TaxSmart Cafe - Wyndham

04/09/2026

03/09/2026

Australia's pet industry has grown significantly, with groomers, trainers, veterinary professionals, breeders, pet sitters, and dog walkers building thriving businesses. If you earn income from pet-related activities, understanding your tax position is essential.

For veterinary professionals and vet nurses: professional registration fees (VetBoard), continuing education, veterinary equipment purchased personally, professional journals and references, protective clothing and footwear, and professional association memberships (AVA and similar).

For professional dog groomers and trainers: grooming equipment and consumables, professional training and certification costs, pet first aid certifications, vehicle use for mobile grooming services, business insurance, and home studio or salon costs.

For breeders registered with breed associations: breeding costs may be deductible if the breeding activity is conducted in a genuinely commercial manner. However, the ATO applies the non-commercial loss rules strictly to pet breeding — many hobby breeders are not considered to be running a business and cannot claim losses. If you're unsure whether your breeding operation qualifies as a business, TaxSmart Cafe can help you assess this.

For pet sitters and dog walkers running their own business: vehicle expenses between clients, insurance, business registration, pet first aid certification, and marketing costs are typically deductible.

The pet industry continues to grow — and so do the opportunities for well-structured tax management in this space.

01/09/2026

Welcome to September — the first month of spring and a great time to breathe new life into your financial habits. We're now three months into the 2026–27 financial year, which means there's still plenty of time to make meaningful adjustments before EOFY, but the window is narrowing.

September is also a significant month for tax lodgement. If you self-lodge your tax return and haven't done so yet, October 31 is now just two months away. Don't leave it to the last minute — lodging in late October means processing delays and a longer wait for any refund.

For business owners: the September quarter brings a BAS lodgement for the July–September period (due late October for most quarterly reporters). Start keeping good records for this quarter from day one so the BAS preparation is straightforward.

Spring financial refresh checklist: review your super contributions to date — are you on track to reach your target by year end? Review your investment portfolio — any changes needed based on first-quarter performance? Check in on your insurance coverage — have your circumstances changed since you last reviewed your policies? Book a mid-year financial review with TaxSmart Cafe to assess where you stand and what to prioritise for the remaining three quarters.