​​Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No 3) Bill 2020 
Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No 3) Bill 2020 has passed both Houses of Parliament and is now law.

Extending the Instant Asset Write-Off
This legislation amends the income tax law to allow a business with an aggregated turnover for the income year of less than $500 million to immediately deduct the cost of a depreciating asset (instant asset write-off). The asset must cost less than a threshold of $150,000 and be first used or installed ready for use for a taxable purpose by 31 December 2020. Without these amendments the $150,000 instant asset write-off would have ended on 30 June 2020.

By extending the previous end date of 30 June 2020 to 31 December 2020, the amendments give businesses additional time to access the $150,000 instant asset write-off for their acquisitions of depreciating assets, including those purchases that have been delayed by supply chain disruptions. Further, the amendments extend cash flow support to businesses through the early stages of the recovery from the economic conditions caused by COVID-19.

It will be interesting to see if this timeframe is further extended at some later point. Note that, come 1 January 2021, if there is no further extension, the $150,000 threshold for the instant asset write-off for depreciating assets will collapse to $1,000 and the turnover threshold for eligibility for the outright deduction of less than $500 million will fall to a turnover of less than $10 million.
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Please contact our office if you are considering purchasing a depreciating asset for your business and want to know if you will be eligible for the instant asset write-off. 

​ Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No 3) Bill 2019 
Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No 3) Bill 2019 has passed both Houses of Parliament and is now law.

Testamentary trusts and minors 
This legislation contains amendments to ensure the tax concessions available to minors in relation to income from a testamentary trust only apply in respect of income generated from assets of the deceased estate that are transferred to the testamentary trust (or the proceeds of the disposal or investment of those assets).

Broadly speaking, when a trustee distributes income to a minor it is taxed at the highest marginal rate (plus Medicare levy). However, there are certain exceptions to this rule. One such exception is where the trust is a testamentary trust – being a trust that was established as a result of the will of a deceased individual. Income from a testamentary trust is a type of ‘excepted trust income’ that is generally taxed at ordinary rates.
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Prior to this legislation being passed, the previously existing law did not specify that the assessable income of the testamentary trust be derived from assets of the deceased estate (or assets representing assets of the deceased estate). As a result, assets unrelated to a deceased estate that were injected into a testamentary trust may, subject to anti-avoidance rules, generate excepted trust income that was not subject to the higher tax rates on minors. This was an unintended consequence, which allowed some taxpayers to inappropriately obtain the benefit of concessional tax treatment.

​This legislation clarifies that excepted trust income of the testamentary trust must be derived from assets transferred to the testamentary trust from the deceased estate or from the accumulation of such income.
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This change will apply in relation to assets acquired by or transferred to the trustee of a testamentary trust on or after 1 July 2019.

Regulations confirm no SG obligation on JobKeeper payments where work is not performed
The federal government has registered the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment (Jobkeeper) Payment Regulations 2020.

These regulations ensure that amounts of salary or wages that do not relate to the performance of work and are only paid to an employee to satisfy the wage condition for getting the JobKeeper payment are prescribed by the Regulations as excluded salary or wages.

The effect is that these amounts are excluded from the calculations of an employer’s superannuation guarantee shortfall and the minimum compulsory superannuation contribution an employer is required to make in respect of an employee to avoid a superannuation guarantee charge liability.

Likewise, the Regulations recognise that an employer is only entitled to a JobKeeper payment for its employees if the business has suffered a substantial decline in turnover. In these circumstances, it is appropriate to require employers to only make minimum superannuation contributions in respect of amounts that are required to be paid to an employee for the performance of work.

Employers would not be required to make contributions in relation to additional amounts paid to satisfy the wage condition (for example, the amount by which $1,500 exceeds an employee’s normal pay).
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If you are concerned about the calculation of compulsory superannuation for any employees supported by JobKeeper, please contact our office. ​

COVID-19 and Division 7A relief
The ATO has announced some limited relief for private companies that have loans to their shareholders or related parties that are governed by what are referred to as “complying loan agreements”.

A complying loan agreement is entered into to avoid triggering an assessable deemed dividend that could potentially be equal to the amount of the loan from the private company.

When there is a complying loan agreement between a private company and a borrower, the borrower must make the minimum yearly repayment (MYR) by the end of the private company’s income year. This avoids the borrower being considered to have received an unfranked dividend, generally equal to the amount of any MYR shortfall.

