One of the anomalies of the super guarantee system is the inability of employees to force employers to make contributions payable under the system. That could soon change, with proposed changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 which would allow employees to force employers to make contributions to avoid the liability to pay the super contribution charge under the Superannuation Guarantee Charge Act 1992 (SG Act)

The Government has announced that, from 1 July 2026, employers will obligated to make super contributions at the same time they pay their employee’s their salary and wages (eg weekly, fortnightly or monthly). Currently, super must be made within 28 days of the end of each quarter.

It has become common practice to make family trust and interposed entity elections to deal with carry forward losses and franked distributions without considering the impact on the future of the group.

As a result of recent changes to the work test, a technical deficiency was identified, such that, persons who are not common law employees, like directors and politicians, could no longer make personal deductible superannuation contributions.

Sladen Legal is delighted to have been identified by clients and peers for expertise and abilities in the 2023 listing of recommended Victorian Property & Real Estate Law Firms - Victoria, 2023

The Full Federal Court has confirmed in Jamsek v ZG Operations Australia Pty Ltd (No 3) [2023] FCAFC 48 that a truck driver partnership was not eligible for super guarantee contributions.  The decision is an important decision in relation the application to super guarantee in relation to contractors and, in particular, partnerships and other entities.

The New South Wales Court of Appeal (NSWCA) in Thomas and Naaz Pty Ltd v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2023] NSWCA 40 has dismissed a medical practice’s appeal and upheld the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal Appeal Panel’s (Appeal Panel) decision that payments from a medical practice to doctors, who worked at the practice, are subject to payroll tax.

This year seven of Sladen Legal’s lawyers have been recognised in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers® in Australia. Daniel Smedley, Bernie O’Sullivan, Phil Broderick, Rob Jeremiah, Neil Brydges, Victor Di Felice, and Edward Skilton. The list of exceptional legal professionals was announced on 20 April 2023.

During the stages of administration of a deceased estate, a beneficiary may become presently entitled to the income. It is important to recognise this to determine who is responsible for the payment of income tax on that income.

The High Court has confirmed that, in certain circumstances, the presumption of advancement can apply to contributions to the purchase price of property or the transfer of assets.

Almost one year into its two-year pilot, the Victorian Sick Pay Guarantee scheme has paid out more than one million hours of sick and carer’s leave to casual employees at a cost of more than $22 million.  The scheme is currently fully funded by the Victorian Government. 

The general requirement of an self managed superannuation fund (SMSF) is that all members must be trustees of the SMSF or directors of the SMSF corporate trustee. As such, putting aside disputes between trustees/directors, generally members are making the decisions about their benefits and the assets of the SMSF.

When a company becomes presently entitled to trust income, it is imperative that the rules in Division 7A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 are front and square in the minds of the trustees and their advisors.

Treasury has released an information sheet on how the new “30% tax rate” for super balances over $3 million will work.  

According to the ATO’s March 2022 statistical data (see here), the total value of crypto assets held by SMSFs was $220 million. That is less than 0.03% of all SMSF investments. The number of SMSFs that held crypto assets was 3,345 SMSFs being 0.6% of SMSFs.

On 21 February 2023 Revenue NSW announced that it has been determined that NSW surcharge purchaser duty and surcharge land tax (Surcharge Provisions) are inconsistent with international tax treaties entered into by the Australian Federal Government with New Zealand, Finland, Germany, and South Africa (Treaty Countries).

The introduction of windfall gains tax under the Windfall Gains Tax and State Taxation and Other Acts Further Amendment Act 2021 (Vic) (Act) has been highly controversial from the outset due to real concerns as to whether the tax truly captures a purported “windfall” by landowners who rezone land in Victoria and its punitive tax rate of 50% of such gains.

Trusts are generally known to have a flexibility that can achieve favourable tax outcomes, whether used as a vehicle for operating a business or as the entity to hold investments.

Recently, the paid family and domestic violence leave entitlement provisions in the Fair Work Act 2009 came into force.  This new entitlement is available to nearly all employees in Australia and imposes new obligations on employers.  So, what is the new entitlement and what do employers need to do when they are faced with a request to take the leave? We provide the answers in our Employment Law team’s most recent article.