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HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd, Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne (2026)

18/10/2026

🚨 𝐓𝐀𝐗𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐄, 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏 𝐓𝐎 𝟕𝟎%: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒!
A new tax bill could create a massive double-taxation trap, potentially swallowing nearly 70% of your hard-earned profits!

🎭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
The Government proposes that trusts pay a minimum tax rate of 30%. Normally, this tax would generate a Minimum Tax Offset (MTO) that beneficiaries can use to reduce their own tax bills. BUT the Government wants to prevent corporate beneficiaries from accessing this offset. Why? Officials fear companies could exploit the MTO to generate franking credits.

🧮 𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰:
Tax specialists at the National Tax & Accountants’ Association (NTAA) have challenged the logic behind this proposal. Here’s why it doesn’t add up:
❌ If companies are allowed to use the MTO: They can offset their tax liability, potentially reducing the additional tax payable to zero.
➡️ Result: No franking credits are generated!
⚠️ But if companies are DENIED the MTO: They are forced to pay an additional 30% tax out of their own pockets.
➡️ The irony? That very tax payment is what generates the franking credits the Government is trying to prevent!

💣 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞:
Imagine your trust earns $100 in profit. The trust loses $30 to tax, then the company receiving the remaining amount gets hit with another $30 in tax. When the profits are eventually distributed to shareholders on the highest marginal tax rate, another round of tax follows. The result? An effective total tax burden of up to 69.71%!

📌 Source: Accountants Daily — Government’s denial of the minimum tax offset doesn’t add up, says senior advocate
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

17/10/2026

💥 𝐀 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓: 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐔𝐓 𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒! 🏠
Australia’s national median rent has reportedly hit a record $713 per week, with Sydney soaring to $843 per week. Renters are being pushed to the brink but the most surprising development is the growing support for rent controls among people who already own a home.

🤯 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐗: 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒?
A new survey has revealed a striking shift in public opinion: the rental affordability crisis is no longer seen as just a problem for people who rent. Remarkably, 71% of outright homeowners and 73% of homeowners still paying off a mortgage reportedly support the Government introducing a rent freeze or rent caps.

💔 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐒?
The answer is simple: the housing crisis is affecting families across generations.
🟠 Parents are watching their children struggle. Many parents are distressed to see their adult children working hard, only to have their savings swallowed up by rent, leaving them fearing they may never be able to afford a home of their own.
🟠 The tables are turning for older Australians, too. Some younger Australians are taking their elderly parents into their homes after their parents have been forced out of rental properties following steep rent increases.
The growing frustration appears to be cutting across traditional political divides. Regardless of which party they support, around 80% of Australians reportedly want limits on rent increases.

⚔️ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄-𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄: 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖?
🟠 Back in 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held high-profile discussions about a nationwide “Better Deal for Renters”, including a proposal to limit rent increases to once a year.
🟠 But fast-forward to late 2026, and three years have passed without the promised nationwide framework being delivered. Renters remain subject to a patchwork of different rules across states and territories, with no consistent national approach to rent increases.
🤷‍♂️ With rents at record highs and pressure mounting on households, the demand for action is growing louder.

Source: “‘Breaking point’: Overwhelming majority of Aussies demand nationwide rent caps”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

16/10/2026

The Government’s tangled tax reforms covering Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Trusts are pushing countless small and medium-sized business owners across Australia into a state of “decision paralysis”. With the rules still unclear, many are reluctant to invest, restructure or make critical decisions about their business assets!

Even more frustrating, the Government allowed just two weeks for consultation, an absurdly short timeframe, while seemingly ignoring experts’ warnings about serious gaps in the proposed legislation. The “pass the laws now and fix the mistakes later” approach is shifting the risks and costs onto taxpayers! 🤦‍♂️

🔥 Two ticking time bombs your business could face:
1️⃣ Skyrocketing valuation costs: The requirement to revalue business assets as at 1 July 2027 could be expensive and complex. Leave it until the last minute, and you risk getting caught in a wave of overwhelming demand for valuation services.
2️⃣ Tight deadlines with little room to manoeuvre: The window to make critical tax decisions is narrow. Businesses must elect to apply the EET tax regime before the 2029 tax return deadline, while the deadline for Trust restructures will close permanently on 30 June 2030.

