Sportspeople, media personalities, celebrities and ‘insta’ influencers beware. The ATO has taken a U-turn on how fame and image
should be taxed.
If
you’re famous and make an income from your fame and image, the way the ATO believes you should be taxed on the income you make may change
under a new draft determination set to take effect on 1 July 2023. It is not uncommon for celebrities to attempt to transfer the rights to
the use of their name, image, likeness, identity, reputation etc., to a related entity such as a company or trust.
This related entity then manages these rights, generating income from exploiting their fame and image. For example, where a media
personality’s image is used on product packaging. One of the aims of arrangements like this is to enable the income to taxed in the entity
at a lower rate of tax or to be distributed to related parties who might be subject to lower tax rates.
What will CHANGE?
The new draft determination (TD 2022/D3) deals
specifically with the rights to use a celebrity’s fame and image. The ATO’s argument is that the individual doesn’t have a
proprietary right in their fame, which means that attempting to transfer the right relating to their fame to another entity would not be
legally effective. That is, you cannot separate the fame from the individual, it vests with the individual regardless of any agreements put
in place.
As a result, any income relating to an individual’s fame or image that is received by a related entity is treated as if it was simply
being collected on behalf of the individual and should be taxed in the hands of that individual.
After overwhelming demand and sold-out sessions in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Mornington in 2025, we’re inviting expressions of interest for 2026. If you missed out earlier or are ready to dive into hands-on automation training, we’re considering additional sessions in various locations across Australia in 2026.
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.
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.
Running a business is rewarding—but it also brings financial challenges. Whether you’re facing a shortage of cash during slower months or reveling in a boom and worried about the tax bill that follows, one thing remains constant: you need a clear plan.
Traditionally, a 20% deposit is considered the safe minimum by lenders because it reduces their risk. Borrowers with less than 20% usually need to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
Learn how expert business consulting can improve cashflow, profit and team performance, and how Smart turns strategy into sustainable success.
The scheme enables eligible buyers to purchase a home with as little as a 5% deposit, while avoiding lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI).
Running a business is rewarding—but it also brings financial challenges. Whether you’re facing a shortage of cash during slower months or reveling in a boom and worried about the tax bill that follows, one thing remains constant: you need a clear plan.
Learn how expert business consulting can improve cashflow, profit and team performance, and how Smart turns strategy into sustainable success.
There’s a quiet shift happening within the ATO, and it’s catching a lot of businesses off guard. The ATO is using its newly enhanced Risk Engine, now powered by artificial intelligence, to comb through business financials with greater speed, accuracy, and scrutiny than ever before.
