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Conducting due diligence when buying an existing business

Posted on December 2, 2020 by admin

You’ve found the perfect business for you to buy. It fits all your requirements and you’re in a position where you can comfortably buy the business. What’s next?

Before you sign the contract to finalise the buy, it is important to conduct due diligence. For this, you should review the financial records, business operations and legal documents. These will prepare you to manage the business and identify any risks or problems in process that you might need to tackle head on. You will also be able to better understand what will be expected of you as owner of the business and which responsibilities have been allocated to that position. 

You should review items such as: 

Additionally, you need to conduct financial due diligence. Examine the past 3 to 5 years of the following financial documents:

You should examine these to make sure that record-keeping has been conducted and maintained appropriately. This will also inform you of any changes that need to be made once you start running the business yourself. 

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No More Shortcuts: The Methods You Can Use To Claim WFH Expenses

Posted on March 25, 2024 by admin

Ensure you’re up to date on how to claim your working-from-home expenses!

As the business landscape shifts back and forth between office, hybrid and home-based work opportunities, it’s important to remember what methods are available to you when it comes to claiming. If part of your role allows you to work from home, you may be able to claim certain expenses on your tax return this year using one of the following methods.

The Revised Fixed Rate Method:

Under the revised fixed rate method, individuals can claim 67 cents per hour worked from home during the relevant income year. This rate includes additional running expenses, such as home and mobile internet or data, phone usage, and electricity and gas for heating, cooling, and lighting. Importantly, using this method, you cannot claim separate deductions for these expenses.

To use this method, taxpayers must maintain records of the total number of hours worked from home and the expenses incurred while working at home. Additionally, they must keep records of expenses not covered by the fixed rate per work hour, demonstrating the work-related portion of those expenses.

What Records Do You Need?

Previously, taxpayers required a dedicated workspace at home. From 1st March 2023 onwards, the record-keeping requirement has shifted again, necessitating the recording of all hours worked from home as they occur.

How Does The Fixed Rate Method Work?

To utilise the revised fixed rate method:

The Actual Cost Method:

Alternatively, taxpayers can opt for the actual cost method, where deductions are calculated based on actual additional expenses incurred while working from home. This includes expenses for depreciating assets, energy expenses, phone and internet, stationery, computer consumables, and cleaning dedicated home offices.

What Records Do You Need?

To claim work-from-home expenses using actual costs, you must maintain records showing:

How Does The Actual Cost Method Work?

To claim actual expenses:

Australians need to understand their entitlements and tax deductions while working remotely.

Consulting with a tax advisor can provide valuable insights into available concessions, deductions, and offsets for your tax return.

By staying informed and adhering to ATO guidelines, taxpayers can ensure compliance and make the most of available deductions in the evolving landscape of remote work. Why not start a conversation with us today?

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