📌 Source: Accountants Daily – Tax reform uncertainty causing decision ‘paralysis’

15/10/2026

🚨 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃: 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓-𝐔𝐏𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘?
Major proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and discretionary trusts are raising serious concerns among Australian business owners.

❌ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟓𝟎% 𝐂𝐆𝐓 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃
From 1 July 2027, the proposed reforms would replace the 50% CGT discount with an indexation-based system. For start-ups and businesses built from a relatively small initial investment, the new approach could offer little benefit. Entrepreneurs who have invested years of hard work, taken financial risks and built a business from the ground up could face a significantly higher tax bill when they sell their assets.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄: 𝐀 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊
The proposed reforms involve a complex nine-step transitional process, potentially requiring many businesses to have their assets revalued before 30 June 2027. This could trigger a surge in demand for accountants and valuation specialists, putting the industry under significant pressure as the deadline approaches. Wait too long, and finding a qualified professional when you need one could become much harder.

🔒 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝟑𝟎% 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐒
The proposed legislation also threatens to fundamentally change how discretionary trusts operate, potentially limiting the flexibility that families and business owners have traditionally relied on. This could have significant implications for family wealth protection, tax planning and passing assets on to the next generation.

💡 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐖?
With major tax changes potentially on the horizon, business owners should start reviewing their existing structures, investment strategies and succession plans well ahead of the proposed implementation date. Early advice from a qualified tax professional could help you understand how the proposed changes may affect your business and what options may be available.

Source: Accountants Daily — “‘Higher tax on entrepreneurship’: CGT reforms ‘meaningless’ for new businesses”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

14/10/2026

🚨 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀’𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍: 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐘!
The Government’s push to cool the housing market, amid four consecutive interest rate hikes and proposed cuts to negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) concessions for established properties, has seen investor lending fall by 9% over the past quarter. But property investors aren’t abandoning the market altogether. Instead, they’re shifting their money into a different kind of investment.

🔥 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒
🔹 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬, 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰
With negative gearing benefits for established properties set to be wound back, low-yield investments could become less attractive. Investors are increasingly looking for properties that generate stronger rental income, including apartments in major cities and houses in outer suburban areas.
🔹 𝐀 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬
Despite soaring construction material costs, lending for the purchase or construction of new homes has reportedly surged by 24%. Rather than exiting the market, investors appear to be redirecting their capital towards new properties, potentially taking advantage of the more favourable tax treatment proposed for new builds.
🔹 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬
Despite the changing market conditions, 93% of investment properties sold this year reportedly fetched more than their original purchase price. This suggests that, for many investors, property remains a profitable long-term asset even as interest rates rise and tax settings change.

💥 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐔𝐏 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄?
The Government’s policies aim to discourage speculative investment and improve housing affordability. However, critics warn that if fewer investors supply rental properties, the pressure on an already tight rental market could intensify.
With rental vacancy rates remaining near historic lows, tenants may face even greater competition for available homes, potentially pushing rents to new highs.

Source: realestate.com.au — “Investor pullback as rate hikes and tax changes bite”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

13/10/2026

✨ 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓-𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐄 𝐔-𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍: 𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕!
After unexpectedly announcing plans to scrap credit card payments for tax debts, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has officially reversed course, extending the option until 30 June 2027.

💡 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐎 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒?
Paying tax bills including GST and BAS liabilities by credit card has long been a useful cash flow management tool for small businesses, giving them extra flexibility to manage working capital and keep day-to-day operations running.
The ATO’s original plan to abruptly remove this option, reportedly without consulting industry stakeholders, sparked strong criticism. Business representatives warned that losing access to this short-term funding option could put additional pressure on already stretched cash flows and push some businesses closer to financial distress.