As a result of the COVID-19 situation, the ATO understands that some borrowers are facing circumstances beyond their control. To offer more support, the ATO will allow an extension of the repayment period for those borrowers who are unable to make their MYR by the end of the lender’s 2019–20 income year (generally 30 June).

Requesting the extension
A request for a 12-month extension can be made through the completion of an online application. Borrowers will be asked to confirm the shortfall, that the COVID-19 situation has affected them and that they are unable to pay the MYR as a result.

When the ATO approves an application, it will let the borrower know they will not be considered to have received an unfranked dividend. This is subject to the shortfall being paid by 30 June 2021. It will not be necessary to submit further evidence with the application.

This particular streamlined process established by the ATO only applies to applications for an extension of up to twelve months for COVID-19 affected borrowers. It is still open to a borrower to apply to obtain a longer extension of time outside the streamlined process.
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If you have been affected by the COVID-19 situation and need more time to make your minimum yearly repayment (MYR) in relation to complying loans from private companies, contact our office for assistance. ​

​JobKeeper declaration due 14 June 
Businesses that have enrolled in the JobKeeper Scheme and identified their eligible employees are reminded that they will need to make a monthly declaration to the ATO to ensure they continue to receive JobKeeper payments.
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The monthly declaration must be made by the 14th day of each month to claim JobKeeper payments for the previous month. 
As part of the declaration, businesses will need to: 

• ensure they have paid their eligible employees at least $1,500 (before tax) in each JobKeeper fortnight they are claiming for;
• re-confirm their eligible employees, including notifying if an eligible employee has changed or left employment; and
• provide the current and projected GST turnover of the business – note, this is not a retest of the eligibility of the business. 

For example, to claim JobKeeper payments for the May 2020 JobKeeper fortnights, businesses must report their GST turnover for the month of May 2020 as well as their projected GST turnover for the month of June 2020 by 14 June 2020.

The monthly declaration can be lodged through the ATO business portal or through STP-enabled software. Alternatively, tax agents can assist clients by lodging the monthly declaration on behalf of registered clients. 

​ATO reminder for employers – Finalise STP data for 2020 
The ATO has issued a reminder to employers who report through Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) – which should be all employers, unless an exemption or deferral applies – that they will need to finalise payroll information for the 2020 income year by making a declaration.

The due date for making finalisation declarations is:

• 14 July 2020 for employers with 20 or more employees; and
  
• 31 July 2020 for employers with 19 or fewer employees. 

Employers that finalise through STP are not required to provide payment summaries to employees and lodge a payment summary annual report to the ATO.
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Instead, employees will be able to access their payroll information (for preparation of their 2020 tax return) through a registered tax agent or via ATO online services. 

COVID-19 and tax depreciation reports – are physical inspections necessary?
Property investors and businesses will often engage a specialist quantity surveyor to prepare a tax report on capital works and depreciation deductions available to them under the tax law in respect of their income-producing properties – for example, a rental property, office building or factory.

A thorough physical inspection of the property by a quantity surveyor plays a vital role in this process in order to, amongst other things:

• identify all possible deductions available under the tax law;
  
• provide accurate valuations of qualifying plant and building works;
  
• provide supporting documentation of a taxpayer’s claims for depreciation and capital works deductions, which is prudent in the event of an ATO audit.

We have become aware that some quantity surveyors are promoting tax depreciation reports that do not include a physical inspection of the property due to COVID-19 precautions.

Usually the reports are provided, with an offer to do an inspection at a later time when it is possible to do so.

However, in some cases, no offer of a site inspection is made at all.
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Where a physical inspection of premises is not performed, this increases the risk of deductions being missed or errors being made. This could result in costly adjustments if a taxpayer has to subsequently amend their tax return or is audited.

Guidance on JobKeeper reporting via STP 
The ATO has issued guidance to help employers reporting eligible employees and JobKeeper top-up payments through Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’).

For each eligible employee, employers must notify the ATO:

• when an eligible employee started being paid JobKeeper payments;
• top-up payments to employees earning less than $1500 per fortnight; and
• when an employee is no longer eligible and JobKeeper payments need to be stopped.

The ATO says this process will be managed through the 'STP Pay Event' by entering the relevant JobKeeper description (as outlined below) in the 'Other Allowances' field.

To report the JobKeeper start fortnight for an eligible employee:
Use the description ‘JOBKEEPER-START-FNXX’ where ‘XX’ represents the JobKeeper fortnight from which the first payment is made.

Report the amount as ‘zero’, or as $0.01 if the software does not support reporting ‘zero’.

