Hot Issues
spacer
Small businesses may ‘collapse under strain of payday super’, IPA warns
spacer
ATO’s hands tied with scrapping on-hold debts, expert says
spacer
What Drives Your Business Growth and Profits?
spacer
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) shifting to firmer debt collection activity
spacer
Why employee v contractor comes down to fine print
spacer
Sharing economy reporting regime for platform operators
spacer
Countries producing the most solar power by gigawatt hours
spacer
Illegal access nets $637 million
spacer
Accessing superannuation benefits.
spacer
Does your business have a company Power of Attorney?
spacer
Labor tweaks stage 3 tax cuts to make room for ‘middle Australia’
spacer
GrantConnect
spacer
2 in 3 SMEs benefit from instant asset write-off, survey reveals
spacer
Updated guidance on R&D claims
spacer
Do you know how to recover debts?
spacer
Wheat Production by Country
spacer
Types of small business benchmarks
spacer
What is a Commercial Lease?
spacer
ATO warns advisers against suspect R&D tax claims
spacer
The year of workplace law upheaval
spacer
How to Resolve Invoice Payment Disputes
spacer
Raft of revenue tweaks in MYEFO to raise millions
spacer
The Countries that Export the Most Wine in the World
Article archive
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2023
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2023
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2023
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2023
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2022
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2022
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2022
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2022
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2021
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2021
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2021
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2021
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2020
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2020
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2020
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2020
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2019
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2019
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2019
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2019
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2018
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2018
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2018
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2018
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2017
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2017
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2017
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2017
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2016
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2016
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2016
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2016
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2015
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2015
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2015
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2015
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2014
Quarter 3 of, 2020 archive
spacer
September update of latest COVID-19 initiatives.
spacer
ATO JobKeeper 2.0 guidance surfaces
spacer
Expats Return to Australia – Travel Expenses
spacer
Profession to be relied on for post-JobKeeper turnover certificates
spacer
Update of Superannuation contribution rules from July 1, 2020
spacer
Expats & COVID-19 Impacts on tax residency
spacer
Economic recovery could be slower than anticipated: RBA
spacer
High Court rules in favour of employers on personal leave accruals
spacer
JobKeeper Phase 2 - Latest Update
spacer
Payroll Tax 2020 concessions and JobKeeper
spacer
High alert issued over myGov tax time scam
spacer
Extended director penalty regime to catch out ‘zombie companies’
spacer
SG amnesty deadline - 7 September
spacer
‘Hundreds’ to be contacted in ATO early super compliance blitz
spacer
90,000 SMEs to benefit from new JobTrainer program
spacer
Work Related expenses – 2020
spacer
‘Everyone is now on notice’: ATO acquires COVID-19 data on 3m Aussies
spacer
Extra Tools & Resources for our clients.
spacer
Year End Tax Deductions – “equipment”
spacer
Home Office Claims 2020
spacer
Early release of super sees ‘high take-up’
spacer
Tax time 2020: ATO homes in on rental deduction claims
spacer
ATO announces Div 7A COVID-19 assistance
‘Hundreds’ to be contacted in ATO early super compliance blitz

 

Hundreds of Australians who applied for the COVID-19 early release of superannuation are set to be queried on their eligibility as the ATO kicks off a pilot compliance program.

 

       

The ATO will now contact “hundreds” of people who appear to have been ineligible for the early release of super but have gone ahead to raid their retirement savings.

The pilot examination will see 130 ATO officers personally contacting people to confirm and prove they have met the eligibility requirements, including by having been made redundant or seeing their working hours reduced by 20 per cent or more.

The initial examination will help the ATO decide if it will need to design a broader compliance program.

“For example, just to make it real, if we write out to 500 people and it turns out that 490 of them were eligible and only 10 were ineligible, we might say, ‘Well, look, the level of ineligibility is so low it’s not worth doing a big compliance program’,” ATO second commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn told a Senate committee.

“Conversely, we might write out to 500 people and find out that 200 were ineligible, but we’ve worked out a signal to clearly identify those people, and then we’ll do a broader program.”

Mr Hirschhorn said data matching from external sources, including Services Australia, would help it identify those who were ineligible, but admitted that there would be holes in its information.

“We have information from systems in relation to things like how much people have been paid under Single Touch Payroll or whether they are in continued employment and whatnot,” he said.

“That information is informative but not determinative in relation to eligibility.

“For example, one of the tests is based on hours, it’s not based on remuneration. There are various tests on why you can be eligible. We have information which gives us hints that somebody may not be eligible, but it doesn’t tell us that they’re not eligible.”

ATO defends application process

The Treasury now expects $41.9 billion to be removed from the super system following the extension of the scheme to December, with $31.9 billion withdrawn as of 28 July.

Mr Hirschhorn said the scheme was designed on a self-assessment system, and a compliance program could not be enforced at the time of application because the ATO would not have live information of a person’s circumstances.

“It’s based on self-assessment. We work on the assumption that Australians are honest,” Mr Hirschhorn said.

“This is about getting emergency money to people. So, we will never have enough information to reject quickly. We will give people their money on the basis of their say-so.

“We don’t know yet whether, for example, they’ve been terminated, they’ve lost their job. We don’t know at the time they apply. We might have reasonable information a month later, when the next Single Touch Payroll comes in. So, that’s why it’s based on self-assessment.”

Mr Hirschhorn also noted that the ATO has yet to issue any fines or revoke the determination on a person’s eligibility and require the withdrawn super amount to be included as assessable income.

“There are a range of consequences. Again, where we think somebody has made an honest mistake as to their eligibility, and particularly where they voluntarily disclose that to us, we are unlikely to impose significant consequences,” he said.

“The next phase is if we withdraw our declaration, so they will have to pay tax on their superannuation at their marginal tax rate, and that is a reasonably significant consequence for many.

“In the worst cases, we can impose penalties for misleading statements, and that is up to $12,600, which is a very significant penalty when you have withdrawn $10,000 of your own money from super. So, there are a range of consequences, but again, we moderate those consequences depending on the deliberateness of the action.”

 

 

Jotham Lian 
02 August 2020 
accountantsdaily.com.au

 

site By AcctWeb