News

The ATO has advised that it will engage in two new data matching programs dealing with property transactions, as outlined below:

• The ATO will acquire property management data from property management software providers for the 2018/19 through to 2022/23 financial years (relating to approximately 1.6 million individuals); and

• The ATO will acquire rental bond data relating to approximately 350,000 individuals from state and territory rental bond regulators bi-annually through to 30 June 2023.

The ATO has updated the luxury car tax (‘LCT’) thresholds for the 2021/22 financial year.

The LCT threshold for fuel efficient vehicles in 2021/22 is $79,659 (up from $77,565 in 2020/21) and the LCT threshold for other vehicles in 2021/22 is $69,152 (up from $68,740 in 2020/21).

Editor: Note that these thresholds determine whether LCT is payable, and are different from the luxury car depreciation limit of $60,733 for 2021/22.

The car parking threshold for the FBT year commencing on 1 April 2021 is $9.25. 

This replaces the amount of $9.15 that applied in the previous FBT year commencing 1 April 2020.

The ATO has advised employers intending to claim a tax deduction for super payments that they make for employees in the 2020/21 income year that any such payments must be accepted by the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (‘SBSCH’) on or before 23 June 2021.

This allows processing time for the payments to be received by their employees’ super funds before the end of the 2020/21 income year.

The ATO has reminded individuals receiving Child Care Subsidy and Family Tax Benefit payments from Services Australia that they and their partners must lodge their 2019/20 Individual tax returns by 30 June 2021.  Lodgment deferrals with the ATO do notalter this requirement.

Services Australia needs such individuals’ income details to balance payments for Child Care Subsidy and Family Tax Benefit.

If tax return lodgment is not made by 30 June 2021:

clients receiving Child Care Subsidy may lose their ongoing entitlement and/or receive a debt from Services Australia and have to repay the amount received in the 2019/20 financial year; and

clients receiving Family Tax Benefit may miss out on additional payments, may also receive a debt from Services Australia and/or may have their fortnightly payments stopped.