When your job ends, whether there has been a termination of employment or redundancy you will receive a payment for unused leave. This payment will be taxed differently from your normal income. 

The taxation will vary depending on the reason why you left the job and any unused entitlements that have been accrued over your employment (long service leave or sick leave). 

Lump sum payments that you receive for unused annual leave or unused long service leave are taxed at a lower rate than other income. These lump sum payments will appear on your income statement or payment summary as either ‘lump sum A’ or ‘lump sum B’. 

These payments may also be taxed differently if you lost your job as a result of Covid-19.

The Australian weather can be unpredictable, resulting in intense weather conditions. Bushfires, severe storms or floods can cause personal properties and assets a lot of damage. In the case that this does occur, individuals need to determine the tax treatment of any insurance payouts or relief payments that they may receive. 

Usually, individuals are unlikely to experience tax consequences for payments for personal property or assets. Personal property or assets include your home and household assets.

On the other hand, if an individual’s income-producing assets incur damage, then they will need to determine the proper tax treatment of the payouts or relief payments that they receive and the costs involved in repairing or replacing the assets.

If you have been working from home and using personal assets to produce income (such as a personal laptop you are repurposing) then determining which tax treatment applies could get complicated. You may have to talk to the ATO or an advisor to clarify the specificities of your situation. 

The ATO will start processing 2018-19 tax returns on 5 July 2019 and are expected to start paying refunds from 16 July 2019, with the majority of electronically-lodged current year tax returns completed within 12 business days of receipt. There a few changes to tax returns that individuals should take note of going into this end of financial year.

Private health insurance statements:
From 1 July 2019, health insurers are no longer required to send private health insurance statements, it is now optional to send this information. Private health insurance information will be available in the pre-fill report, expected by mid-August. If it is not populated by then, taxpayers may need to request a statement from their health insurer.

Low and middle-income tax offset:
Taxpayers may be eligible for an income tax offset if they are an Australian resident for income tax purposes or their taxable income is in the appropriate income range. It is not compulsory to claim this offset, the ATO will work it out when their tax return is lodged.

In the event the changes proposed in the 2019-20 Budget become law after 1 July 2019, the ATO will automatically amend assessments. The offset can only reduce the amount of tax paid to zero and it does not reduce Medicare levy.

Income statement:
Employers reporting through Single Touch Payroll are not required to provide a payment summary to their employees as income statements will replace them. Employees can access their income statements through ATO online services at any time. Employees will receive a notification through myGov when their income statement is ‘Tax ready’, so they can complete their tax return. Employees will be able to contact the ATO for a copy of their income statement if they do not have access to myGov.

The Federal Budget for 2020 announced personal and business tax relief through various tax cuts. The legislation was approved by parliament meaning that individuals and businesses will be paying less tax, and have more money to invest and spend into the economy. 

For individuals, the government has brought forward tax cuts which were initially planned for 2022, now they will be backdated to July 2020. These cuts are set to amount to $17.8 billion and will assist low to middle-income earners. 

What are the specifications? 

• Tax bracket thresholds were increased. The top threshold of the 19% bracket increased from $37,000 to $45,000 and the top threshold of the 32.5% bracket increased from $90,000 to $120,000. 
• The low-income tax offset increased from $445 to $700

Therefore, depending on which bracket an individual falls under, they will receive tax cuts as well as a one-off payment. These payments can vary from $510 to $2745 depending on which bracket the individual falls into. However, if their income is higher than $126,000, then they will not receive the one-off benefit. 

Although the 2018-19 financial year is coming to an end, there are still a number of tactics you may be able to employ to ensure that you get the most out of your tax return.

Bring forward expenses:
It is a common recommendation at tax time for small business owners to claim all of the appropriate deductions that are available. These can include rent, utilities, repairs for the business, or work-related travel. You may also consider bringing forward as many expenses as possible to before 1 July, such as pre-paying rent or repair expenses. This can allow you to claim the necessary deductions in your 2018-19 tax return.

Take advantage of the instant-asset write off:
More business owners can take advantage of the instant-asset write off this financial year, as it has now been extended to include businesses with a turnover from $10 million to less than $50 million. These businesses can claim a deduction of up to $30,000 for assets purchased or installed and ready for use from 2 April 2019 until 30 June 2020. This could be particularly helpful for individuals who rely on tools, cars or other assets.

Keep strong records:
As a good recommendation to keep in mind for the end of each financial year, keeping up-to-date records can make tax time a little easier next year. It’s never too late to start getting your records in order, so consider keeping all of your documents together once you have filed your 2018-19 tax return. As an added benefit, a well-detailed set of records is the easiest way to resolve any issues that you may face with the ATO.

Capital gains and losses:
For those who have made any capital gain from investments this financial year, you may consider selling any investments on which you have made a loss before 30 June. This will make the gains on your successful investments able to be offset against the losses, reducing your overall taxable income. However, you should avoid solely letting tax benefits drive your investment decisions. Seek professional advice before making major changes to your investments.

Individuals can claim tax deductions when giving gifts or donations to organisations that have the status of deductible gift recipients (DGR).

To be eligible to claim a tax deduction for a gift, the ATO stipulates that it must meet the following four conditions:

• The gift must “truly be a gift”; that is, a voluntary transfer of money or property where the giver receives no material benefit or advantage.
• The gift must be made to a deductible gift recipient (DGR).
• The gift must be money or property, this can include financial assets such as shares.
• The gift must comply with any relevant conditions. For some DGRs, the income tax law adds extra conditions affecting the types of deductible gifts they can receive.

What you can claim:
The amount an individual can claim for a gift or donation depends on the type of gift given. For gifts of money, individuals can claim the total amount of the gift, as long as it is $2 or more. Different rules exist for gifts of property, and the amount of the tax deduction depends on the value and type of property. There are special circumstances where donations to Heritage and Cultural programs can also be deductible and are based on the value of the donation.

Tax deductions for the majority of gifts can be claimed in the tax return for the income year when the gift is made. However, individuals can also spread the tax deduction over five income years under certain circumstances.

What you can’t claim:
Individuals cannot claim a tax deduction for gifts or donation items that provide some personal benefit, such as:

• Raffle tickets.
• Membership fees.
• The cost of attending fundraising dinners, even if the cost exceeds the value of the dinner. You may be eligible to claim a deduction as a contribution if the cost of the event was more than the minor benefit supplied as part of the event.
• Payments to school building funds.
• Payments where there is an understanding with the giver and recipient that the payments will be used to provide a substantial benefit for the giver.

Leasing commercial premises, such as an office building, hotels or stores have their own struggles compared to being a residential landlord. Making the correct tax payment and knowing what you can and can’t claim is key in being a successful commercial landlord.

When leasing out a commercial property, you must include the full amount of rent in you earn in your income tax return. You can claim deductions for expense related to renting out the property for the periods it is being rented or is available for rent, such as:

• Immediate deductions can generally be claimed for expenses relating to the management and maintenance of the property, including interest on loans.
• Expenses such as depreciation costs of assets and certain construction expenditure can be claimed over a number of years.

Tax deductions cannot be claimed on:

• Acquisition and disposal costs of the premise.
• Expenses that you do not pay for, such as water and electricity costs that your tenants pay for.
• Expenses that are not actually used for the commercial property.

As a commercial property landlord, you are liable for GST when your property is up for lease if you are registered, or required to be registered for GST. You can claim GST credits on your purchases that relate to renting out your property, such as managing agent’s fees subject to the normal GST credits rules.