Are you conducting a business in partnership? Make sure you can substantiate your commercial arrangement.

Are you conducting a business in partnership? Make sure you can substantiate your commercial arrangement.

The recent Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) decision of Holman v FCT highlights once again the importance of documentation and maintaining objective factual evidence to discharge the statutory burden of proof when disputing an assessment.

Sladen snippet - Legislative Instrument permits LRBA borrowings by the bare trustee

Sladen snippet - Legislative Instrument permits LRBA borrowings by the bare trustee

Sladen Snippet: legislation introduced to increase the age at which work test applies from 65 to 67

Sladen Snippet: legislation introduced to increase the age at which work test applies from 65 to 67

As part of the 2019-20 Budget and as previous discussed here, the Australian Government announced that Australians over age 65 would have greater flexibility in making voluntary concessional and non-concessional superannuation contributions from 1 July 2020.

Five frequently asked questions about copyright for authors and publishers

Five frequently asked questions about copyright for authors and publishers

Whether you are a creative about to enter into a book deal or an editor looking to commission, acquire or licence an existing literary work for publication, an understanding of copyright is essential.

Employers can use JobKeeper to Offset Annual Leave Liabilities

Employers can use JobKeeper to Offset Annual Leave Liabilities

JobKeeper is not just a financial subsidy for qualifying employers. We previously wrote about the extraordinary powers that employers help get them to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic (or at least until September when the JobKeeper scheme is scheduled to end).

Primary production land tax exemption knocked back – the Annat case

Primary production land tax exemption knocked back – the Annat case

Annat v Commissioner of State Revenue [2020] VSC 108 (Annat) highlights the real risk faced by some farm owners in qualifying for a primary production land tax exemption .

Due to the Victorian State Revenue Office’s approach and scrutiny on primary production lands of late, traditional farming land owners are finding that they now must understand the difficult legislative requirements surrounding primary production land tax exemptions, the resulting structuring and record keeping requirements to ensure that they are not unintentionally exposing themselves to large land tax liabilities.

ATO announces extension for Division 7A compliance

ATO announces extension for Division 7A compliance

As part of its response to COVID-19, on 13 May 2020 the Australian Taxation Office announced that it has extended the time for lodgment of 2019 tax returns for certain companies and trusts and made changes to its administration of Division 7A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936.

Sladen Snippet - ATO withdraws practical compliance guideline on payments for use and exploitation of a professional sportsperson’s “public fame” or “image”

Sladen Snippet - ATO withdraws practical compliance guideline on payments for use and exploitation of a professional sportsperson’s “public fame” or “image”

In 2017, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released Draft Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2017/D11 (the PCG) to provide safe harbour measures for professional sportsperson’s who receive lump sum payments in exchange for their professional services and the use and exploitation of their “public fame” or “image”.

Sladen snippet: Victorian relief measures in response to the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic now law

Sladen snippet: Victorian relief measures in response to the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic now law

As of 1 May 2020, the State Taxation Acts Amendment (Relief Measures) Act 2020 (Vic) introduces various changes to land transfer duty and payroll tax relief measures as part of the government’s response to provide relief measures for bushfire affected areas and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sladen Snippet: Additional Tax Relief Announced by the Victorian Government

Sladen Snippet: Additional Tax Relief Announced by the Victorian Government

The Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas announced on 5 May 2020 that the Victorian Government will provide additional tax relief to businesses suffering as a result of COVID-19. The measures, which bring the Government’s economic survival and job package cost to $1.7billion include:

Can you make your employees download the COVIDSafe App?

Can you make your employees download the COVIDSafe App?

Many businesses around the country are eagerly anticipating being able to trade again. For some employers, this has included encouraging employees and customers to download the Federal Government’s COVIDSafe App. Questions have risen around whether employers can require their employees to download the COVIDSafe App before returning to work.