To report a top-up payment for an eligible employee ordinarily earning less than $1,500 per fortnight:
Use the description 'JOBKEEPER-TOPUP' for the top-up amount.

To report the first full JobKeeper fortnight an employee became ineligible:
Use the description ‘JOBKEEPER-FINISH-FNXX’ where ‘XX’ represents the JobKeeper fortnight in which the last payment is made.

For example, an employee resigns, and their last payment was on 13 May 2020. As this falls in JobKeeper fortnight 04 (being 11/05/2020 – 24/05/2020), the description 'JOBKEEPER-FINISH-FN04' should be used to notify the ATO that the employee is not eligible for JobKeeper from FN05.

Making corrections to (previously reported) JobKeeper start and finish information
The ATO’s guidance identifies several situations where errors made in reporting the JobKeeper start or finish information may need correction and sets out options for doing so.

In particular, guidance is provided for making corrections where:

• the wrong employee was reported as starting or finishing;
• a later start or finish fortnight is incorrectly reported;
  
• an earlier start or finish fortnight is incorrectly reported; or
  
• ​a future-dated start or finish fortnight is reported.

The ATO is urging employers to exercise extreme caution to ensure the accuracy of originally reported information as multiple corrections cannot be made through the STP Pay Event, 'Other Allowances' field.

Coronavirus: Government’s JobKeeper Payment 
A major part of the Government’s response to the Coronavirus (or 'COVID-19') pandemic is the ‘JobKeeper Payment’ Scheme.

The JobKeeper Payment is a wage subsidy that will be paid through the tax system (i.e., it will be administered by the ATO) to eligible businesses impacted by COVID-19.

Under the scheme, eligible businesses will receive a payment of $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee and/or for one eligible business participant (i.e., an eligible sole trader, partner, company director or shareholder, or trust beneficiary).

The subsidy will be paid for a maximum period of six months (i.e., from 30 March 2020 up until 27 September 2020). It will be paid to eligible businesses monthly in arrears, with the first payments to employers commencing from the first week of May 2020.

The JobKeeper Payment will ensure that eligible employees (and, where applicable, eligible business participants) receive a gross payment (i.e., before tax) of at least $1,500 per fortnight for the duration of the scheme.

An employer will only be eligible to receive a JobKeeper Payment in respect of an ‘eligible employee’ if, at the time of applying:

• for employers with an aggregated annual turnover of $1 billion or less - the employer estimates that their projected GST turnover has fallen (or is likely to fall) by 30% or more; or
  
• for employers with an aggregated annual turnover of more than $1 billion - the employer estimates that their projected GST turnover has fallen (or is likely to fall) by 50% or more; and
  
• the employer is not specifically excluded from the scheme (e.g., one that is subject to the Major Bank Levy, one that is in liquidation, etc.). 

For an employer that is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (excluding universities and non-government schools registered as charities, which are subject to the 30% or 50% decline in turnover tests, as outlined above), a 15% decline in turnover test applies.

Importantly, eligible employers must actually elect to participate in the JobKeeper Scheme via an application to the ATO. In making such an application, an employer will also need to:

• Provide information to the ATO on all eligible employees (i.e., confirming the eligible employees were engaged as at 1 March 2020 and are currently employed by the business, including those who have been stood-down or re-hired). Treasury has indicated that, for most businesses, the ATO will use Single Touch Payroll (‘STP’) to pre-populate these details.
  
• Continue to provide information to the ATO on a monthly basis, including the number of eligible employees employed by the business and details of its turnover. 

The ATO has available on its website an online form which can be used by employers to register their interest in the JobKeeper Payment Scheme. 

Shortcut method to claim deductions if working from home
As the situation around COVID-19 continues to develop, the ATO understands many employees are now working from home. To make it easier when claiming a deduction for additional running costs you incur as a result of working from home, special arrangements have been announced.

A simplified method has been introduced that allows you to claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all your running expenses, rather than having to calculate the additional amount you incurred for specific running expenses.

This simplified method will be available to use from 1 March 2020 until 30 June 2020. You may still use one of the existing methods to calculate your running expenses if you would prefer to.

You can claim a deduction of 80 cents for each hour you work from home due to COVID-19 as long as you are:

• Working from home to fulfil your employment duties and not just carrying out minimal tasks such as occasionally checking emails or taking calls; and
  
• Incurring additional deductible running expenses as a result of working from home.

