Tax Update – October 2015
Payroll tax grouping – know the rules
For payroll tax purposes, businesses may be grouped with other businesses if there is a link between the companies. Businesses may be deemed linked in several ways; one of the most common ways is where two or more businesses are controlled by the same person or persons. There are specific exclusions under the payroll tax grouping rules which could apply for a business depending on the circumstances. This will require making an application to the relevant state or territory revenue authority.
When a group exists, only a single tax-free threshold will apply to the whole group. That is, the separate businesses themselves will not each have the benefit of the tax-free thresholds. Each member of the group will be liable for any outstanding payroll tax of the other group members, therefore, it is important for businesses to identify whether they could be grouped for payroll tax purposes.
TIP: The potential eligibility for exclusion from the payroll tax grouping rules should be assessed. Furthermore, as business conditions may change and as part of the overall management of a business, it may be prudent to regularly examine your business’s payroll tax obligations.
ATO’s proportionate compliance approach to SMSFs
From 1 July 2014 the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has three new regulatory compliance powers to deter and address contraventions of the superannuation law by trustees of self-managed super funds (SMSFs). These three new powers include the ability of the ATO to issue education directions, rectification directions and administrative penalties. The new laws were introduced to give the ATO more flexible and proportionate powers to deal with the various levels of noncompliant behaviour by trustees.
It is important for trustees to understand the ATO’s compliance approach to administrating the SMSF sector. A key message that the ATO has been communicating to all trustees is for them to rectify a breach as soon as it is identified. According to ATO Assistant Commissioner, SMSF Segment, Superannuation, Kasey Macfarlane, in these circumstances, the ATO would be “unlikely to apply further sanctions unless other factors are identified, such as if the same or similar contraventions frequently arose”.
Ms Macfarlane said the ATO uses “the new powers and penalties to drive compliance, not to increase revenue”. “So while you can expect to see us actively using the directions powers, in a large percentage of cases our application of SMSF administrative penalties will be more judicious, via favourable remission requests, for first offences,” she said.
Find your small lost superannuation accounts
A Bill has been introduced into Parliament which contains legislative amendments to increase the account balance threshold below which small lost member accounts will be required to be transferred to the Commissioner of Taxation – from $2,000 to $4,000 from 31 December 2015, and from $4,000 to $6,000 from 31 December 2016.
TIPS:
- Moving all your super from multiple accounts into one account (known as ‘consolidating your super’) might help you to save on fees and make managing your super easier.
- There may be sound reasons for maintaining a separate small superannuation account. It may be prudent to assess those reasons and, if those reasons are still valid, to take steps to ensure that you remain an active fund member.
- Individuals are able to claim back their superannuation from the Commissioner at any time. Interest, calculated in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), has been payable on unclaimed superannuation money repaid since 1 July 2013.
You can search for the unclaimed money held by ASIC using MoneySmart’s unclaimed money search tool.
If you have any other payroll tax, SMSF or superannuation questions, please contact our taxation services team today.
