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.
The tax impacts you need to know with divorce and relationship breakdowns including some of the areas that may impact you and where you may need assistance for your SMSF, Trusts and Estate Planning.
In the 2020-21 Federal Budget, the Government announced the introduction of a new JobMaker Hiring Credit to stimulate job
creation. This webinar helps you understand your eligibility for JobMaker credits so you can take appropriate steps to avoid missing
out on payments from the ATO.
With the borders between the State and Territories all but open and 2021 in sight, there is a hunger for a return to normal. With Australia's desire to ‘get on with things,' sentiment reached its highest level since November 2013 and Christmas spending is expected to be consistent with previous years.
As the holiday season winds up, it’s easy to be distracted from your financial goals. But this is actually the perfect time to put a few simple plans in place for a positive start to the new year.
The US election had earlier dominated attention. Donald Trump’s reluctance to concede diverted attention from possible policy changes under
the new Biden administration, but this will likely become an increasing focus for investors in the months ahead.
Stimulating investment is high on the Government’s agenda. To encourage spending, the 2021-22 Budget introduced a measure that allows businesses to immediately deduct the cost of new depreciable assets and the cost of improvements to existing assets in the first year of use.
We’ve had quite a few questions about the JobMaker hiring credit announced in the 2020-21 Federal Budget. The legislation enabling the JobMaker scheme has not passed Parliament as yet and until this occurs, the JobMaker rules are not certain and may change.
You've got a big block with big plans to subdivide in order to make big bucks. But do you know the ins-and-outs of property development from a TAX perspective? Before you jump in and commit to anything, it is important to understand the tax liabilities that might arise from your projects that will affect your overall profitability.
The idea of insuring against loss of income is one that has clear value. The idea of insuring against loss of income is one that has clear value. Yet many neglect to insure their most valuable asset. Income protection could be the answer – so how does it work?
Prossor Town Planning is dedicated to help people obtain planning permits across industrial, commercial residential and green wedge developments. Jackie Prossor tells us why engaging Shannon Smit as her business accountant, in addition to being her financial planner and business coach, makes perfect sense.
Director and owner Jon Robbins first engaged SMART Business Solutions as their accountant in 2014. Jon was looking for a proactive accountant and business advisor who would listen to him, take the time to understand his business, and work together collaboratively.
The 2020-21 Federal Budget is a road to recovery paved with cash. Some of the measures are aimed at addressing the harsh lessons COVID-19
has taught us and seek to centralise production back in Australia to ensure our industries can be self-reliant.
Reflecting on the past 6 months, particularly since the effect of Coronavirus on financial markets, I am concerned that many investors do not have a clear and tailored investment strategy. My observations are that investors seem to be failing to understand one basic investment principle; 'The higher the return the higher the risk’.
The updated alternative tests released by the Commissioner of Taxation are broadly similar to the alternative tests that were released in connection with the original decline in turnover test. However, there are some key differences.
In this pragmatic webinar we help you identify arrangements at risk of triggering significant superannuation guarantee liabilities and explore the steps to minimise that risk. This is an issue that is not going away any time soon.
The release of Australian-listed company earnings gave local investors something other than virus-related news to focus on. Earnings rose ~15% in the June quarter compared to the first three months of the year. This was ahead of consensus expectations, but overall the results were underwhelming as anticipated.
To access JobKeeper payments from 28 September 2020, there are three questions that need to be assessed:
Is my business eligible? Am I and/or my employees eligible? and What JobKeeper rate applies?
We’ve summarised the key details in this update.
In this practical webinar we help you identify arrangements at risk of triggering significant superannuation guarantee liabilities and explore the steps to minimise that risk. This is an issue that is not going away any time soon.
Over 2 days, the Victorian Government has announced two new support packages delivering over $3 billion in “cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support.
If you are selling your business, merging, acquiring, or inviting in new investors, you need to understand the value of your business. But, to what degree does the pandemic impact on value?
When it comes to choosing whether to hold personal insurance inside or outside superannuation, both options have pros and cons. Which one is right for you?
Some people enjoy retirement more than for others – and one of the secrets to success is to start planning well in advance. We spoke with a 67-year-old who has begun his (semi) retirement with style, for his real-life tips on how to make your retirement dreams happen.
Covid-19 developments continued to dominate attention. There were spikes in the number of new infections in both Australia and overseas, suggesting an economic recovery may be delayed.
This webinar looks at the common issues that arise in connection with lease arrangements and the special rules that are aimed directly at tenants and landlords. We also look at specific issues that arise when lease arrangements are adjusted in response to the impact of COVID-19.
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.