You do not have to have a separate or dedicated area of your home set aside for working, such as a private study.
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Editor: Please contact our office if you need more information about this deduction. ​

SMSFs may be able to offer rental relief to related party tenants
As a result of the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, some self-managed superannuation funds (‘SMSFs’) which own real property may want to give a tenant – who is a related party – a reduction in rent because the related party tenant has had a collapse in revenue.

Charging a related party a price that is less than market value is usually a contravention of the strict legislative rules SMSFs and their trustees are required to follow.

The ATO has recently advised that its approach for the 2019–20 and 2020–21 financial years is that it will not take action if an SMSF gives a tenant – even one who is also a related party – a temporary rent reduction, waiver or deferral because of the financial effects of COVID-19 during this period.
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If there are temporary changes to the terms of the lease agreement in response to COVID-19, it is important that the parties to the agreement document the changes and the reasons for the change. You can do this with a minute or a renewed lease agreement or other contemporaneous document.

ATO reminder about salary packaged super
The ATO has provided employers with a recent reminder that, from 1 January 2020, there has been a legislative change to ensure that when an employee sacrifices pre-tax salary in return for an additional concessional contribution into superannuation, it will not result in a reduction in the 9.5% Superannuation Guarantee (‘SG’) obligation their employer has even though doing so reduced their Ordinary Time Earnings.

The ATO has provided information for employers, payroll software providers and intermediaries who may need to change the way they calculate SG.

The ATO advises that, from 1 January 2020, you calculate the minimum amount of SG on the employee's ‘OTE base’. This is the sum of the employee's OTE and any OTE amounts they sacrifice in return for super contributions.
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Additionally, super contributions to an employee's fund under an effective salary sacrifice arrangement no longer count towards an employer’ super guarantee obligations.

​​Coronavirus: Government announces new tax measures 
The Government has announced a number of economic responses to the Coronavirus (or 'COVID-19') pandemic, including economic stimulus packages worth billions of dollars.

Some of the key tax measures include: 

• From Thursday 12 March 2020, the instant asset write-off threshold has been increased from $30,000 (for businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million) to $150,000 (for businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $500 million) until 30 June 2020.
  
• A time-limited 15-month investment incentive (through to 30 June 2021) which will operate to accelerate certain depreciation deductions. 
  
• This measure will also be available to businesses with a turnover of less than $500 million, which will be able to immediately deduct 50% of the cost of an eligible asset on installation, with existing depreciation rules applying to the balance of the asset’s cost.
  
• Small and medium-sized businesses (and not-for-profit entities), with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million that employ people, may be eligible to receive a total payment of up to $100,000 (with a minimum total payment of $20,000), based on their PAYG withholding obligations.
  
• A new 'JobKeeper Payment' will be available to assist eligible employers (and self-employed individuals) who have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic to continue to pay their workers.
  
• Eligible employers will be able to claim a subsidy of $1,500 per fortnight, per eligible employee, from 30 March 2020 (with payments commencing from the first week of May 2020), for a maximum period of six months. 

​ATO's support measures to assist those affected by COVID-19 
The ATO will also implement a series of administrative measures to assist Australians experiencing financial difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Options available to assist businesses impacted by COVID-19 include: 

• Deferring the due dates for income tax payments, Fringe Benefits Tax payments ('FBT') and excise payments up to 12 September 2020 for businesses in financial difficulty; and
  
• Remitting any interest and penalties, incurred on or after 23 January 2020, that have been applied to tax liabilities. 

However, note that employers will still need to meet their ongoing super guarantee obligations for their employees. 

​New laws can make directors personally liable for GST 
The government recently passed new legislation designed to strengthen laws to "crack down on illegal phoenixing activity by dodgy business operators who try to avoid their obligations to their customers, employees and creditors."

In particular, the changes allow the ATO to collect estimates of anticipated GST liabilities, and make company directors personally liable for their company’s GST liabilities in certain circumstances (basically by including these liabilities in the director penalty notice regime).
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Importantly, the expansion of the director penalty notice regime to include GST liabilities will commence from 1 April 2020.

New super guarantee amnesty
On 6 March 2020, the government introduced a superannuation guarantee ('SG') amnesty.

This amnesty allows employers to disclose and pay previously unpaid super guarantee charge ('SGC'), including nominal interest, that they owe their employees, for quarter(s) starting from 1 July 1992 to 31 March 2018, without incurring the administration component ($20 per employee per quarter) or Part 7 (double SGC) penalty.

In addition, payments of SGC made to the ATO after 24 May 2018 and before 7 September 2020 will be tax deductible.

