Small to medium employers who intend to claim the “cash flow boost payment” (minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $50,000) announced in the second round of stimulus hoping to receive an injection of cash should beware. The “payment” is not actually a payment, rather it is a credit that will be offset against of the liabilities that appear on the BAS and any debits in a taxpayer’s RBA.

In response to the recommendations of the Banking and Financial services Royal Commission and the ASIC Enforcement Review Taskforce Report, the government has proposed new enforcement and supervision powers for ASIC to restore consumer confidence in the financial system, particularly in relation to financial advice.

The Tax Avoidance Taskforce has recently been expanded by the ATO to private groups and high wealth individuals. Originally conceived in 2016 to ensure that multinational enterprises, large public and private business pay the right amount of tax, this has now been extended to cover more taxpayers.

The qualifying age to receive a genuine redundancy payment has recently been increased to the age pension age, so even if you’re over 65 you may still be able to receive the payment.

The government plans to give companies greater access to prior year tax losses in a bid to stimulate business innovation. A new alternative to the “same business test” – the “similar business test” – will make it easier for companies that have experienced a significant change in ownership or control to carry forward their losses. While this will provide greater flexibility, companies will need to carefully weigh up a range of factors to determine whether they meet the test.

With the real estate market hotting up for another year, many home buyers will turn their thoughts to newly constructed residential premises or subdivisions, but a recent Bill introduced may increase the costs and complexity of such purchases.

Thinking about tapping into your super early to help with mounting expenses? Mortgage repayments, medical treatments and hard-to-meet living costs are all potentially valid reasons for early access to super – but the eligibility rules are strict. Find out what criteria apply so you can make an informed decision about your best course of action.

“Downsizer” contributions let you contribute some of the proceeds from the sale of your home into superannuation – but there are several important eligibility requirements. Learn which areas the ATO says are tripping up superannuation members and ensure you get it right.

Made a tax loss? If you’re a sole trader or individual partner, you may be able to apply the loss against other income like salary or investment income, or carry the loss forward to a future year. Learn what rules apply so you can start factoring losses into your business tax planning.

Looking for opportunities to improve cashflow? If you import goods as part of your business, you don’t have to pay GST upfront if you’re registered for the ATO’s deferred GST scheme.

Proposed new ATO powers to disclose business tax debts to credit reporting agencies mean businesses with long-term unpaid tax bills could see their credit rating affected. But fortunately, this is a measure of last resort. Find out what tax debts are potentially captured and how you can ensure your business isn’t stung with a disclosure.

Did you know from 1 July 2018, GST will apply to sales of all goods to Australia. The previous $1,000 low-value threshold will no longer apply and those businesses that meet the $75,000 registration threshold will need to register, charge and remit GST to the ATO. This applies regardless of where the business is based.