Tax Talks

440 | Family Law Property Settlement Part 2

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Here are eight useful lessons about family law property settlements. Mortgages, loan agreements and trusts might protect you less than you think.

439 | Family Law Property Settlement Part 1

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When your clients separate from their partners, you are usually involved in some shape or form. Your divorcing clients will probably ask you to provid...

438 | Subdiv EA and s100A

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So this is our last episode about the Bendel Case and Subdiv EA.

437 | Subdiv EA and Beyond

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, let’s walk through seven questions with Andrew Henshaw of Velocity Legal about Subdiv EA and beyond.

436 | The Bendel Case Part 2

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 'The Bendel Case Part 2' - not the most creative title we ever came up with - we will drill deeper into what The Bendel Case means for you.

435 | The Bendel Case Part 1

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Bendel Case shapes up to be the ATO’s Waterloo – a crushing defeat to the position the ATO took in TR 2010/3.

434 | Item 17 Ministerial Determination

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Item 17 makes it very easy for legislators to quickly add new rules to the Professional Code for Tax Agents through a Ministerial Determination.

433 | Dob-In Rules for Tax agents

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Andrew Henshaw will walk you through the changes to the TASA 2009 and discuss the new Dob-In Rules for tax agents with you.

432 | PSI Examples in PCG 2024/D2

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many PSI examples in PCG 2024/D2, but all are pretty black and white.

431 | PSI in PCG 2024/D2

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The four PSB tests no longer protect PSI from the PSI rules. Instead, PCG 2024/D2 drags Part IVA back onto the stage.

430 | Test Individual in a Family Trust Election

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you look at family trusts, everything rotates around the Test Individual. They are the stick in the sand.

429 | FTE Questions

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you work with private clients the question of a Family Trust Election almost always comes up. But you need to be careful. A family trust election...

428 | NDIS Registration Part 2

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is part 2 of our talk about NDIS registration with Astrid Rivalland and Helen Young of LegalVision in Sydney. Please listen first to part 1 in ep...

427 | NDIS Registration Part 1

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Your NDIS registration can indirectly influence your GST exemption.  Hence, this episode about the ins and outs of NDIS registrations.

426 | Charitable Sub-fund Arrangements

11 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this final episode of our three-part mini-series about charities, we discuss Charitable Sub-Fund Arrangements with Darren Fittler of Gilbert + Tobi...

425 | PAF v PuAF

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

PAF v PuAF - what is the difference between the two?

424 | How to Structure a Charity

29 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As accountants, we work with individuals, companies, trusts partnerships and any combination of those. That is what we are familiar with.  But if a c...

423 | Identity Verification

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Identity verification of clients is strongly recommended by the TPB, but not yet mandatory.

422 | Employee Share Option Plans (ESOP)

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Employee Share Option Plans - or ESOPs - give you an option to receive a share. That option might vest in the future, or it might not. Hence, taxation...

421 | Employee Share Plans (ESP)

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Employee Share Plans (ESP) give you shares without any strings attached. They are taxed upfront.

420 | PSI in TR 2022/3 - Steps 7 to 9

26 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

PSI in TR 2022/3 - steps 7 to 9 is about the employees test, business premises test as well as ATO PSI Determinations and of course the special agent ...

419 | PSI in TR 2022/3 - Steps 5 and 6

19 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

PSI in TR 2022/3 - Steps 5 and 6: Nine steps to work out the taxation of PSI - here we cover the 80% hurdle and the unrelated clients test.

418 | PSI in TR 2022/3 – Step 1 to 4

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you try to work out a PSI issue, it can get a bit confusing. So, it helps to put all this into a proper process.

417 | How Sky Accountants Grew to 5m

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jamie Johns grew his firm to an annual turnover of $5m heading towards $10m. As a mentor at Wize Mentoring he has a unique view into what helps us gro...

416 | How AI Boosts Your SMSF Processing

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How AI boosts your SMSF processing - the challenge is to know what your software is capable of.

415 | How Staff Benefits Helped StriveX to Grow

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, let’s speak with Rachel Harris about what StriveX does to really woo their staff and really look after them and how that contribute...

414 | How Social Media Helped StriveX to Grow

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How social media helped StriveX to grow and how they manage to get so many referrals.

413 | How StriveX Grew from 50k to 1m in 3.5 Years

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

StriveX grew from 50k to 1m in 3.5 years - here is how they did it.

412 | Pipeline Walkthrough with Prime Partners

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, you will hear from James Carey of Prime Partners in Sydney how they built their app stack.

411 | Amendment Period Changes

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So far you could assume a 2-year amendment period for most SMEs. Not anymore. Here is what the update of Regulations 2015 change for you.

410 | Foreign Trusts and Companies

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we ask Bradley Murphy and Darren Catherall of Murphy Tax in Sydney six questions about foreign trusts and companies.

409 | Assessment of the Trustee

26 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When we talk about trust distributions, we always mention the possible assessment of the trustee. Especially when a trust distribution goes wrong, But...

408 | s99B Carve Outs

19 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

s99B Carve-outs are your way out. They protect you from s99B ITAA 1936.

407 | s99B ITAA 1936

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

s99B ITAA 1936 is about foreign trusts paying accumulated income to Australian resident beneficiaries. Take away one of these elements, and you don't ...

406 | UPE To Company: The Bendel Case

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From 2009 until October 2023, a UPE to a company was always a Div 7A issue. Not anymore. As Andrew Henshaw of Velocity Legal in Melbourne will tell yo...

