Whether you’ve been in business for years or you’re just starting out, choosing the right structure for your business is important. It is a consideration that is not only important from the start, but as your business grows and develops.
Salary packaging is one way for an organisation to increase the take-home pay of its employees — and if done correctly, at no extra cost to the business but with a tax advantage to the employee.
Is there a problem with using your company’s assets for yourself? Assets that belong to your business but that are being used for your own benefit or enjoyment can potentially trigger a tax issue known as “Division 7A”.
It is never too early or too late to think about succession planning for your business, however, it is strongly recommended that you start thinking about making a plan from the first day of ownership, regardless of whether you wish to own the business for 3 years or 35 years. Things change constantly in business, so by having a succession plan allows you to prepare for the unexpected, even though the plan may change throughout the years. Nobody wants their hard work and invested time to go to waste when they decide it’s time to step back.
A recent decision in the Supreme Court of Western Australia shows that pre-testamentary wishes are difficult to prove unless they are expressly provided for under a valid Will. In Caratti, the deceased mother made a decision during her lifetime that her son, and future beneficiary of her estate, could reside at her house for as long as he wished. However, there was no provision of this right in her Will. The consequence was that the deceased’s son was not eligible for an exemption to land tax despite using the property as his place of residence.
