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Month: April 2016

SuperStream deadline: June 30

Posted on by Carolina Jaramillo

If you have one employee but less than 19, You must be Super Stream ready by 30 June 2016, McAdam Siemon Business Accountants Upper Mt Gravatt, Noosa Heads & Maroochydore. Specialising in Accounting, Taxation, Management Rights, SMSF Administration, Business Advisory, Business Valuations , SuperStream

SuperStream deadline: June 30

  • Are you and your small business ready for the changes?
  • Do you have 19 or fewer employees?
  • Are you an SMSF Trustee? Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) must be able to receive employer contributions and the associated data electronically.
  • APRA – regulated funds

 

From1 July 2016, the ATO’s SuperStream standards are set to be enforced.

A reminder:

  • If you are a larger employer, you should already be using SuperStream

A Brief Overview

SuperStream was introduced by the Government as a part of the Stronger Super reforms. This new standard requires employers to pay and report contributions to superannuation funds electronically. Both the payment and the reporting will need to be completed on the same day.

  • These measures don’t apply to individuals who are making personal contributions direct to their superannuation funds, only employers. 

SuperStream will make it easier for you

  • You need to use SuperStream when paying employees super.
  • With SuperStream contribution payments are made electronically and you can pay all your employees super; sending all their information through one channel; saving you time and effort.

You should have already started transitioning by choosing an option to make super contributions electronically:

  • Your pay role system
  • Your super funds online system, or
  • The Small Business Super Clearing House (SBSCH). This is a free service administered by the ATO whereby you can make super guarantee contributions as a single payment to the clearing house and it distributes the payments to the employees fund/s.
  • Outsource to payroll/salary packaging provider
  • Accountant or bookkeeper
  • Some banking institutions

Please give us a call if you need some advice regarding these options.

Next: You need to collect the following information on your employees:

  • Their Tax File Number (TFN) and,
  • A Unique Super Identifier (USI)
  • Super fund ABN
  • A Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) (APRA regulated funds only)
  • For employees who have selected a SMSF for their contributions, they will also need to provide their Fund’s Bank Account details and Electronic Service Address (ESA)

Once his is done, these details must be entered into your preferred system.

Start using SuperStream as soon as this process is completed so that any problems can be solved before 30 June, 2016.
For new employees, the ATO has updated the Super Choice form to include collection of the extra information required.

If you any questions on how SuperStream will change the way you make super contributions for employees, please contact McAdam Siemon.

Brisbane: 07 3421 3421

Sunshine Coast: 07 5474 8955

 

 

Using EOFY to strengthen your business

Posted on by Carolina Jaramillo

McAdam Siemon Business Accountants Upper Mt Gravatt, Noosa Heads & Maroochydore. Specialising in Accounting, Taxation, Management Rights, SMSF Administration, Business Advisory, Business Valuations , Management Rights specialist accountants

Using EOFY to strengthen your business

(source: Sean O’Meara) 

With the end of the financial year quickly approaching it is critical that small business owners use this time to make a strong plan for the year ahead. It is vital to analyse your business and try to find any opportunities and improvements that can be made, no matter how small they may seem.

The additional administration time required at EOFY can make the lead up to 30 June extremely stressful. So the keep your business goals in check. Here are some strategies that will improve your business to maximise your growth in 2016/2017.

It’s time to review your businesses situation 

You are probably already using reporting throughout the year to track your revenue, gauge your sales trends etc but it is important to take a second look at how your business performed on the whole and compare this to previous years.

“By looking at year-on-year sales and revenue we can see how public holidays or seasonal changes affect the business and enables us to do more accurate forecasting, rostering and budgeting for the year ahead. It also helps us make informed decisions on whether to spend now or later,”

Take advantage on the low interest rates

Interest rates remain low so it could be an opportunity to invest in capital equipment and paying off debts. 

Review business partners and suppliers

Ensure you are getting an excellent price for quality products. New businesses keep coming into the market, so be sure to do your research and renegotiate with your present partners and suppliers.

Your customers are probably reviewing their own strategic plan and making changes for next year so don’t forget to let them know that their business matters to you.

Take a long – term view of your cashflow 

  • How is your cashflow?
  • Is your business seasonal, with peaks and troughs?

Do some advanced planning -review your budget and anticipate what may happen in the year ahead. It may be all that is needed to free up liquid assets and ensure ongoing profitability. This is the best way to ensure you have safeguards in place to keep your business afloat during low times. 

Capitalise on tax breaks 

  • Have you any expenses that can be pre-paid?
  • Think about maximising your superannuation contributions to the relevant caps.
  • Consider investing in areas that will support your business; new equipment and/or technology that will provide your business with greater efficiencies and productivity The Government still has an immediate tax deduction on assets coasting less than $20,000.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call if you would like to discuss anything EOFY’s.

Kind regards

The Team at McAdam Siemon

Pushing too hard with deductions!

Posted on by Carolina Jaramillo

In 2014, a Sydney man had to pay a hefty penalty after the ATO discovered he was falsely claiming thousands of dollars on work related expenses.

McAdam Siemon Business Accountants Upper Mt Gravatt, Noosa Heads & Maroochydore. Specialising in Accounting, Taxation, Management Rights, SMSF Administration, Business Advisory, Business Valuations , Management Rights specialist accountants, If you push too hard the tax man will get you.

If you push too hard with deductions the taxman will get you.

This guy worked as a salesperson and under the conditions of his employment he was able to work from home. He was advised by a Registered Tax Agent.

The dispute arose out of an audit of his tax affairs triggered by his 2010 tax return in which he declared a taxable income of $21,377, and claimed deductible items to the value of $97,162.

The ATO disallowed various tax deductions for the 2011 and 2012 financial years.

The tax office also imposed a penalty on the basis that he or his agent had “failed to take reasonable care or comply with tax law when claiming work related expenses”.

The sales person disputed this and took the matter to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Here are examples of some of the expenses he tried to claim deductions for:

  • Thousands of dollars for secretarial services completed by his son. (His son was around 7-years-old at the time)
  • Thousands of dollars of groceries as work related expenses (The groceries included cheese in a can and 39 packets of Monte Carlo biscuits.
  • Clothing, rubber soled shoes, dry cleaning, sunglasses, broad rimmed hat and sunscreen (just to name a few!)
  • Home office expenses
  • Other work related expenses

To read the full rulings click on the link below.

To find out more, please contact us

So, what are the deductions you can claim?

(Source: ATO, 14 March, 2016)

When completing your tax return, you’re entitled to claim deductions for some expenses, most of which are directly related to earning your income.

To claim a work-related deduction:

  • you must have spent the money yourself and weren’t reimbursed
  • it must be related to your job
  • you must have a record to prove it (there are some limited exceptions)

If the expense was for both work and private purposes, you can only claim a deduction for the work-related portion.

Follow the links below for specific deductions you can claim:

The staff at McAdam Siemon will get your deductions right because we have the checks and balances in place.