Patane Accounting Pty Ltd is a CPA Practice
Currently, there are plans to increase the level of compulsory superannuation contributions, paid by employers, from the current rate of 9.5% of salary to 12%. The increases, as currently planned, would occur in 0.5% increments over the next five years. However, due to pressure on the budget, the government wants to delay the first 0.5%…
For most Australians, superannuation is one of their most important assets, usually only coming second to the family home. Superannuation is a great way to plan for your retirement, offering you a lot of tax breaks and ensuring that you are putting money aside for the future you want. However, it can be unsettling when…
Many Australians have superannuation that they have lost track of over the years. The ATO estimates that the total amount of lost super in Australia adds up to billions of dollars. If you have ever changed your name or address it is possible that you have chunks of super that you’ve completely forgotten about. The…
There are a lot of advantages to having a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF). Increased flexibility and control over your savings are the most obvious benefits, with many SMSF trustees and members appreciating the ability to make their own investment decisions. Other advantages include the possibility of investing in a property, the ability to manage administrative…
While an SMSF may borrow money to purchase a property using a limited recourse borrowing agreement (LRBA), there are strict regulations surrounding the use of borrowed funds to renovate and improve properties. While you may be able to purchase an older property and renovate it using borrowed money, you are restricted from ‘improving’ the property,…
It has been revealed that Australian superannuation fees are amongst the highest in the world. Many leading economists, including Treasury director David Gruen, are making a call for fees to be reduced, in line with national interests and an aging population. Cumulatively, superannuation fees cost Australians approximately $20 million per annum. This represents about 1%…
From July 2014 there will be a new range of penalties that will apply to SMSF trustees in breach of superannuation rules. Currently, the only significant financial penalty that has applied to non-compliant SMSF trustees is the penalty tax that allows the ATO to confiscate half of your assets. However, from July11 2014 the ATO…
Non-concessional contributions to superannuation are contributions that are made from your income after tax. In the 2013-14 financial year the cap on non-concessional super contributions was $150 000, with contributions exceeding this being taxed at 46.5%. As non-concessional contributions to super have already been taxed this meant that contributions exceeding the cap were potentially being…
The Government has introduced a three-year Temporary Budget Repair Levy on individuals who have a taxable income in excess of $180,000. The levy is payable at a rate of 2 per cent of each dollar of a taxpayer’s annual taxable income over $180,000. No levy is payable where the taxpayer has a taxable income of…
Self managed super fund (SMSF) trustees should be aware of the changes to the way they receive super contributions. From 3 November 2014, employers will begin using the new Data and Payment Standard, also known as SuperStream, to make superannuation contributions to their employees. This means that SMSF trustees will be required to receive contributions…
