The Australian Taxation Office have released a new draft ruling on self-education expenses. We
revisit the deductibility of self-education expenses and what you can and can’t claim.
If you undertake study that is connected to your work you can normally claim your costs of that study as a tax deduction
- assuming your employer has not already picked up your expenses. There is also no limit to the value of the deduction you can claim. While
this all sounds great and very encouraging there are still issues to consider before claiming your Harvard graduate degree, accommodation,
and flights as a self-education expense.
Clients are often surprised by what cannot be claimed. Self-education expenses are not deductible if you are undertaking the education to
obtain a new job or something not connected to how you earn your income now. Take the example of a nurse’s aide who attendees university to
qualify as a registered nurse.
The university degree and the expenses associated with degree are not deductible as the nursing degree is not sufficiently connected to
their current role as a nurse’s aide.
Since everyone's needs are different, we'll build a package and quote for the level of protection best suited to you.
Lunch & Learn Workshop // 4 September, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch
Many business owners believe growth comes from more sales. But in reality, the strongest and most profitable
businesses grow by improving how the business works, not just by selling more. This session is designed to change that. The
5-Critical Financial Metrics
is a practical workshop that shows you where small, targeted changes can create disproportionately big improvements in profit, cashflow and
sustainability.
Lunch & Learn Workshop // 26 June, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch
This session is designed to change that. Pricing, Profit &
Your Ideal Client
is a practical workshop that helps you understand where your
profit really comes from,
how pricing decisions affect margins, and why working with clients that align with your business makes a measurable difference to both
profit and cashflow.
AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging RPA, VBA, ChatGPT, and Copilot for Innovation and
Productivity.
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in MELBOURNE with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power
Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge
Agentic AI. Tailored for accounting and finance professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners,
this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation
solutions independently.
AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging RPA, VBA, ChatGPT, and Copilot for Innovation and
Productivity.
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in BRISBANE with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power
Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge
Agentic AI. Tailored for accounting and finance professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners,
this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation
solutions independently.
Lunch & Learn Workshop // 27 March, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch
Many business owners are surprised to learn that most businesses don’t fail because they’re unprofitable - they fail because they run
out of cash. This session is designed to change that. Cashflow Essentials is a
practical workshop that shows you how cash really moves through your business, why cash pressure happens, and how to stay in control
- even while you’re growing.
Lunch & Learn Workshop // 27 Feb, 2026 - 12:00 - 1:30pm
$35pp includes lunch
If you’re like most business owners, you receive financial reports, and you have your accounting software, but you don’t always feel
confident interpreting them. This workshop is designed to change that.
Know Your Numbers is a practical, plain-English
workshop that teaches you how to
properly read and understand your core financial reports - and,
more importantly, how they work together to show the real health of your business.
The Fringe Benefits Tax year (FBT) ends on 31 March. We explore the problem areas likely to attract the ATO’s attention.
On 31 March, the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) year ends. With the ever increasing budget deficits, the ATO will be reviewing whether all employers who should be paying FBT are, and that they are paying the right amount. Who needs to lodge a FBT return? Find out here.
AI-Enhanced Automation for Accounting and Finance Professionals: Leveraging RPA, VBA, ChatGPT, and Copilot for Innovation and
Productivity.
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop in PERTH with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power
Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge
Agentic AI. Tailored for accounting and finance professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners,
this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation
solutions independently.
If you’re a director of a small business, Payday Super isn’t just an HR or payroll issue. It’s a governance issue that could directly affect your personal legal exposure.
Payday Super doesn’t just change when you pay super. It also changes how super is calculated. If you’re a small business owner, it’s important to understand these shifts — because they could affect how much you owe and for which employees.
One of the most important things to understand about Payday Super isn’t just that you need to pay super more often. It’s that the consequences of getting it wrong are more severe than under the current system.
If your business uses the ATO’s Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) to process super payments, this is important: the service is shutting down on 1 July 2026, and it’s not coming back.
When Payday Super kicks in on 1 July 2026, it won’t just change when you pay super. It will change how much your payroll system has to do, how often it has to do it, and how little room there is for error.
From 1 July 2026, the new Payday Super rules require you to pay super at the same time as your employees’ wages. For small businesses, this is one of the most impactful changes in years - and the biggest area it will hit is your cash flow.
If you employ staff, one of the biggest changes to hit your business in years is coming on 1 July 2026. It’s called Payday Super, and it fundamentally changes how and when you pay superannuation.
A car fringe benefit commonly arises when an employer makes a car they own or lease available for the private use of an employee.
The Australian Government is revising tax incentives for electric vehicles, including phasing out Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemptions for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Businesses providing these vehicles to employees must understand the impact of these changes and take necessary steps before the deadline.
Why should you lodge an FBT return where no FBT is payable? Well, for the simple reason that it turns on a three-year deadline for the ATO to commence audit activities. This is a NEW ATO rule as a result of massive deficits due to COVID. The ATO need to gain more funds somehow...FBT liability is one of the methods.
Granting employees’ access to company cars is treated by the ATO as a ‘non-cash benefit’, more commonly referred to as a fringe benefit.
New legislation before Parliament, if enacted, will make zero or low emission vehicles FBT-free. We explore who can access the concession and how.
An everyday occurrence across the business landscape in Australia is the practice of taking both existing and potential clients out for a meal to cement the business relationship, with the cost of this meal often covered by one party.
The ATO has signalled that there will be an increased focus on FBT this year. Given the ever-improving tools at the ATO’s disposal, in conjunction with the government’s need to raise additional revenues, it is important that employers ensure they remain compliant with their FBT requirements.
