiar with Division 7A integrity measures. However, the breadth of when an entity qualifies as an associate of a trust may, in some instances, cause non-related party loans be within the scope of Division 7A. This article explores the concept of associate for a trust.

There is a common misconception that the Division 328-G small business restructure rollover is easily accessible compared to other CGT rollover reliefs. This article highlights some of the hurdles that could prevent small businesses from qualifying.