2017 Budget Update
The federal budget was handed down on 9th May and here are important changes:
Personal Income Tax
- From 1 July 2017, the Government will limit plant and equipment depreciation deductions to outlays actually incurred by investors in residential rental properties. This means that no deduction will be available on any plant & equipment (e.g. dishwashers, ovens, etc) already in existence when a residential rental property is purchased.
- From 1 July 2017, the Government will disallow deductions for travel expenses related to inspecting, maintaining or collecting rent for a residential rental property.
- From 1 July 2019, the Government will increase the Medicare levy from 2% to 2.5% of taxable income. Other tax rates that are linked to the top personal tax rate, such as the fringe benefits tax rate, will also be increased.
Small Business
- Under current law, the $20,000 immediate write-off ends on 30 June 2017. However, the Government has proposed to extend the concession by 12 months to 30 June 2018 for businesses with an aggregated annual turnover less than $10 million. This means small businesses will be able to immediately deduct purchases of eligible assets costing less than $20,000 first used or installed ready for use by 30 June 2018.
Superannuation
- The Government will encourage home ownership by allowing first homebuyers to ‘build a deposit’ inside their superannuation fund, as follows:
- Voluntary superannuation contributions of up to $15,000 per year, and $30,000 in total, can be contributed by first homebuyers from 1 July 2017. The contribution must be within existing concessional and non-concessional caps. Concessional contributions are taxed at 15% in the fund and earnings on contributions are taxed at 15% in the fund.
- These contributions can then be withdrawn, along with associated deemed earnings, for a first home deposit, from 1 July 2018 onwards. Concessional contributions and earnings that are withdrawn will be taxed at the taxpayer’s marginal rate less a 30% offset. When non-concessional contributions (‘NCCs’) are withdrawn, they will not be taxed.
Combined with the existing concessional tax treatment of contributions and earnings, this will provide an incentive that will enable first homebuyers to build savings more quickly for a home deposit. Note that, both members of a couple can take advantage of this measure to buy their first home together.
- From 1 July 2018, the Government will allow a person aged 65 or over to make a non-concessional contribution to super of up to $300,000 from the proceeds of selling their home. These NCCs will be in addition to those currently permitted under existing rules and caps and they will be exempt from the existing age test, work test and the $1.6 million balance test for making NCCs.
GST
- From 1 July 2017, the Government will align the GST treatment of digital currency (e.g., Bitcoin) with money. Digital currency is currently treated as intangible property for GST purposes. Consequently, consumers who use digital currencies as payment can effectively pay GST twice: once on the purchase of the digital currency and again on its use in exchange for other goods and services subject to GST. This measure will ensure purchases of digital currency are no longer subject to the GST.
- From 1 July 2018, purchasers of newly constructed residential properties or new subdivisions will be required to remit the GST directly to the ATO as part of settlement. Under the current law (where the GST is included in the purchase price and the developer remits the GST to the ATO), some developers are failing to remit the GST to the ATO despite having claimed GST credits on their construction costs.
For more details and how these change could affect you please feel free to contact Sander Partners Accountants.
The material and contents provided in this publication are informative in nature only. It is not intended to be advice and you should not act specifically on the basis of this information alone. If expert assistance is required, professional advice should be obtained.