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How do I book a tax appointment?
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Tax appointments can be made by either calling 03 96828966 between the business hours of 9-5pm. Mon to Fri.
Or alternatively via email to
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What nights are available for late appointments?
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Our latest appointments have a finish time of 7pm. So depending on whether you are a couple and need a longer appointment, the lastest start times are around 5:30pm-6pm.
Monday to Thursday. We have no appointments on Friday.
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Do I need to provide documents when I am sending in a tax return to be done?
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Its best that you provide the originals for your payment summaries or group certificate. Most things can be photocopied and sent to us, or provided upon request.Any documents that are sent to the office will be forwarded back to you once the return is complete.
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How long is the turn around time after my return is lodged ?
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7-10 days usually, but anywhere up to two weeks depending on the ATO office processing, audit checks, and any other outstanding matters you may have with the ATO or another government department.
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Why didn’t I get the return that was estimated?
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Our accountants, as experienced as they are, can only calculate these estimates on the information that is provided.If the return Is not what was first estimated, its most likely that there are outstanding debts with the ATO. These debts will affect your return regardless of the financial year. In some cases, the ATO will re-assess your tax return, if you provide them with the correct information or documents.
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Why is the CCV requested?
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Depending on which credit card provider you use (eg. amex, visa, mastercard), the CCV which is the last 3 digits located on the back of the credit card, is sometimes required for security purposes. Giving your bank the authority to make the purchase.
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As an employer, what is the minimum Super contribution I need to make to my employees?
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If any given employee earns over $450.00 per month, the minimum contribution is 9% of their gross wage.
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What are the tax rates that apply to my income?
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TAX RATES
Taxable Income Tax Payable for the 2007/08 year
Tax rates 2007-08
| Taxable income |
Tax on this income |
| $1 – $6,000 |
Nil |
| $6,001 – $30,000 |
15c for each $1 over $6,000 |
| $30,001 – $75,000 |
$3,600 plus 30c for each $1 over $30,000 |
| $75,001 – $150,000 |
$17,100 plus 40c for each $1 over $75,000 |
| $150,001 and over |
$47,100 plus 45c for each $1 over $150,000 |
Add 1.5% Medicare levy to this amount in all circumstances where your taxable income is over $16,740
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If I have a thousand dollars tax deduction, Do I get a thousand dollars back in my tax return?
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No. A tax deduction is simply a reduction in assessable income. Any tax payable is then calculated on the taxpayer’s total assessable income. The net affect of any deduction results in a decrease in tax payable at the taxpayer’s marginal tax rate.
Example: John has a group certificate for $50,000.00 with tax paid of $10,000.00. If John had no deductions at all, the tax payable on the $50,000.00 would be $9,600.00, which would mean he would only receive a $400.00 refund. However, if John has deductions of $1,000.00 John’s taxable income would be $49,000.00, and pay tax on this amount. Tax on $49,000.00 equates to $9,300.00. Having paid $10,000.00 already John would receive a refund of $700.00.
Therefore, the effect on the $1000.00 deduction is in fact $300.00. This is the marginal tax rate (30%) the taxpayer in our example would have been on.
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Can I claim for travel from home to work and back again?
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In most cases, you cannot claim for the cost of travelling to work from home, and back to home.
The circumstances where you can make a claim for home to work travel are:
- Where you care carrying tools, equipment, etc that are of a bulky or heavy nature (i.e. where it would be impractical to carry the items on public transport)
- Where the tools or equipment you are using need to be transported to a number of different locations, OR where there is no regular storage facilities at your work location
- Where the nature of your job means that you are regularly travelling to two or more work sites on that day (and spending 4 hours or less at any location)
- Where you are regularly working at different worksites or employers each day (such as teachers who work at two or three different schools each week)
Ideally, you keep a log book detailing all the work related travel for each car you use. For more information, please contact our office and arrange a time to speak with one of our accountants.
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Can I claim a tax deduction for my medical expenses?
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While you cannot claim a tax deduction for your medical expenses, a Rebate of tax is available when your total medical expenses for the financial year exceed $1,500. For 2006/07 the rebate is 20% of the excess over $1,500.
To qualify for the rebate, the medical expenses must be paid by you for medical treatment for yourself or for a dependant, but the payments do not have to be made to an Australian medical practitioner, so the expenses can include the cost of any medical treatment that you incur while on an overseas trip.
"Medical expenses" is defined to cover payments to doctors, nurses, chemists, dentists, opticians, and optometrists. It also includes payments for therapeutic treatment and for medical or surgical appliances, remuneration paid to an attendant of an incapacitated person and payments for maintenance of a guide dog.
If you have made a claim from Medicare and/or a private health benefits organisation for reimbursement of your medical costs, the portion not refunded (commonly referred to as the "gap" payment), is the amount that you can claim.
Also included in medical expenses are payments made for therapeutic treatment provided the treatment is administered by direction of a doctor. As such, claims for special dietary foods, or the cost of vitamins or other supplements will not be allowed, unless such items are prescribed by a medical practitioner, and the items are purchased from a chemist. (This allows the item to be claimed on the basis that it is being used to overcome an "illness"). The same items purchased from a health food shop or wholesale drug houses are not claimable!
Payments made to an optometrist or to an eye specialist for eye tests, and the cost of purchasing prescribed spectacles or contact lenses are also claimable (as is the cost of solutions to maintain your glasses and lenses).
For more information, please contact our office and arrange a time to speak with one of our accountants.
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