2018/19 tax changes for small businesses

For 2018/19 income year, companies with an annual aggregated turnover under $50m will have a reduced tax rate of 27.5%. To be eligible for the reduced rate, the company must be a base rate entity.

Entities who are employers are required to report the following information to the ATO from 1 July 2019:

• withholding amounts and associated withholding payments, on or before the day by which the amount is required to be withheld
• salary or wages and ordinary time earnings information on or before the day on which the amount is paid, and
• superannuation contribution information on or before the day on which the contribution is paid.

There are some exceptions to the single touch payroll allowed for employers who only make payments to closely held employees.

From 1 July 2019, businesses will no longer be able to claim deductions for payments to their employees where they have not met their PAYG obligations. This includes where the employer is required to withhold PAYG from gross payments, but fail to report or remit it to the ATO.

PAYG withholders will be required to ensure that all lodgements are made on time to avoid large penalties with denied tax deductions.

Additionally, the deduction for businesses on certain payments to contractors which have not met PAYG obligations will be denied unless a genuine mistake has been made.

Beginning with the 2018/19 income year, the following industries have introduced a taxable payments reporting system:

• Couriers
• Cleaners

Starting from 1 July 2019, the taxable payments reporting system will be extended to include the following industries:

• Security services
•  Road freight
• IT services

Entities who engage contractors, or subcontractors, will need to provide additional reports to the ATO. This treatment has the same requirements as salary and wage employees.

A company is now allowed to claim a prior year loss against business profits as long as it satisfies the similar business test from 1 July 2015. This test adds on to the same business test, which was less flexible to pass.

The former same business test is failed unless the company carries on the same business and has not derived income from any new kinds of business or transactions. The new test makes it easier for companies to pass where early investors have entered the company ownership.

As the legislation takes effect as of 1 July 2015, companies in this position have an opportunity to amend income tax returns from the 2015/16 income year. Also, a company going back and amending their tax return to include the company loss deduction would do so in that prior year at a higher company rate. However, careful analysis of the company loss is advised.

For primary producers, a new law has been enacted which allows fodder storage assets to be immediately written off.

Fodder storage assets may include silos and hay sheds, and are used to store grain and other animal feed. The immediate write-off will apply if the asset is purchased and first installed ready for use on or after 19 August 2018.

The research and development (R&D) tax incentive was due to be amended for income years starting 1 July 2018. Under the announcement, the incentive would have been based on an uplift of the entity’s corporate tax rate in the particular income year.

However, changes relating to a company’s “R&D intensity percentage” have not become law. All rules as they related to R&D have not changed for companies.

If you have any questions regarding the above points raised, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Martin van der Saag
Partner
T: 02 9984 7774
E: martinv@northadvisory.com.au

Norman Ruan
Accountant
T: 02 9984 7774
E: normanr@northadvisory.com.au