Recent News
Health Insurance yes or no?
The great debate continues as to whether to have private health insurance or not? and is it beneficial for tax purposes? The Medicare levy surcharge (MLS) is levied on Australian taxpayers who do not have an appropriate level of private hospital insurance and who earn...
Superannuation contributions on behalf of your spouse
Did you make contributions to a complying superannuation fund or a retirement savings account (RSA) on behalf of your spouse (married or de facto) who is earning a low income or not working? An RSA is a special account offered by banks, building societies, credit...
What’s new for small businesses
Tax concession rules for small businesses have changed. The changes are effective from 1 July 2016, and will apply from your 2017 tax return. Expanded access to small business concessions More businesses are now eligible for most small business tax concessions. From...
Small Business Company Tax
From the 2016–17 income year, the small business company tax rate has been reduced to 27.5%. This lower rate now applies to small businesses with a turnover (that is, aggregated turnover) less than $10 million that are: companies corporate unit trusts public trading...
Superannuation Cap – Part 2
CGT relief There are transitional provisions to provide Capital Gains Tax relief. You are able to reset the cost base of assets reallocated from the retirement phase to the accumulation phase prior to 1 July 2017. This relief is available for providers in respect of...
Serving Court Documents – You can run but you can’t hide
One fundamental first step at the beginning of any application is to prove to the court that your application has been brought to the attention of the party or parties. This is commonly known as service. Personal Service In family law applications, the court...
Australian courts ordering the return of a child to an overseas jurisdictions
In the recent decision of Hsing & Song [2016] FamCA 986 , the family court again illustrated its willingness in appropriate circumstances to order a child to be returned to an overseas jurisdiction, in this case China. In the case, the court satisfied itself on...
Superannuation Cap
In the 2016/17 Budget it was announced that from 1 July 2017 the total amount of superannuation that can be transferred into a tax-free pension phase account will be capped at $1.6 million. The cap will be indexed in $100,000 increments in line with the consumer price...
My Will, my way…. Unfortunately, not always
Do you have a wayward beneficiary? Has your child removed themselves from your family and refuses to have a relationship with you? How can you stop this person making a claim on your Estate? Unfortunately, you cannot avoid Estate litigation, even if you feel you have...
Enduring Power of Attorney – what is it and why do I need one
When considering your Estate planning, you need to consider your circumstances whilst you are still alive. What happens if you lose capacity? Who will help pay the bills and make decisions for you? A Power of Attorney is a legal document appointing someone to act for...
The silent abuse of Elders
Elder abuse is an increasing problem in our society, often hard to identify and with many ways it can be inflicted on vulnerable older people. It is important to identify the signs of abuse early and understand the available legal rights. Elder abuse occurs where...
Stop Clowning Around
The current creepy clown craze now terrifying communities in Australia poses risks, not only for the public at large, but also the offenders, where their actions may lead to criminal charges ranging from assault to more seriously manslaughter or even murder. A person...
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