TAXATION AND BUSINESS ADVISORS

Supporting Business Growth Growing a successful business often involves taking calculated risks. Whether investing in new equipment, expanding operations or developing new products, periods of lower profitability or even trading losses can sometimes be part of the journey. The proposed loss carry back measures announced in the 2026–27 Federal Budget are designed to help reduce the financial impact of those losses while improving business cash flow. What Is Loss Carry Back? Lo

The Importance of Working Capital Cash flow continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing Australian businesses. Even profitable businesses can encounter difficulties if they do not have sufficient working capital available to fund daily operations and support growth. Working capital is the financial fuel that keeps a business moving. What Is Working Capital? Working capital refers to the cash and short-term assets available to operate a business on a day-to-day basis.

Tax Planning Matters Many business owners feel that too much of their hard-earned income disappears in tax. While tax is an unavoidable part of running a successful business, there are often opportunities to improve tax efficiency through proper planning and structure. Growth Often Means Higher Tax As your business grows, your tax obligations generally grow with it. Success often comes with larger tax liabilities, which makes proactive tax planning increasingly important for

Why Your P&L Matters Understanding the relationship between revenue and expenses is one of the most important parts of running a successful business. A well-prepared Profit & Loss statement (P&L) can provide valuable insight into profitability, efficiency and overall business performance. What Is a Profit & Loss Statement? A Profit & Loss statement, sometimes referred to as an Income Statement, summarises a business’s income and expenses over a specific period of time. Unlike

A Significant Change for Employers A major change to employer superannuation obligations is about to commence. From 1 July 2026, the current quarterly super payment system will be replaced by Payday Super, requiring employers to pay super contributions much closer to employee payday. For many businesses, this will require changes to payroll processes, cash flow management and compliance procedures. The Final Quarterly Super Payment The quarter ending 30 June 2026 is the final

The Role of Accountants Has Changed Many business owners still view their accountant as someone who prepares tax returns and annual financial statements. While compliance remains important, the role of a modern accountant has evolved significantly. Advances in technology, cloud accounting and artificial intelligence now allow accountants to provide deeper insights into business performance and future opportunities. Looking Beyond Historical Numbers Traditionally, accountants

The ATO regularly highlights compliance risks that affect small businesses. One issue that continues to arise is where shareholders of private companies use company money or assets for personal purposes. If these situations are not managed properly, they can trigger Division 7A tax consequences. Understanding Division 7A Division 7A is designed to prevent shareholders of private companies from accessing company profits tax-free. The rules ensure that when a company provides f

ATO Compliance Crackdown: 5 Steps Small Businesses Should Take The Australian Taxation Office is increasing its focus on small business compliance. As Angela Allen, Assistant Commissioner at the ATO, recently noted: “Every year we see small businesses run into avoidable issues because they haven’t kept accurate records, reported all their income or managed their cashflow effectively.” For many businesses the issue is not deliberate non-compliance, but simply poor systems, wea

Compliance Focus The ATO has confirmed that outstanding SMSF lodgements are a key compliance priority in 2026 . As of 31 December 2025, more than 93,000 SMSFs had one or more overdue lodgements , including roughly 20,000 funds that have never lodged an annual return . Why Lodgement Matters The regulator emphasises that lodgement is the cornerstone of compliance . Timely reporting demonstrates that trustees are meeting their obligations and enables the ATO to monitor the integ

Demand for Control Over Super Despite ongoing discussion about superannuation policy and potential tax changes, demand for Self‑Managed Super Funds continues to grow. For many Australians, the attraction lies in control over investments, strategy and long‑term retirement planning. Strongest Growth in Years Almost 14,500 SMSFs were established in the first quarter of FY2026 alone, making it one of the strongest quarters recorded since the ATO began reporting the data in 2012.

Are you heading away for a break from the business this year? This time of year can be hard on small business. Your expenses continue and your cashflow can suffer when your debtors go on holiday. Leading up to the holiday period, is your business cash flow in good health to carry you through? With a bit of pre-planning and being proactive, you can set yourself up for a financially stress-free holiday. Planning your cash-flow over the holiday period Invoice early - Send any i

From 1 July 2026, Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) laws will extend to services commonly...

The Government has passed new laws to reduce student debt and ease repayment thresholds, following the 2025/26 Federal Budget. The...

Financial abuse is a serious issue that often goes unnoticed in the tax and regulatory system. Regulators and practitioners are now...