Employers who have already disclosed unpaid SGC to the ATO between 24 May 2018 and 6 March 2020 don’t need to apply or lodge again.

Employers who come forward from 6 March 2020 need to apply for the amnesty.
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The ATO will continue to conduct reviews and audits to identify employers not paying their employees SG.

New vacant land tax measures
A new ‘vacant land’ measure limits the deductibility of costs incurred on or after 1 July 2019 (i.e., from the 2020 income year) that relate to holding vacant land, even if the land in question was first held before that date.

Importantly, however, the new provisions include (amongst other exceptions) a ‘carrying on a business’ exception. This exception means that the limitations will not apply to the extent that the ‘vacant land’ is used, or available for use in carrying on a business, including a business carried on by either the taxpayer (i.e., the owner of the land) or by a specified related entity.

Further, an additional business exception also applies where ‘vacant land’ is leased at arm’s length for use in any business (i.e., not just a business of the taxpayer or of a related entity).
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In addition, land is considered to be “available for use” if it is held for future use in a business currently carried on by the taxpayer or is made available to a specified related entity for future use in a business that entity currently carries on.

ATO on property investments
The ATO has reminded taxpayers in a property business or thinking about investing in property that there are things they should know, such as:

• they need a clearance certificate from the supplier when buying property over $750,000;
  
• they may have to pay the GST on the sale of brand new residential property separately to the ATO; and
  
• income from property activities could increase their total business turnover.

The ATO says taxpayers with property should keep accurate and complete records where they:

• rent it out as a residential property (even short-term through the sharing economy);
  
• flip houses; and/or
  
• build a new house to sell for a profit.

In addition, when it's time to lodge, taxpayers should remember:

• Some expenses need to be claimed over time.
  
• It is only possible to claim expenses for:

– periods when the property is genuinely available for rent; and
– travel related to renting property, if the taxpayer is in the business of letting properties.

Court confirms ATO's position on foreign income tax offsets 
The ATO has welcomed the decision of the High Court to basically uphold the decision of the Full Federal Court in a case which the ATO won, in relation to foreign income tax offsets ('FITO').

An Australian tax resident had sold some US investments and paid US tax on the gains.

The taxpayer was then basically taxed on half of those gains in his assessable Australian income (i.e., the gains were eligible for the CGT discount in Australia).

The taxpayer included the whole of the US tax paid in his FITO to offset against his Australian income tax.

However, when determining the FITO available, the ATO only allowed the proportion of the US tax paid that related to the capital gain included in his Australian assessable income.

The Full Federal Court affirmed the ATO’s position. “This decision reminds taxpayers that they can only claim the foreign income tax offset to the extent that the capital gain is assessable in Australia, rather than the full amount assessed in a foreign jurisdiction,” Deputy Commissioner Tim Dyce said.
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“We believe that others may have similarly incorrectly claimed the foreign income tax offset. Now is the time to review any claim and make any necessary voluntary amendments as we intend to commence compliance activity on this issue in the near future.” 

Employer's requirements and the deductibility of WREs 
Some employees may wonder whether a work-related expense (or 'WRE') becomes deductible merely because their employer specifically requires the employee to incur the expense.

Importantly, the ATO's recent draft ruling on the deductibility of work-related expenses reiterates that an employer’s requirements do not determine the question of deductibility.

Specifically, a number of examples contained in the draft ruling confirm that a WRE expense may be deductible without an employer requiring the expenditure. For example, a taxpayer incurring expenditure in relation to a course directly connected to their current employment (without their employer’s specific support) may still be in a position to claim self-education deductions.
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Alternatively, expenses may be non-deductible despite an employer’s specific directions, such as a restaurant requiring its waiters to dress in ‘black and whites’, or support such as where an employer encourages a dental practice receptionist to undertake a ‘Certificate in Dental Assisting’ so as to open up a new career opportunity. 

Further STP developments
In an indication of the far-reaching changes that Single Touch Payroll ('STP') will be bringing, Treasury has recently finished consulting on draft legislation that expands the data that may be collected through STP by the ATO (as announced in the 2019/20 Budget).

The legislation, if enacted, will broaden the amounts that employers can voluntarily report under the STP rules, to include employer withholding of child support deductions from salary or wages and child support garnishee amounts from salary or wages that are paid to the Child Support Registrar.
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Amendments will also be made to ensure that if employers choose to report under STP to the Commissioner of Taxation, they do not also have to report the amounts to the Child Support Registrar.

