Section 100A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 has been on the books for decades, but it has taken on renewed significance following the ATO's release of Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2022/2. For the thousands of Australian families that operate through discretionary trusts, understanding these rules is now essential.
The intersection of ATO Tax Determination TD 2022/11 and the Federal Court's decision in Commissioner of Taxation v Bendel has created one of the more significant areas of uncertainty in Australian trust taxation. For trustees and their advisers, understanding how these two positions interact is critical to managing compliance risk.
Real estate professionals — agents, property managers, auctioneers, and support staff — often incur significant work-related expenses that can be claimed as tax deductions. Understanding what you can and cannot claim is essential to ensuring you pay only the tax you owe.
The ATO has significantly expanded its data-matching programs to capture more detailed information about rental property investors. For the estimated 2.2 million Australians who own an investment property, this means the ATO now has greater visibility than ever over rental income reported — and deductions claimed — in tax returns.