Month: March 2020

Superannuation and Pension Payment Changes

To apply for early release of your super, you must satisfy any one or more of the following requirements:


How to Apply


Temporary Reduction of Minimum Pension Payments

To provide retirees with more flexibility in managing their retirement incomes, the Government has announced it is reducing the minimum pension payment requirement for account-based pensions and similar products by 50% in both 2019-20 and 2020-21.

All account-based pension holders are eligible. To request to reduce the amount of your pension payment, you will need to get in touch with us so we can check with your respected superannuation provider about their processes.

The amount by which you can reduce your pension payment will depend on your age:

Age Minimum annual pension payments New minimum annual pension payments for 2019-20 and 2020 -21
Under 65 4% 2%
65 – 74 5% 2.5%
75 - 79 6% 3%
80 - 84 7% 3.5%
85 - 89 9% 4.5%
90 - 94 11% 5.5%
95 + 14% 7%


Self-Managed Super Funds with Direct Property

The ATO has announced that it will allow SMSFs that have a lease agreement in place with a related-party business tenant to temporarily reduce rent due to the business and economic impact of Coronavirus / COVID-19.

The following has been provided from the ATO on their website in regards to SMSF Rent Relief COVID-19 Temporarily Reducing Rent:

Question: My SMSF owns real property and wants to give my tenant – who a related party is – a reduction in rent because of the financial impacts of the COVID-19. Charging a related party, a price that is less than market value is usually a contravention. Given the impacts of the COVID-19, will the ATO act if I do this?

Answer: Some landlords are giving their tenants a reduction in or waiver of rent because of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 and we understand that you may wish to do so as well. Our compliance approach for the 2019–20 and 2020–21 financial years is that we will not act where an SMSF gives a tenant – who is also a related party – a temporary rent reduction during this period.

We understand that during the extreme business and economic conditions relating to COVID-19, many businesses would have already stopped paying their SMSF landlord rental under their current lease agreement to help ensure their survival of their business.  This announcement on the ATOs approach to SMSF rent relief is welcomed and provide some minor, but potentially important relief for SMSFs trustees that have a rental agreement in place with a related party business or company.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Super Solutions Team today to see how YML Group can assist you. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400, or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website

Economic Stimulus Package – JobKeeper Payment

Use the link to register your interest now. The payments do not start until 01/05/20 but they will be backdated to 30/03/20 and will last for up to 6 months. Payment from the Government to your business is $1,500 per fortnight per eligible employee for you to keep the employee employed (even if you have to stand them down). This is only for full time, part-time, sole trader and casuals (that have been employed for 12 months).

Note that the JobKeeper Payment is more than the JobSeeker Payment that the employee would need to apply for if you needed to terminate the employee.

For more detailed information, please refer to JobKeeper Payments – Information for Employers.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Chartered Accountants Team today to see how YML Group can assist you. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400, or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.

Annualised Salaries – New Rules from 1 March 2020

The Fair Work Commission earlier this year – on 12 February 2020 – announced its new determinations for annualised salaries or annualised wage arrangements concerning a number of awards. New rules came in to effect on 1 March 2020 and started from the first full pay period thereafter.

An annual salary must at least cover a full-time employee’s minimum pay entitlements under an industry award and meet the National Employment Standards (NES) – the 10 minimum entitlements that must be provided to all employees. The onus is on employers to ensure that full-time employees receive an annual salary no less than they would be paid under an award.

Therefore, an employer and an employee may agree that an annual salary covers such entitlements as: Minimum weekly wages, Penalties, Overtime, Allowances and Annual Leave Loading.

An annual salary agreement should be outlined and the specifics detailed in writing and this written document copied, signed and kept by both employer and employee. The Fair Work Commission offers a template for use by employers – LINK TO PDF ATTACHMENT

Furthermore, employees must sign their acknowledgement of hours worked, start/finish times and breaks taken. It is important that employers create a record, either written and/or digital, for each pay cycle.

An employee’s annual salary must be reconciled: every 12 months from commencement, as well as when an arrangement ends or when an employee’s employment terminates.

Summary of Changes by Category

    Category 1
    Category 2
    Category 3
    Employee Agreement – No
    Employee Agreement – Yes
    Employee Agreement – Yes
    Annual Wage Calculation – Reference to Overtime and Penalty Rates
    Annual Wage Calculation – Reference to Overtime and Penalty Rates
    Annual Wage Calculation – Additional % as a Minimum

Awards impacted by New Rules

Note, for best practice, it is critical that employers read the annual wage arrangement clause pertaining to each award as each award has its own criteria.