STP and employer clients
The ATO has advised that over 580,000 small employers have made the transition to STP reporting, and they are encouraging tax practitioners to help any clients who have yet to engage with STP reporting make the transition now.

They will also send reminders to small employers who are not yet reporting through STP.
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So if you receive any such correspondence and/or simply want to discuss this with us, please call our office. ​

SMS scam targeting natural disaster victims 
The ATO is warning the community about a new SMS scam which promises an 8% bonus on 2020 tax returns to victims of recent natural disasters.

The scam text message says: "Due to natural disasters, Australians are entitled to an 8% bonus on their tax return. Please begin the process by filling out the form below. Link: https://my.gov.verification-digital.com."

ATO Assistant Commissioner Karen Foat said this is a classic case of fraudsters impersonating the ATO in an effort to collect personal information from people like names, addresses, emails, phone numbers and online banking login details.

​This particular scam includes a link to a fake myGov website which looks genuine.

Over the past few years the ATO has seen an increasing number of reports of scammers contacting members of the public pretending to be from the ATO by SMS, email, and phone, and the scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated.

“Last year, over 15,000 people reported to us that they provided scammers with their personal identifying information”, Ms Foat said.

“If you receive an SMS, call, or email and aren’t sure if it’s genuine, it's OK to not respond."

The ATO does send SMS and emails, and also makes phone calls to taxpayers, but note that the ATO does not project their phone number onto the recipient's caller ID — so people can be sure that, if there’s a number on their caller ID, it’s not the ATO calling.

Valuing car parking fringe benefits
Where businesses provide car parking fringe benefits to their employees, the taxable value of these benefits must be calculated correctly to ensure they are meeting their fringe benefits tax ('FBT') obligations, regardless of the method used.

The ATO has advised they may directly contact businesses who have engaged an arm's length valuer, as required under the 'market value method'.

According to the ATO, in some instances, valuers have prepared reports using a daily rate that doesn't reflect the market value, meaning the taxable value of the benefits is significantly discounted or even reduced to nil.

The ATO wants businesses to understand that engaging an arm's length valuer does not mean they've met all the requirements for working out the taxable value of their car parking fringe benefits.

It is actually the business's responsibility to confirm the basis on which valuations are prepared, and they are expected to examine any valuation they suspect is incorrect or which considerably reduces their liability.

We can help check if a valuation report required under the market value method meets the ATO's requirements.

In addition to the valuation report, businesses need a declaration relating to the FBT year that includes the:

• number of car parking spaces available to be used by employees;
  
• number of business days; and
  
• daily value of the car parking spaces.

Lifestyle assets continue to be an ATO audit target
The ATO has revealed it will request a further five years’ worth of policy information from over 30 insurance companies about taxpayers who own marine vessels, thoroughbred horses, fine art, high-value motor vehicles and aircraft.

The ATO expects to receive information about assets owned by around 350,000 taxpayers from 2016 to 2020 as part of its data-matching program.

This information (provided by insurers) is intended to be used by the ATO as part of its compliance profiling activities.

For example, ATO Deputy Commissioner Deborah Jenkins said: “If a taxpayer is reporting a taxable income of $70,000 to us but we know they own a three million dollar yacht then this is likely to raise some red flags.”

She clarified that the data will not be used to initiate automated compliance activity.

“Taxpayers selected for compliance activities are identified through other methodologies. The data is made available to our compliance teams to support their risk profiling of the selected taxpayers. Existence of an insurance policy may or may not prompt the compliance officer to pursue a particular line of enquiry.”

Aside from helping identify taxpayers who may be understating their income, the data from insurers may be used by the ATO to identify taxpayers who have made capital gains on the disposal of certain assets but who have not declared this to the ATO.

It will also be used by the ATO to identify incorrect claims for GST input tax credits where taxpayers are incorrectly claiming GST credits as if the (private) item was a business asset.

Additionally, SMSFs the ATO suspects may be acquiring lifestyle assets purely for the personal enjoyment of the fund's trustee or beneficiaries are also likely to be looked at by the ATO.
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Insurers are required to provide the ATO with policy information where the value of assets is equal to or exceeds the following thresholds:

• Marine vessels $100,000
• Motor vehicles $65,000
• Thoroughbred horses $65,000
• Fine art $100,000 per item
• Aircraft $150,000

If you feel that you may be targeted by this latest ATO data collection activity and are concerned about the implications, please feel free to contact our office to discuss your individual circumstances. Ref: ATO website, 18 December 2019

Disclosure of business tax debts – Declaration made
Following the enactment of legislation in late 2019, the ATO can disclose certain business tax debt information to external credit reporting bureaus.

