We always knew that a Government scheme swiftly distributing cash during a crisis was going to come with equally swift compliance and review measures, particularly when eligibility was self-assessed. Two major Australian Taxation Office (ATO) initiatives are searching out fraud and schemes designed to take advantage of the Government’s Coronavirus Economic Response Package.
Read MoreComplex award and enterprise agreements can complicate payroll obligations, in terms of both regular salary and wages and the ongoing need to pay employee superannuation. On top of that, from 1 March 2020, changes commence for annualised wage arrangements that will increase the compliance burden on some businesses.
Read MoreAll employers with employees on fixed annual salaries are now on notice about new award rules coming into force on March 1st.
Read MoreThe Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale concepts have well and truly arrived in Australia with retailers embracing this latest retail event to stimulate what has been an economically lack lustre year.
Read MoreWoolworths is the latest company to facing a fallout from the underpayment of staff. In what is believed to be the largest remediation of its kind, Woolworths have stated that they have underpaid 5,700 salaried team members with remediation expected to be in the range of $200m to $300m (before tax).
Read MoreThe Government has resurrected the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) amnesty giving employers that have fallen behind with their SG obligations the ability to “self-correct.” This time however, the incentive of the amnesty is strengthened by harsh penalties for those that fail to take action.
Read MoreThe Reserve Bank of Australia is widely tipped to reduce interest rates again to historic lows. Easton Wealth economist Emmanuel Calligeris explores the impact.
Read MoreThe ATO has confirmed its view that travel in ride sharing services is not exempt from FBT under this specific exemption as they do not meet the definition of a taxi service under the FBT laws (even though they do under GST law).
However, this does not mean that FBT will necessarily apply to travel undertaken by employees using a ride sharing service.
Read MoreFrom 1 January 2020, the Government intends to restrict the value of cash payments a business makes or accepts to amounts under $10,000. Ignoring the limit will become a criminal offence with penalties of up to 2 years in prison and/ or $25,200*.
Read MoreThe ATO has reminded employers that legislation has been passed to extend Single Touch Payroll ('STP') to include all employers from 1 July 2019.
This will be a gradual start, and not all employers will start reporting at the same time.
Read More