Category 1 – Effective date 1 March 2020


Category 2 – Effective date 1 March 2020


Category 3 – Effective date delayed pending further submissions


How can YML help?

Talk to our Accountants today to see how YML Chartered Accountants can assist you with your employee salary agreements. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400 or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.

FBT 2020 – What do you need to consider?

The FBT year in Australia is from 1 April and ending 31 March the following year, so now is the time to ensure that you are up-to-date with the latest FBT developments in the areas of focus for the ATO.

For the FBT year ended 31 March 2020, the FBT rate remains at 47% in line with last year’s FBT rate.

FBT applies to benefits, given to employees in lieu of or in addition to salary or wages, received and this tax is paid directly to the ATO by employers. Benefits received may include such items as vehicles, car parking, housing and private loans.

The ATO has identified two concerns - employers’ failure to identify and report FBT on qualifying items and employers’ incorrect application of exemption provisions when reporting taxable value on items – in areas of concern for the ATO. Let’s delve further…

Where an employer is required to lodge a FBT return, what do you need to know about:

FBT Rebate?

Some employers claim a FBT rebate despite being ineligible to do so. You need to check that you are a rebatable employer and if you are not, then you should ensure you are eligible to receive a FBT rebate before making a claim.

Employee Contributions?

To ensure that an employer reports employee contributions as income on their income tax return and does not overstate the employee contribution amount in order to reduce an FBT liability, the ATO focuses on finding accurate declarations on both the FBT return and the employer’s income tax return.

Motor Vehicles?

It is necessary for an employer to verify that a FBT exemption applies to the provision of a motor vehicle to an employee for private use. In addition to supplying this verification to the ATO, the ATO is looking for an employer to keep sufficient records to support an exemption.

An employer will need to look carefully at the complex rules of FBT car parking (slight increase in car parking threshold 2019) and will need to be aware of the Practical Compliance Guideline 2018/3, applicable to car and residual benefits claimed in 2020 and later FBT years. If an employer provides an employee with an eligible vehicle to perform work duties, then this guideline may be applicable.

 Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA)?

An employer pays a LAFHA to an employee to compensate an employee for additional expenses incurred and for the fact of being away from home whilst employment duties require an employee to live away from their usual residence.

It is important to only claim FBT for eligible employees and to obtain declarations from those eligible employees. Claiming for invalid circumstances or keeping insufficient records of the accommodation and meal components is also closely looked at by the ATO.

The ATO’s LAFHA reasonable total food and drink expenditure for one adult in Australia increased in 2019 by just under 7.5% from 2018. It would behove an employer to check the ATO’s LAFHA guidelines for 2020.

It pays to understand how FBT applies in these areas. To minimise your FBT liability, at YML Group we can prepare and lodge your FBT return and/or calculate any employee contribution.

Our fee for the preparation and lodgment of an FBT return is from $550 + GST and for the calculation of an employee contribution is $270 + GST per item.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Chartered Accountants Team today to see how YML Group can assist you with FBT. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400, or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.

YML Insight – Special Edition COVID-19

Federal and NSW Government Stimulus Packages – accessible for a LIMITED TIME

What you need to know NOW

Federal Government – SMEs / Employers

Tax-free Payments for Employers

The Government will support employers with a credit equal to 100% of a business’s PAYG withholding amounts from salaries and wages, even for those employers who are not required to withhold tax.

If your business has employees working since 1 January 2020 and your business has an annual turnover of up to $50 million, then upon assessment of your BAS in these two quarters, an entitlement – at least $20,000 and up to $100,000 maximum tax-free – will be credited to eligible employers and refunded by the ATO.

Wage Subsidy for Apprentices/Trainees

The Government will support jobs with a wage subsidy of 50% of an apprentice’s or trainee’s wages during the period of 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020.

If your business has fewer than 20 employees and has been employing an apprentice/s or a trainee/s prior to and including 1 March 2020, you may be eligible to receive up to $21,000 during this nine-month period.

Claims for this subsidy may be made from 2 April 2020 and must be made no later than 31 December 2020.

Loan Guarantee Scheme

For all businesses with an annual turnover of up to $50 million and affected by COVID-19, an eligible loan through participating banks/lenders will be guaranteed to 50% of the loan by the Commonwealth.

A loan up to $250,000 for a term of up to three years may only be used for working capital and no repayments will be required for the first six months. Loans must be granted by a bank/lender within six months of 1 April 2020.

Instant Asset Write-Off (IAWO)

From 12 March 2020 until 30 June 2020, the Government:

These new criteria, applicable to 2020 tax returns, will enable eligible businesses to immediately write off the full purchase price of multiple qualifying assets.