This information will primarily be used when issuing external creditworthiness reports in relation to relevant businesses, effectively treating tax debts in a similar manner to other business debts.

More recently, the Government issued a Declaration to determine exactly what class of entities may be subject to such disclosures, including entities that:

• are registered in the Australian Business Register and are not a complying superannuation fund, a DGR, registered charity or government entity; and
  
• have one or more tax debts totalling at least $100,000 that are overdue for more than 90 days, disregarding:
  
• tax debts where the entity has an arrangement to pay the ATO by instalments (i.e., via a payment plan);
  
• tax debts subject to an application for release on grounds of hardship; and/or
  
• tax debts subject to dispute via an objection, AAT or Federal Court review that has not been finalised.

Additionally, the Declaration does not allow debt disclosure for taxpayers who have an active complaint concerning the disclosure of tax debt information that is, or could be, the subject of an Inspector-General of Taxation (‘IGOT’) investigation.

Importantly, if there is such a complaint, the ATO can only proceed with a disclosure of the debt where it is not aware of it after taking reasonable steps to confirm whether the IGOT has such a complaint.
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Ref: Taxation Administration (Tax Debt Information Disclosure) Declaration 2019 ​

MYEFO – 2019/20
Treasury has released its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (‘MYEFO’) for 2019/20 forecasting a surplus of approximately $5 billion.

Proposed new record-keeping course
One new tax-related measure of note in the MYEFO was the announcement the ATO would be provided with a new discretion to direct taxpayers (found to be lacking in their substantiation efforts under audit) to undertake an approved record-keeping course, instead of applying financial penalties.

This is yet another measure designed to tackle the ‘black’ or ‘cash’ economy.

Specifically, the Commissioner will be given the discretion to direct taxpayers to undertake the course where he reasonably believes there has been a failure by the taxpayer to comply with their reporting obligations.

The Commissioner will not apply this discretion to those who disengage with the tax system or who deliberately avoid their record-keeping obligations.

Such a proposal raises obvious concerns as to the onerous nature of having to comply with such a course, particularly for small business owners whose main priority is to run their business.

Interestingly, there is a precedent for similar ATO directions to taxpayers (i.e., to undertake an approved course), with legislation passed earlier this year allowing the Commissioner to require employers to undertake a superannuation guarantee obligations course where there has been a failure by an employer to comply with those obligations.

New ‘gig’ economy reporting
Additionally, the MYEFO also announced the Government’s intention to implement a new third party reporting regime for the sharing economy.

This will apply to businesses who operate via online platforms within the ‘sharing’ or ‘gig’ economy (e.g., Uber and Airbnb).

It is proposed to be introduced in two stages, starting from 1 July 2022 (for ride-sharing and accommodation platforms) and from 1 July 2023 (for asset sharing, food delivery and tasking-based platforms).

The online platforms will be required to report identification and income information for all its participating members (i.e., both the sellers and providers).

These reports will go directly to the ATO for data-matching (i.e., review and audit) purposes. Ref: MYEFO 2019/20 ​

The ATO’s Bushfire crisis response
In response to the devastating bushfires across large parts of Australia, the ATO has been keen to advise those impacted that it understands peoples priority is their family and community.

If taxpayers live in one of the identified impacted postcodes, the ATO will automatically defer any lodgments or payments, meaning that income tax, activity statement, SMSF and FBT lodgments (and their associated payments) are deferred until 28 May 2020.

For those affected not in the current ATO postcodes list, assistance can still be provided, with impacted taxpayers encouraged to phone the ATO’s Emergency Support Infoline on 1800 806 218.
​
Please contact our office if you have been impacted by this or another disaster for assistance. Ref: ATO website, 20 January 2020 and ATO media release, 20 January 2020. ​

PAYG and deductions for payments to workers
The ATO has reminded business taxpayers they can no longer claim deductions for certain payments to workers if they have not met their PAYG withholding obligations from 1 July 2019.

If the PAYG withholding rules require an amount to be withheld, to claim a deduction for most payments to a worker, a business taxpayer must:

• withhold the amount from the payment before they pay their worker; and
• report that amount to the ATO.

Importantly, where a taxpayer simply makes a mistake and withholds or reports an incorrect amount, they will not lose their deduction, although any such errors should be corrected as soon as possible so as to minimise penalties.

