The ATO estimates that incorrect reporting of rental property income and expenses is costing around $1 billion each year in forgone tax
revenue. A big part of the problem is how taxpayers are claiming interest on their investment property loans.
We’ve seen an uptick in ATO activity focussing on refinanced or redrawn loans. This activity is a result of a major
data matching program of residential property loan data from financial institutions from 2021-22 to 2025-26. This data is being matched
to what taxpayers have claimed on their tax returns. Those with anomalies can expect contact from the ATO to explain the discrepancy.
If you have an investment property loan and redraw on the loan for a different purpose to the original borrowing, the loan account becomes a
mixed purpose account. Interest accruing on mixed purpose accounts need to be apportioned between each of the different purposes the money
was used for.
On the other hand, if the redrawn funds are used to produce investment income, then the interest on this portion of the loan should be
deductible.
For example, if you have redrawn on the loan to pay for a private holiday, or pay down personal debt, then the interest relating to this
portion of the loan balance is not deductible. Not only will the interest expenses need to be apportioned into deductible and non-deductible
parts, but repayments will normally need to be apportioned too.
Withdrawals from an offset account are treated as savings rather than a new borrowing. If you have a loan account and an interest offset
account is attached to this account that reduces the interest payable on the loan, withdrawing funds from the offset account will typically
increase the amount of interest accruing on the loan, but won’t change the deductible percentage of the interest expenses.
That is, when you withdraw funds from the offset account this is really a withdrawal of savings and won’t impact on the extent to which
interest accruing on the loan account is deductible.
If you have a home loan that was used to acquire your private home and you have funds sitting in an offset account, withdrawing those funds
to pay the deposit on a rental property won’t enable you to claim any of the interest accruing on the home loan.
However, if you redraw funds from the home loan to acquire a rental property then interest accruing on this portion of the loan should
be deductible. The tax treatment always depends on how the arrangement is structured.
Think you might have a problem? Contact us and we can investigate the issue before the ATO contact you.
Compounding is an extremely effective investing tool, says Morningstar Investment Management’s Head of Institutional Portfolio Management and Solutions, Jody Fitzgerald, but it’s important to be aware of its inverse power on the downside.
With a few weeks left until the end of the financial year, it's time to optimize our SMSF or other super funds and maximize available strategies.
Young investors in their 20s and 30s possess a valuable asset for investing.
Over the past few years, service stations have been a favoured investment option.
Industrial property is putting upward pressure on rents, according to a new report from Savills
As EOFY approaches, it's important that Australian businesses prepare for their tax responsibilities and reassess their financial strategies.
One of the most common mistakes when refinancing a car loan is to ignore your credit score.
A pre-approval is simply a lender indicating they’d be willing to loan a certain amount to a potential buyer. However, it's important to remember that a pre-approval is not a guaranteed loan.
With the cost of living surging, many Australians likely wish their mortgage was already paid off.
Upside Realty found a significant increase in open home attendance across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The end of the financial year is always a busy time for property investors, however, with the right preparation you can make the most of your available deductions.
SMEs face new challenges and opportunities with the ESG trend. This article offers a balanced breakdown of ESG, its varying perspectives, implications for SMEs, and the pros and cons.
Recently, Fair Work legislation has been amended in a number of areas and if you’re a business owner with employees, you should be across these.
When considering a mortgage, it's advisable to research different lenders and their product offerings to determine if they provide offset accounts as an option.
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Several costs come with refinancing a home loan, although some of these costs are added to your new mortgage. You can get a rough estimate of the cost to refinance your mortgage by using a refinance calculator, or engaging a mortgage broker.
On settlement day, it's important to consider tasks such as reviewing the final settlement statement, ensuring funds are available for the down payment and closing costs, and conducting a final inspection of the property before completing the purchase.
A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that allows homeowners who are typically 62 years or older to convert a portion of their home equity into cash.
Mortgage refinancing is the process of replacing an existing mortgage with a new loan, typically to secure better terms, lower interest rates, or access equity in the property.
Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is a form of insurance that protects the lender in case a borrower defaults on their home loan, typically required when the borrower's deposit is less than 20% of the property's value.
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Construction loans are a type of financing specifically designed to fund the construction or renovation of a property, providing borrowers with the necessary funds in stages as the construction progresses.
When preparing to buy a property, it's important to assess your financial readiness, research the real estate market, determine your needs and preferences, and secure financing options.
Family guarantee
When buying a first home, it's crucial to consider factors such as budget, location, property condition, future needs, and financing options.
When buying a house at auction, one should consider factors such as conducting thorough research on the property's condition, setting a budget limit, assessing potential renovation costs, and understanding the terms
Mortgage stress occurs when a household struggles with financial obligations and meeting their mortgage repayments.
The Government has announced that it will enshrine a right to superannuation payments in the National Employment Standards (NES).
Reduce interest on the non-deductible debt by using company cash to offset their personal mortgage, then transferring the cashback by 30 June.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has launched a full-on assault on rental property owners who incorrectly report income and expenses.
From 1 July 2023, access to the Government’s Home Guarantee Scheme will be expanded to joint applications from friends, siblings, and other family members.
In a pre-Budget announcement, the Government has committed to a Small Business Energy Incentive Scheme that offers a bonus tax deduction of up to $20,000.
The 2023-24 Federal Budget offers a $4.2bn surplus; the first in 15 years. The surplus was driven by a surge in the corporate and individual tax take.
Effective at 30th of June 2023, our sample PCG 2021/4 report uses Dr. Nicole Smart as our example.
LIVE EVENT
5 May @ 7 - 10pm
This exclusive and intimate fundraiser event is an opportunity to meet the makers behind Crittenden Wines, enjoy fine wine tasting,
delicious food, great company and bid on silent auction items, all to raise funds for Mental Health Safety Net.
When looking to purchase a new car, there are many different ways to use finance to help you secure your vehicle.
With the ups and downs of the property market, investors and homebuyers often wonder when the right time to buy really is.
Despite international travel starting to pick up again, demand for caravans is still high.
New research has found that it has been the smaller cities of Hobart, Adelaide and Canberra that have been the strongest-performing property markets over the past two decades.
Buy now, pay later services that allow consumers to make purchases and have grown in popularity. However, for homebuyers, there might be risks that they are not aware of.
Rising interest rates and the surging cost of living are putting more Australians under mortgage stress, according to a new report.
Regional areas and high-end Sydney suburbs dominate the list of suburbs bouncing back the fastest, according to CoreLogic.
Establishing a medical or dental practice is a big undertaking. The most effective ways to purchase medical equipment is with the help of asset finance.
Demand for office space is slowly starting to recover, with a new report showing Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth rents are moving higher.
Over the past 12 months, the value of residential approvals has declined 3.15% while the value of non-residential developments continues to grow, up 3.61%.
ONLINE WEBINAR
27 April 2023 // 12:30pm
Let's face it, insurance is not the most exciting topic. In
this webinar we'll offer guidance on how to compare different insurance policies, assess your risk, read beyond the marketing and how
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Tax planning is more than just a financial necessity—it's a strategic advantage for businesses of all sizes. By proactively managing your tax strategy, you can significantly reduce your liabilities, enhance cash flow, and ensure full compliance with ever-evolving tax regulations.
