Super (AU): Pros and cons of home reversion Home reversion is when you sell a share of the future value of your home whilst still living there. You receive a lump sum payment and continue to own the remaining share of your home equity. Pros You are able to continue living in your home after…
Luxury car tax or LCT is a 33% tax on cars that have a value (including GST) above the set threshold. However, the tax is only on the value which is above the threshold. Businesses and individuals that sell or import luxury cars are required to pay LCT. You can make LCT payments in instalments…
The transfer cap refers to the amount of money that can be transferred from your superannuation account to your tax-free ‘retirement phase’ account. At the moment, the transfer balance cap is $1.6 million and all individuals have a personal transfer balance cap of $1.6 million. Exceeding the personal transfer balance cap means that you have…
When you own a rental property, keeping records is important. These will help you meet tax obligations. Generally, only individuals with their name on the title deed declare income and claim expenses. Remember that the records must be kept in English or should be easily translatable into English, and kept for a minimum period of…
Many Australians ignore the decision of choosing investments for their super and often end up in the ‘default’ option as they make no effort to choose otherwise. Default options that aim for ‘balanced’ or ‘growth’ investments tend to have 60-80% of funds invested in shares and property. This approach for investment is based on the…
Amounts which are not classified as income are split into 3 categories. Exempt income This is income that you do not pay tax on, although, some exempt income may be taken into account when determining: Tax losses of earlier income years that you can deduct Adjusted taxable income of dependants Some examples include certain Government…
SMSF funds can provide pension or lump sum benefits during retirement. Retirement is a condition of super release if you have reached your preservation age. Depending on your date of birth, your preservation age will be between 55 and 60. The benefits from your super are tax-free once you are over the age of 60. …
The Australian weather can be unpredictable, resulting in intense weather conditions. Bushfires, severe storms or floods can cause personal properties and assets a lot of damage. In the case that this does occur, individuals need to determine the tax treatment of any insurance payouts or relief payments that they may receive. Usually, individuals are unlikely…
Calculating how much super you will need will help you decide whether you should be contributing more to your super. You can utilise salary sacrifice schemes to increase contributions, especially if you are not using your entire salary. There are two main factors that impact the amount of super you will need when you retire:…
Trusts have their own tax file number (TFN) that should be used to complete tax returns. Trusts are also able to apply for an Australian business number (ABN) on the condition that the trust is carrying on an enterprise. If a trustee applies for a TFN or ABN, then this is in the capacity of…