The commercial property market recovery that began in 2025 is set to strengthen and broaden in 2026.
Invoice finance is an option for some businesses to consider, to help smooth out cash flow during this period.
Secure your finance. Delaying could mean missing out on year-end opportunities and hitting roadblocks.
The retail sector has experienced the most pronounced shift, with institutional investors moving from net sellers in 2023 and 2024 to active buyers in 2025.
Australian commercial property is experiencing a change of fortunes with renewed investor confidence and a return to capital growth across key sectors.
Excellence in Inclusivity and Accessibility recognises businesses for their leadership in creating welcoming, inclusive spaces and ensuring accessibility for all. In this episode, the award-winnings share how inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s a smart business move.
The Local Community Connection Award recognises businesses with a commitment to strengthening the Mornington Peninsula community through networks, partnerships and social contributions. This episode features the award-winners as they share practical strategies, proven approaches, and inspiring stories that show how community connection isn’t just good for people - it’s sound business practice.
LIVE 2-DAY COURSE - MELBOURNE CBD
15 & 16 December 2025
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Tailored for accounting and finance
professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners, this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and
optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation solutions independently.
LIVE 2-DAY COURSE - SYDNEY
11 & 12 December 2025
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Tailored for accounting and finance
professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners, this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and
optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation solutions independently.
With more Australians living well into their 80s and beyond, managing your longevity risk is more important than ever. Learn how income products like annuities can support your lifestyle for the long haul – no matter how long your retirement lasts.
Retirement isn’t one-size-fits-all. We examine the three stages of retirement – and how each one affects your spending, planning and financial wellbeing.
Understanding the 3 stages of retirement and what they mean for your money, and how to future proof your retirement income.
LIVE 2-DAY COURSE - ADELAIDE CBD
8 & 9 December 2025
Join SkyBots’ 2-day Workshop with automation expert Daryl Aw to revolutionise your workflow using Power Automate, UiPath, VBA,
and cutting-edge AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Tailored for accounting and finance
professionals, bookkeepers and small business owners, this hands-on training will teach you to automate repetitive tasks, generate and
optimise VBA scripts, and deploy robust automation solutions independently.
In most cases, car loans in Australia can be paid out before the end of the loan term. However, depending on your loan type and lender, early repayment fees may apply.
Debt consolidation involves rolling several existing debts into a new single loan. Instead of managing five different repayments.
Choosing a principal and interest loan from the outset can lead to long-term savings and financial security.
Australia's housing market is heating up with property prices across capital cities rising at their fastest rate in almost four years.
This is a great time to explore your mortgage options. You may need to refinance your current loan or take out an investment loan.
Gold Coast unit prices have overtaken Sydney's for the first time, marking a significant milestone for the Queensland coastal market.
Equipment finance makes the most sense when it helps your business grow. If new machinery will increase productivity, open up new contracts, or allow you to expand your services.
SMART Business Solutions is proud to announce its recognition as the winner of Excellence in Local Community Connection (Medium–Large Business) and Excellence in Access and Inclusion at the 2025 Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards.
A good rule of thumb is to match the finance term to the useful life of the asset. This ensures your repayments align with the equipment’s value to your business.
It might seem like a clever strategy - moving surplus business cash into your personal mortgage offset account to save on home loan interest, then shifting it back to the company around tax time. But there’s a catch: the ATO sees this, and they’re not fans.
Commercial property has rebounded strongly, reaching $15.9 billion year-to-date through the second quarter of 2025.
Retail has positioned itself as one of the strongest performing sectors in the commercial property market.
With $7 billion in Games-related infrastructure investment already underway, demand for office space in engineering, construction and professional services sectors is increasing substantially.
Running a small business has always been personal. Every sale, every setback, every sleepless night - it all comes back to the same person: the owner.
A staggering 93% of small business owners reported higher costs this year, while 64% saw profits fall. Taxes, wages, and insurance top the list of pressures, with taxes ranked as the number one cost by half of respondents of a recent report.
Australia’s small business sector has always been defined by its resilience - but the latest Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) and CommBank Small Business Perspectives Report 2025 shows that resilience is being tested like never before.
Online loan calculators can give you a realistic estimate of your potential repayments without affecting your credit score.
The ATO is tightening the screws. They’ve issued a clear warning to businesses: stop inflating or falsely claiming GST. And they’re not just making noise - thanks to advanced data-matching and technology, they’re more capable than ever of spotting discrepancies.
Debt consolidation works best when the new loan has a genuinely lower interest rate and a reasonable term.
Smart Private Wealth is proud to announce that Founding Director, Shannon Smit, has been recognised in the 2025 FS Power50, Financial Standard’s annual list of the 50 most influential financial advisers in Australia.
It’s human nature to make decisions based on how something makes us feel — but property investing is not the time for sentimentality.
Guyrobb Electrics’ success story shows how structure, visibility, and partnership can transform the way a business operates. With the right systems, advice, and regular strategic review, Jon has been able to grow confidently.
As a relatively new business owner, Sharyn was looking for an advisor who could go beyond compliance — someone who could translate financial data into strategy, build her confidence with numbers, and help her align her team around a clear business vision.
On 31 March, the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) year ends. With the ever increasing budget deficits, the ATO will be reviewing whether all employers who should be paying FBT are, and that they are paying the right amount. Who needs to lodge a FBT return? Find out here.
If you’re a director of a small business, Payday Super isn’t just an HR or payroll issue. It’s a governance issue that could directly affect your personal legal exposure.