Backing Business Investment (BBI)

From 12 March 2020 until 30 June 2020, a 15-month period, the Government:

These new criteria are applicable to 2020 tax returns.

Insolvency

A moratorium on insolvency laws for trading businesses will be introduced and changes made to attempt to mitigate the number of businesses collapses. Changes will include:

These measures will last for six months only.

NSW Government – SMEs / Employers

The NSW Government’s stimulus package includes:

It is expected that many businesses will benefit from these initiatives by saving the equivalent of at least one quarter of this financial year’s payroll costs.

Federal Government – Workers / Welfare Recipients

Superannuation Savings Access

Individuals experiencing “financial stress” due to lowered income or lost income will be allowed to access their superannuation savings up to twice, as outlined:

Application is via an individual’s MyGov online account – you will need to set up an account if you do not already have one – before 1 July 2020 for the first accessible amount and from 1 July 2020 for a further request.

Jobseeker Payment for Sole Traders / Individuals

Those individuals who work as a sole trader or who are self-employed may become eligible for Centrelink’s Jobseeker Payment (formerly Newstart Allowance), a payment being increased by the Government by up to $550 extra per fortnight for all current and newly-eligible recipients.

The extra $550 maximum extra amount, paid by Centrelink, will be in effect for up to six months only.

New applicants for the Jobseeker Payment must make an online declaration to Centrelink about any reduction in income or suspension of work.

One-off $750 Cash Payment + Extra $750 Cash Payment

To help boost the household economy, from 31 March 2020, the Government will provide $750 as a one-off payment to all eligible welfare, income support, veteran affairs and concession card holders to help boost the economy.

From 13 July 2020, the Government will provide an extra $750 payment to all eligible welfare, income support, veteran affairs and concession card holders. This second round will only be available to those people not receiving the up to $550 extra per fortnight in their Jobseeker Payment.

The ATO will automatically make these payments via Centrelink to eligible recipients.

ATO Support Measures for Employers and Individuals

The ATO is offering, on a case-by-case basis, administrative relief for some tax obligations, such as:

Act Now for your Business’s Eligibility – Consult YML Group

You’re not alone. YML Group is continuing to provide information and advice needed for you to steer your business through the COVID-19 disruption. Together we can review your business strategy and help you to move forward better-prepared by benefiting from the Federal and NSW Governments’ stimulus packages.

How can YML help?

Talk to our Accountants today to see how YML Chartered Accountants can assist you with your ‘COVID-19’ business strategy. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400 or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.

Managing your Money through this Crisis!

The most likely outcome of the efforts to contain the current health emergency is a near total shutdown of the world’s economy over the coming months. This is likely to lead to a near total collapse of many businesses, particularly those that have high financial leverage or high fixed costs. Only governments can prevent these businesses from failing. The potential financial and social consequences are very concerning.

We at YML understand and appreciate that being an investor is distressing at these times as we see large changes to our portfolio values every day. Our message is to remain calm, to not get sucked into this emotional roller-coaster and to remember that we are investing for the longer term. Although very harsh this time round, pull-backs in the markets are normal and anticipated.

We remain of the view that selling shares and crystallising losses is often very costly as timing the movements of values is almost impossible. Selling should only occur to meet urgent cash needs or required pension payments. Although we don’t know how far the markets will fall, what we are sure of is that when sentiment and fear about the virus and state of the world change, stock prices are likely to rebound sharply, and we would not want to miss those gains.

Important in these times is that we at YML remain focused on the uninterrupted management of your funds, also that we be available to talk with you if you wish and take what action is required swiftly. Our investment philosophy and approach to portfolio design has always been:

We are pleased to report that following these investment principles has meant our client portfolios are performing better than the market overall. It is important to note that:

Although each portfolio is tailored to each client’s needs, and differs in exact holdings, overall, the portfolios have dropped approximately 10% less than the ASX All-Ordinaries over the past three weeks.

This last week Warren Buffet said… “I can’t predict what interest rates, businesses or the stock market will do in the future, however that doesn’t mean I can’t do well investing over time”.

We appreciate the opportunity of managing your money and look forward to working closely with you and your investment needs as we navigate what lies ahead.

Please do not hesitate to contact me, Mark Raymond, on (02) 8383 4400, should you have any queries.

How can YML help?

Talk to our YML Financial Planning Team today to see how YML Group can assist you with managing your portfolios. Contact us on (02) 8383 4400 or by visiting the Contact Us page on our website.