Preparing for the super changes

Tighter superannuation rules will apply from 1 July 2017 as part of the super reforms announced in last year’s Federal Budget.

ATO issues bad debt ruling

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a ruling that clarifies the circumstances in which a deduction for bad debts is allowable.

To obtain a bad debt deduction under section 63 of the Act, a debt must exist before it can be written off as bad. A debt exists for the purposes of section 63 where a taxpayer is entitled to receive a sum of money from another either at law or in equity.

The question of whether a debt is bad is a matter of judgment having regard to all the relevant facts. Generally, provided a bona fide commercial decision is taken by a taxpayer as to the likelihood of non-recovery of a debt, it will be accepted that the debt is bad for section 63 purposes. The debt, however, must not be merely doubtful.

Where a trustee in bankruptcy, receiver or liquidator advises a creditor of the amount expected to be paid in respect of a debt, the remainder of the debt (i.e. the extent to which the amount likely to be received is less than the debt) is accepted as bad when the advice is given.

The bad debt has to be written off in the year of income before a bad debt deduction is allowable under section 63. The writing-off of a bad debt does not necessarily require highly technical accounting entries. It is sufficient that some form of written record is kept to evidence the decision of the taxpayer to write off the debt from the accounts.

The debt must have been brought to account as assessable income in any year or, in the case of a money lender, the debt must be in respect of money lent in the ordinary course of the business of lending of money by a taxpayer who carries on that business.

Benefits of a socially conscious business

Socially responsible business is becoming highly sought after by customers, staff and communities alike.

Building a socially responsible business helps to set your business apart from competitors, improves your reputation and, ultimately, ensures your business is acting in an ethical and moral manner.

Here are three key benefits of running a socially conscious business:

Attract the right staff and customers
Studies show an increasing amount of workers would like to work for a business that makes a social or environmental contribution. Prioritising social responsibility is one key way to communicate your business’ values and therefore attract talented staff who share similar values.

Customers are also demanding products and services from businesses with a high social conscience. Recent research found that 55 per cent of global online consumers across 60 countries say that they are willing to pay more for products and services provided by companies that are committed to positive social and environmental impact.

Improve your reputation
Socially conscious businesses are dedicated to minimising harm, promoting sustainability and giving back to communities, so it is no surprise these businesses develop a positive reputation. Generally, businesses that commit to and support a meaningful cause develop a better image in their community and are more likely to win over customers.

Build better partnerships
Collaborating with other socially responsible businesses is a great way to increase your business’ exposure and increase community involvement. In addition, teaming up with other businesses and charities helps to strengthen ties and work towards achieving social goals (especially where funds or resources may be limited).

Unpaid super costing workers tens of thousands of dollars

Workers on the cusp of retirement who are short changed on their superannuation entitlements have nest eggs that are tens of thousands of dollars less than those who are paid correctly.

Using the latest ATO data from 2013-14, the research from Industry Super Australia found that people aged 60 to 64 on salaries ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 who weren’t correctly paid their SG that year, had overall super balances that were $35,089 or almost 40 per cent less than those who were.

Across all ages and all salaries, those Australians who were underpaid their super had balances that were $19,709 or 47 per cent lower than those who had received it.

Australian law requires employers to contribute 9.5 per cent in superannuation towards every worker over the age of 18 earning more than $450 (gross) a month. This is the Superannuation Guarantee.

However, a report released late last year found that 2.4 million or one-third of entitled workers were denied their SG in 2013-14. For the average worker, this represented $1,489 or four months’ worth of savings.

This new work draws from an ATO 2 per cent sample file of matched personal tax and superannuation records for 2013-14 and analyses the difference in balances for people who are underpaid employer super by nine categories of age and by six categories of wage and salary. In the matrix of 54 combinations, underpaid super was associated with a markedly lower balance in all combinations.

FBT and business vehicles

Business owners who make a car (leased or owned) available for employees to use for private travel may be subject to fringe benefits tax (FBT).

If a car is garaged at or near your employee’s home, even if only for security reasons, it is considered by the ATO to be available for their private use regardless of whether or not they have permission to use the car privately.

Similarly, where the place of residence and employment are the same, the car is considered as private use. Generally, travel to and from work is also private use of a vehicle.

The use of the car is exempt from FBT in some circumstances, i.e an employee’s private use of a taxi, panel van or utility designed to carry less than one tonne if the travel is limited to:
– travel between home and work
– incidental travel in the course of performing employment-related travel
– non-work-related use that is minor, infrequent and irregular

The best way to show the ATO that a car is used for business purposes is by keeping a log book for a period of at least 12 consecutive weeks showing:
– dates of travel
– odometer readings at the start and end of any trips
– the kilometres travelled
– the reason for the trip

Business owners should also keep odometer readings at the start and end of each year, along with details of the operating costs of the car.

Note, company directors are generally considered as employees by the Tax Office, so if directors use the car for private purposes, then FBT could apply.

Boost employee engagement

Employee engagement is more vital than ever before to a business’s success and competitive advantage.

Workers who are not motivated to work convey a bad impression to customers and are more likely to make mistakes. Employees who are engaged significantly outperform those who are not engaged.

Employees are no longer spending their careers working at one company until their retirement. In today’s business environment employees often have many jobs in their working life. Employees also have greater flexibility on where, when and how they are working, so businesses need to keep their workers motivated and engaged.