​Additionally, a deduction is still available if they voluntarily disclose to the ATO prior to the commencement of an audit or other ATO compliance activity involving their PAYG withholding obligations or deduction claims.
​
Ref: ATO website, 18 November 2019

​STP and superannuation guarantee
In a presentation at the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees Chairs Forum, the ATO's Deputy Commissioner confirmed that as a result of STP, the ATO now has an "unprecedented level of visibility" of super information.

In particular, the ATO's examination of Super Guarantee ('SG') contributions of some 75 million payment transactions for the first three quarters of 2019 (for approximately 400,000 employers) has shown that 90 - 92% of contribution transactions by volume and 85 - 90% of transactions by dollar value were paid on time.

The ATO is now starting to actively use this data to warn employers who appear not to be paying the required SG on time (or at all).

As a result, it has notified 2,500 employers that they have paid their SG contributions late during 2019.  Due-date reminders were also sent to a further 4,000 employers.
​
Ref: ATO Presentation, ATO insights and actions across superannuation, 14 October 2019

SMSs for SMSFs!
In the interests of protecting SMSF members and their retirement savings from fraud and misconduct, the ATO has announced it will send out an email and/or a text message via an SMS when changes (including updates to the SMSF financial details or member information) are made.

Accordingly, the ATO has urged all SMSF members to ensure they update their contact details either:

• online at abr.gov.au (with an AUSkey or an ABN linked to their myGov account);
  
• through their registered tax agent;
  
• by phoning 13 10 20 (for authorised contacts of the relevant SMSF); or
  
• by lodging the paper form (NAT 3036).

The ATO has urged SMSF members who are concerned about notified changes to first speak with the other trustees of the SMSF or the authorised agent of their SMSF, before contacting the ATO.

As the ATO moves over to the digital world at a rapidly increasing pace, it has also reminded SMSF members that any ATO sanctioned emails and text messages would never ask for the recipient to reply by text or email, or to provide otherwise personal information.

Importantly, where an SMSF member is concerned about the authenticity of an email or text purportedly from the ATO, the ATO’s current SMS and email activities can be viewed on its website by searching for QC 40936.

​Ref: ATO website, 22 November 2019

No CGT main residence exemption for non-residents
The Government recently tabled legislation, making its second attempt to deny access to the CGT main residence exemption for individuals who are foreign residents (i.e., non-resident taxpayers for Australian tax purposes).

The restrictions to this CGT exemption will apply to taxpayers who are a non-resident at the time of the relevant CGT event (i.e., generally as at the contract date).

If enacted, the proposed changes will potentially impact foreign residents in the two ways outlined below.

1. Transitional rules for properties held before 7:30pm (AEST) on 9 May 2017
Firstly, for properties held prior to the 2017 Federal Budget (i.e., before 7:30pm AEST on 9 May 2017), the CGT main residence exemption will only be able to be claimed, for a non-resident, for disposals that occur up until 30 June 2020.

For disposals of properties occurring on or after 1 July 2020, foreign residents will have no access to the CGT main residence exemption, unless specified ‘life events’ occur within a continuous period of six years of the taxpayer becoming a foreign resident. These 'life events' include:

• The terminal illness of the taxpayer, their spouse or a child under the age of 18 years.
  
• The death of a spouse or child under the age of 18.
  
• A transfer of the relevant asset as a result of a divorce, separation or similar maintenance agreement.

2. Properties acquired at or after 7:30pm (AEST) 9 May 2017
Secondly, for properties acquired at or after the 2017 Budget night, the CGT main residence exemption will no longer be available for non-resident taxpayers, unless the same specified ‘life events’ (as outlined above) occur within a continuous period of six years of the taxpayer becoming a foreign resident.

Ref: ATO Website, 29 October 2019

ATO November 2019 bushfire assistance
Following the devastating bushfires across large parts of NSW and Queensland in November, the ATO has offered ongoing support.

In particular, a specific helpline (1800 806 218) has been established that can be used by those impacted to seek assistance, such as to:

• obtain extra time to pay tax debt or lodge tax forms;
  
• obtain assistance in finding lost TFNs;
  
• obtain re-issued income tax returns, activity statements and notices of assessment;
  
• obtain assistance in re-constructing tax records that are lost or damaged;
  
• have any refunds owed fast tracked;
  
• negotiate payment plans tailored to individual circumstances (including interest-free periods); and
• negotiate the remission of penalties or interest charged during the time a taxpayer has been affected.
  

Ref: ATO website, 21 November 2019