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.
Your tax refund can seem like winning the lottery. But it's not - it is your own hard-earned cash. So how can you make it work as hard for you as you did earning it?
"I'm totally covered.......through my super fund." If this is you, you might want to think again.
While everyone loves talking about property in Australia, the reality is that few people are experts. Here are some of the most common property investment myths plus some good ideas to consider.
Taking care of your mental health during lockdown periods becomes really essential. Shared by Simon Fraser University Health & Counselling Services: 25 tips to help you and your loved ones navigate this time.
Now that the new financial year is here, it’s time to start looking at all the ways you can make the most of your investment property. If you want to claim your expenses on your rental property, it’s vital that you have good records.
When property markets are hot, vendors often choose to go to auction to try and attract the very best price they can. However, many vendors are open to accepting an offer prior to the start of the auction itself.
Economic indicators have been generally positive recently, although the implementation of various lockdown restrictions nationwide are clouding the outlook.
The Victorian Government has announced new cash grants for businesses impacted by the lockdown declared on 15 July 2021. (Updated 6 Sept)
Most people would assume that if and when they need to claim on their insurance, the insurance payout covers the damage and is not income assessed for tax purposes - but this is not always the case.
If you worked from home during lockdown and spent money on work related items that were not reimbursed by your business, you might be able to claim some of these expenses as a deduction – but not everything you purchase can be claimed.
If you can’t work because you or someone in your household is impacted by COVID-19, support is available.
If your business has been adversely impacted by the recent lockdown in NSW, support is coming.
With the spring selling season just around the corner and property markets looking very strong, many potential sellers are looking at ways to spruce up their homes.
Overall news flow remained supportive of risk assets including equities and credit and enabled most major share markets to make positive progress.
If your current lender is not prepared to give you a better deal then it might be well worth taking the time to speak with a mortgage broker to find a lender that will. Here’s how to refinance your current home loan.
In the past 12 months we have seen record numbers taking out fixed-rate home loans. Particularly during COVID-19 times, it's worth considering what might happen with interest rates in the future and whether that means you too should think about a fixed-rate home loan.
The RBA has made it known that interest rates are likely to stay low for a while yet; however, there is increasing evidence to suggest that they will need to rise sooner rather than later.
There are a few changes earmarked for superannuation commencing 1 July 2021. These changes will impact both employers and employees. Read the details here to know what's expected.
Whether you’re a first-time home buyer looking to find your feet or a refinancer looking for certainty, there are clearly several factors to consider when shopping for a home loan.
Buying a residential property versus purchasing an investment property involves entirely different considerations. Here are the vital criteria to be on look-out for when selecting the right home loan for your investment property purchase.
A mortgage offset account is among the top home loan features available. And using one correctly can significantly impact your monthly repayments and how much you end up paying for your loan.
If you have a home loan, there are many reasons you may consider refinancing. That could include wanting to borrow more, access different home loan features or simply to get a better interest rate. We explore the more common reasons for refinancing, including a few you may not have thought of.
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There are several reasons motivating homeowners to refinance. It could be to achieve a lower interest rate or move from a fixed rate to a variable rate loan or vice-versa. If you’re thinking about switching loans, you need to consider the costs of any penalties – if relevant – versus any savings you stand to make.
Borrowing capacity is the amount of money a lender or mortgage broker is willing to extend to you to purchase a property. It is also a measure of your ability to make ongoing loan repayments.
It would seem SMSF loans have become an increasingly popular way to access the capital required to get a foothold on the property ladder.
Directors will be required to register for a unique identification number that they will keep for life, much like a tax file number under a rewrite of Australia’s business registers.
We often get questions from clients about what they can and cannot do in their SMSF. Often the questions relate to related party transactions – that is, interactions between the SMSF, its assets, and its members (or relatives of members). We’ve set out some of the common questions and answers.
The 2021-22 Federal Budget is a balancing act between a better than anticipated deficit ($106 bn), an impending election, and the need to invest in the long term.
When an accountant talks about Tax Planning what do they actually mean? As part of our tax advisory service we always offer strategic tax advisory, but it's important to note there are a lot of things that accountants cannot implement after June 30.
Small brewers and distillers will benefit from $255 million in tax relief to support more jobs and investment as part of the 2021-22 Budget.
The rollout of Covid vaccines remained the key focus worldwide. More than 30% of adults in the US have now received at least one jab, for example, and new infections are down by around 80% since the peak in January.
Here’s a guide to the strategies you can use to minimise your business tax.
Now's the time to review what strategies you can use to minimise your tax before 30 June 2022.
Changes from 1 July 2021 will impact on how much money you can contribute to superannuation and how much you can have in your retirement phase superannuation account.
Builders, electricians, plumbers, architects, real estate agents, security guards and other workers who hold an occupational licence in their home state or territory will soon be automatically deemed to have the necessary licence in other states.
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What’s the magic amount you need in your super account to retire comfortably?
Rhino 4x4 directors had been previously working with another accountant using MYOB, but they just didn’t have the commercial knowledge that they needed nor the visibility into the numbers. Enter Shannon Smit and the team from Smart Business Solutions to take Rhino 4x4 to the next level.
Having an Estate Briefing Paper prepared by strategic tax advisors means that we can guide the structure of your Estate Plan to ensure your assets will be managed and transferred to your beneficiaries in the most financially efficient and tax effective way.
Australian inflation recorded at 0.9% in the 2020 calendar year, nearly double what the Reserve Bank of Australia forecasted in November’s Statement on Monetary Policy.
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.