⚠️ 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘
Although the ATO has given businesses more time, the plan to phase out credit card payments remains on the table.
This extension should be treated as a preparation window, not a permanent reprieve. Business owners should use the extra time to review their cash flow, plan for upcoming tax obligations and consider alternative payment arrangements before the deadline arrives.

Source: Accountants Daily — “ATO extends credit card payment option to 30 June 2027, silent on initial consultation process”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

12/10/2026

🤯 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀’𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐗: 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐔𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇?
The great Australian dream of homeownership is now demanding an increasingly unrealistic income just to get a foot in the door.

📉 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒?
Following major tax policy changes targeting negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in May, Australia’s housing market has come under renewed pressure, with property prices reportedly falling at their fastest pace in 40 years. You might think this would create a golden opportunity for aspiring homeowners. But the reality is far less encouraging.

💔 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐗: 𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒, 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘
🟠 The biggest culprit? Interest rates. After four consecutive rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), interest rates have climbed to a 15-year high, making banks’ mortgage serviceability assessments tougher than ever.
🟠 Higher borrowing costs are wiping out the benefits of falling property prices. Even if a home becomes cheaper, higher mortgage repayments can reduce the amount a buyer can borrow — potentially faster than property prices are falling.

📊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐘 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆
📍 Sydney: You need a gross annual income of around $245,000 to qualify for a mortgage, nearly $11,000 more than last year.
📍 Brisbane: Buyers need approximately $185,000 a year. The income required to secure a home loan is reportedly rising eight times faster than workers real wages.
📍 Melbourne: Higher interest rates have pushed couples out of the market in 62 additional suburbs compared with last year.
📍 Adelaide: Even a single buyer needs to earn around $167,424 a year before tax to afford an average-priced home.

🏗️ 𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘
Industry experts in the building sector have criticised the Government’s new tax policies, arguing that they could drive property prices down without making homeownership genuinely more achievable for ordinary workers. Because ultimately, a cheaper house means little if you can no longer borrow enough to buy it.

Source: realestate.com.au — “Salary needed to buy average Australian home surges despite falling property prices”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

11/10/2026

🚨 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐓𝐎 𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 - 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌?
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has announced that it will stop accepting credit card payments for tax liabilities after 30 November 2026. Why? The ATO is no longer willing to absorb around $200 million in transaction fees, leaving small businesses to deal with yet another challenge when managing their cash flow.

📉 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐖!
1️⃣ 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 (𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔)
Employers will be required to pay superannuation contributions in line with each pay cycle, rather than making payments quarterly. This means businesses will need to manage their cash flow more frequently to meet their super obligations.

2️⃣ 𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭
Businesses can no longer claim tax deductions for general interest charges (GIC) and shortfall interest charges (SIC), increasing the after-tax cost of falling behind on tax payments.

3️⃣ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝
For businesses that have relied on credit cards to manage short-term cash flow while waiting for customer payments to come in, losing this option could make it harder to cover tax bills when they fall due.

💸 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒?
With the ATO tightening its payment arrangements and operating costs continuing to rise, businesses have less room to manoeuvre when cash gets tight.
Without careful cash flow planning, even a profitable business can struggle to meet its tax and superannuation obligations, potentially facing ATO penalties, mounting debt or, in severe cases, insolvency.
For business owners, the message is clear: don’t wait until a tax bill is due to find out whether you have enough cash to pay it. Planning ahead and keeping a close eye on your cash flow are becoming more important than ever.

Source: Accountants Daily — “‘It hurts’: ATO credit card ban another hit to small business”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

10/10/2026

🚨 𝐓𝐇𝐄 “𝟓% 𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓” 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏: 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓!
Australia’s property market isn’t exactly “cooling off”, it’s showing signs of a sharp downturn, and some of the hardest-hit buyers could be young Australians who bought into the dream of owning a home with just a 5% deposit.
Veteran finance expert Mark Bouris has delivered a blunt warning: instead of making homes more affordable, the Government may simply be encouraging people to take on huge debts without giving them enough of a financial safety net to absorb the risk.