It is also more cost-efficient for businesses to retain valuable employees, rather than having to pay the prices associated with recruiting new workers.

There are many factors that can impact an employee’s engagement; however, there are three key drivers. Engagement is affected by the employees:

• ƒƒrelationship with the immediate supervisor

• belief in senior leadership

• pride in working for the company

There are five key areas that managers can focus on daily to encourage employee engagement:

• treat all employees with respect

• give credit when it is due

• communicate clearly, consistently and oftenƒƒ

• offer benefits

• provide an optimal workplace environment for them to thrive.

Employees should feel comfortable to express their ideas regardless of their position or role within the organisation.

Managers also need to recognise the important contributions being made by employees and reward those accordingly. Top performers in the business are an invaluable asset in driving a business forward, so it is important that they are given opportunities to excel and are rewarded when they do so.

Improving productivity

Staying productive in the workplace can be challenging – whether it’s interruptions from colleagues, unnecessary meetings or simply distractions such as social media, it is hard to stay focused on the task at hand.

Here are three ways to be more productive in your work day:

Take more breaks
Although taking more breaks sounds counterintuitive to productivity; breaks provide time to refresh and therefore can improve performance. Break up long tasks by taking a short break at least every hour or so to maintain concentration.

Reduce time of meetings
Meetings can take up a large part of your work day; stealing many of your most productive hours. Effective meetings usually have a strict end time, only include essential staff members and stick to an agenda. Before organising your next meeting, consider which staff members are necessary (and which can afford not to go) and write up an agenda prior to the meeting.

Break up big tasks into small parts
It can be easy to procrastinate when it comes to a large project, as the prospect of starting the task may seem overwhelming. One way to combat procrastination is to break up the task into smaller, more manageable parts. Breaking up the task helps you to feel more control over your work and can improve your mindset towards the task.

SuperStream checklist

All businesses should now be SuperStream compliant. SuperStream is a standard for processing superannuation data and payments electronically.

Employers must pay employee super contributions electronically (EFT or BPAY) and send the associated data electronically under SuperStream.

SuperStream ensures the data is in a standard format so it can be transmitted consistently across the super system – between employers, funds, service providers and the Tax Office.

For those businesses who have not made the switch, here is a guide to be SuperStream ready:

1. Choose an option

SuperStream requires you to pay super and send employee information electronically. If you already do this, you may only need to refine your system to send the contribution data in the standard format. You can use:

• a payroll system that meets the SuperStream standard

• your super fund’s online system

• a super clearing house

• a messaging portal

If you are unsure of which option to choose, contact one of our accountants to help you select the most suitable option for your business.

2. Collect information and update your records

You may need to collect additional information from your employees, including:

• employee tax file number

• fund ABN

• fund unique superannuation identifier (USI)

For employees with a self-managed super fund, you will need:

• employee tax file number

• fund ABN

• fund bank account details

• fund electronic service address

3. Use SuperStream

Once you have all the employee information, you can start using SuperStream as soon as possible. It is still the employer’s responsibility to meet the super guarantee obligations by the due dates. Those using a clearing house must check how long it will take to send the money and information the super fund. Generally, an employee’s super contribution is counted as being paid on the date the fund receives it, not the date a clearing house receives it from you.

ATO targeting online selling and ride-sourcing

The Australian Tax Office is collecting data from financial institutions and online selling sites as part of their data matching programs for credit and debit cards, online selling and ride-sourcing.

The data will include:

• the total amount of credit and debit card payments businesses received

• online sellers who have sold at least $12,000 worth of goods or services

• payments made to ride-sourcing drivers from accounts held by the ride-sourcing facilitator

The ATO will match this data with information from income tax returns, activity statements and other ATO records to identify any discrepancies. Data matching helps the Tax Office to identify businesses that need help and those that may not be reporting all their income or meeting their registration, lodgment or payment obligations.

Business owners who think they might have made a mistake or left something out are urged to contact our office to correct your mistake, amend your return or make a voluntary disclosure. The ATO may reduce or even waive penalties if you make a disclosure before the Tax Office contacts you.

2017 Business Resolutions

The start of the New Year is generally a time to reflect on the previous year’s achievements and challenges and work towards setting new goals.

The New Year can offer business owners a powerful motivation for business growth. Whether you want to expand your business or increase your network; goal-setting plays a critical role in achieving success.

Here are three business resolutions to consider for 2017:

Network, network, network
Consider joining a professional networking group or new business organisation to meet like-minded individuals in your industry. A large networking circle can help you access new business opportunities, expand your knowledge within a field and raise your professional profile. Participating in networking activities and events often leads to more connections, which can help generate referrals and word-of-mouth marketing.

Create a productive work space
The physical characteristics of a work space can have an enormous impact on productivity, health and safety, and comfort. A well-planned office space can assist employees to carry out their daily task effectively.

Elements such as lighting, colour, layout and noise all contribute to a positive and productive work environment. Ideal work environments are exposed to a significant amount of natural light, are free from clutter and control noise. Ergonomics also plays a significant role in productivity. Office furniture can be the cause of physical pain such as migraines, stiff necks and back pain, so be sure to provide comfortable seating.

Focus on relationships
Building and maintaining relationships is a solid part of running a business. Minor problems with suppliers, customers, staff or community members can quickly unfold if they are not addressed in the right manner. Commit to improving your communication style by demonstrating assertiveness, providing constructive criticism and ultimately, being open and honest in all of your interactions.