Accounting & Wealth Insights

With the 2019 federal budget, the treasurer announced that the federal government intends to increase the low and middle income tax offset (LAMITO). If enacted, the increase would begin in the current 2018/19 income year.

Legislative Instrument Taxable Payments Reporting System – Reporting Exemptions for Certain Entities Determination 2019 and Explanatory Statement (TPRS 2019/D1) regarding the de minimus exemption for entities required to lodge Taxable Payments Annual Reports (TPAR) under amendments enacted by the Sch 2 Treasury Laws Amendment (Black Economy Taskforce Measures No. 1) Act 2018 and Sch 2 Treasury Laws Amendment (Black Economy Taskforce Measures No. 2) Act 2018 have been issued for comment.

The Federal Treasurer, Mr Josh Frydenberg, handed down the 2019/20 Federal Budget at 7:30 pm (AEDT) on 2 April 2019.

Mr Frydenberg said the Budget is “back in the black”, announcing a budget surplus of $7.1b, and forecasting a surplus of $11b in 2020/21, $17.8b in 2021/22 and $9.2b in 2022/23.

From July 1 2020, Australians aged 65 and 66 will be able to make voluntary superannuation contributions, both concessional and non-concessional, without meeting the Work Test.

Taxation Determination TD 2019/7 sets out the amounts that the Commissioner considers reasonable under s 31G of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 for food and drink expenses incurred by employees receiving a living-away-from-home allowance (LAFHA) fringe benefit for the FBT year commencing on 1 April 2019.

From 1 July 2019, government contracts worth over $4m (incl. GST) will require an ATO Statement of Tax Record (STR) to be attached to all tenders. The STR is required for all entities listed on the tender, and potentially some sub-contractors as well.

The Treasury Laws Amendment (Increasing the Instant Asset Write-Off for Small Business Entities) Bill 2019 was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the morning of 4th April 2019, with 18 government amendments which give effect to the federal budget announcement to increase the threshold to $30,000 and expand the eligibility to medium-sized businesses with a turnover of less than $50 million.