💥 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐊𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 “𝐋𝐎𝐖-𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓” 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓-𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒
📉 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬
Take Sydney, where property prices have reportedly fallen 7.1%. Imagine a young couple buys a $900,000 apartment with a 5% deposit of $45,000, borrowing the remaining $855,000 from the bank. If the property’s value falls to around $836,000, their entire $45,000 deposit has effectively been wiped out.
👉 They could owe the bank $19,000 more than the property is actually worth.

🚨 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐲
With almost no financial buffer left after buying, some first-home buyers are increasingly vulnerable when property values fall or living costs and repayments rise.
The arrears rate among first-home buyers using low-deposit schemes has reportedly reached a seven-month high. In particular, arrears in Victoria and Western Australia have climbed to around 0.9%, roughly three times the rate recorded among standard borrowers.

⏳ 𝐋𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲
The market is also taking longer to clear, with properties now spending around 38 days on the market, the longest period since October 2022.
New lending has fallen by more than 5%, while investor lending has dropped by around 10%. So if you suddenly need to sell to cut your losses, there may not be enough buyers willing to take the property off your hands.

🏛️ “𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓-𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐘𝐄𝐑𝐒” 𝐎𝐑 “𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐓”?
The Government has repeatedly promoted 5% deposit schemes as a way to help young Australians, including those aged 18–25, escape the rental cycle and get onto the property ladder. But Mark Bouris has a much more critical take.
Rather than tackling the underlying affordability problem and bringing house prices down, he argues that these policies can simply make it easier for young people to take on very large mortgages with very little equity upfront. When property prices are rising, that strategy can look like a lifeline. But when prices fall and borrowing costs rise, the buyers with the smallest financial buffers can end up carrying some of the biggest risks.

Source: news.com.au — “First-home buyers caught in Australia’s housing trap as prices fall”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

09/10/2026

🛑 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐀𝐗 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐍’𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐓𝐎: 𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆!
Ever thought: “If I accidentally reported a property sale in the wrong tax year but already paid the ATO, surely they won’t come after me for the same tax again?”
If you’re selling property in Australia, think again. A recent Federal Court case, Sunna v Commissioner of Taxation, offers a costly lesson on why getting the timing of your Capital Gains Tax (CGT) right matters.

📖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 $𝟓.𝟓𝐌 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 “𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄” 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏
🟠 Edward Sunna signed a contract to sell a luxury Sydney apartment in June 2019, falling within FY2019. However, because the transaction took some time to complete, settlement did not occur until August 2022, in FY2023.
🟠 Believing that “CGT isn’t payable until the money is fully received and settlement has occurred,” Mr Sunna did not report the capital gain in his 2019 tax return. Instead, he reported parts of the gain across later years, including 2020 and 2023, as he received the deposit and remaining proceeds.

💥 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓’𝐒 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆
Following an ATO audit, the Tax Office determined that the entire CGT liability belonged in FY2019. Mr Sunna argued that he had already paid tax on the transaction in 2020, and that requiring him to pay again for 2019 would effectively amount to double taxation. He took the ATO to the Federal Court.

The result? The Court ruled in favour of the ATO.
The Court’s key findings included:
1️⃣ For CGT purposes, the relevant date is generally the CONTRACT DATE, not the settlement date or the date the deposit or sale proceeds are received.
2️⃣ Paying tax in the wrong year does NOT remove your tax liability for the correct year. If a taxpayer reports a transaction in the wrong financial year, the ATO can still assess the tax in the year in which the liability actually arose.

💸 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄:
Mr Sunna was left facing the CGT liability for FY2019, while also having to deal with the tax that had already been paid in the wrong year. On top of that, the Court ordered him to pay 90% of the ATO’s legal costs.
The case is a strong reminder that when selling property, the timing of a CGT event can be just as important as the amount of tax involved.

Source: Accountants Daily — “Can paying tax in the wrong year prevent being taxed in the right year? Court says no”
_______________________
HiCom Accounting Pty Ltd (Fast Proactive Personalised)
🇦🇺 Address: Suite 207/1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, VIC, 3032
📧 Email: [email protected]
☎️ Hotline: 0407 706 264

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