405 | Hubspot for Accountants

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hubspot for accountants - does that really work? Can Hubspot give us what we as accountants and tax agents need to run our practice?

404 | CRMs for Accountants

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we will talk with Nathan Reiche of Content Chemistry about CRMs for Accountants.

403 | Div 6E Income

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Div 6E income is relevant when your trust income includes capital gains and/or franked distributions. Then Div 6E will avoid double taxation.

402 | Trust Loss Allocation

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The 1884 Upton v Brown court case is of great importance in taxation. It involved Upton and Brown, beneficiaries of a discretionary trust, where one h...

Update 35 | s100A Pain Points

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are many s100A pain points - let's cover five in this update.

401 | Trust Loss Questions

27 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let's go to the very start and look at trust income. Because we need to understand trust income before we can talk about trust losses.

400 | Foreign Trust Example

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The theory around foreign trusts is confusing. So in this episode let's use a New Zealand trust as a foreign trust example.

399 | Foreign Trusts

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Foreign trusts are not an issue per se. Nor are resident trusts. It really depends. But if you do have a foreign trust, watch out for s99B ITAA 1936. ...

398 | Asset Protection Trust

06 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An asset protection trust (aka equity split) does not give you 100% protection but it helps. Each layer you use increases your protection from credito...

397 | Asset Protection Layers

30 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Asset protection layers can get pierced through. None is watertight. But the more layers you have, the more protected you are.

396 | Asset Protection Silos

23 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Asset protection silos are to ringfence the assets of one business from the creditors of another.

395 | Transfer Pricing Examples

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Here are five transfer pricing examples that cover common transfer pricing issues.

394 | TP Reasonably Arguable Position

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A reasonably arguable position - a so-called 'RAP' - is essential to protect you from penalties and interest for incorrect transfer pricing.

393 | Electronic Signature Questions

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All electronic signature questions you ever wanted to know you find in this episode of Tax Talks. Please listen in.

392 | Legislative Framework of Electronic Signatures

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The legislative framework of electronic signatures is confusing - to say the least.

391 | Child Support Lump Sum Payments

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Child support lump sum payments are often favoured by mothers and might improve the relationship between parents.

390 | Child Support Non Agency Payments

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Child support non-agency payments are payments to third parties credited to a child support liability.

Update 34 | s100A B Blood and Guardian case

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The two s100A B Blood and Guardian cases cover some very specific scenarios. And not common examples.

Update 33 | Updated s100A TR and PCG

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Updated s100A TR and PCG - get the updated review of ATO's approach to s100 issues. Avoid reimbursement arrangements.

389 | TR 98/4 Situations 4 and 5

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

TR 98/4 situations 4 and 5  are about non-arm's length income and arrangements.

388 | TR 98/4 Child Maintenance Trust Arrangements

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

TR 98/4 is about child maintenance trust arrangements. It lists five scenarios where the CMT does not qualify for excepted income.

387 B | Child Maintenance Trust Income

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Child maintenance trust income - this is the second part of our interview about the excepted income in child maintenance trusts.

387 A | CMT Excepted Income

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

CMT excepted income is what a child maintenance trust is all about. If you don't have excepted income, then there is little point in having a CMT.

386 | The System of Agreement

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How is an electronic signature safer than a wet signature? When and why do we still need a witness? And what are the elements of a System of Agreement...

385 | Simplified Transfer Pricing Record Keeping

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You have seven options to qualify for the simplified transfer pricing record keeping as outlined in PCG 2017/2.

384 | Transfer Pricing

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Transfer pricing is an issue whenever you deal with an associated entity overseas.

383 | Pipeline Walk Through with Taxopedia

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s look at what Taxopedia’s pipeline looks like from the first lead contact to the signing of tax returns. What apps do they use and how do the...

382 | Small Business Litigation Funding

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Small business litigation funding sounds great but the devil is in the detail. There will be a substantial funding gap. Who pays that gap?

381 | Bitcoin is Not a Currency

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bitcoin is not a currency - at least that is what the AAT says in Seribu Pty Ltd v CoT in 2020.

380 | In the Black Accounting

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

'In the Black accounting' covers the final three concepts in the book 'In the Black'.

379 | In the Black Production

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

'In the Black Marketing' - the title of this episode - covers the medium and long-term marketing principles outlined in Allen Bostrom's book 'In the B...

378 | In the Black Marketing

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

'In the Black Marketing' - the title of this episode - covers the medium and long-term marketing principles outlined in Allen Bostrom's book 'In the B...

377 | Nothing Happens Until There is a Sale

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing happens until there is a sale’. That is the first concept - the first of nine - in Roger Knecht’s book ‘In the Black”. In this book, R...

376 | Non-Commercial Loss Provisions for Partnerships

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The non-commercial loss provisions for partnerships are no different from the ones applying to sole traders. There are just some additional rules that...

375 | Late Payment of Super

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Late payment of super has always been a problem but now with Single Touch Payroll, it has become a much bigger problem, especially the late payment of...

374 | Registered Share Capital

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The ASIC portal lists the registered share capital for each company. It lists the class of shares as well as their payment status. In this episode, Da...

373 | Child Support Subpoena

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A child support subpoena issued by the child support agency or the court poses a risk for the paying parent.

372 | PSI in Child Support Assessments

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

PSI in child support assessments is tricky. Even when you pass the PSI rules and have a PSB, the agency can override this.

371 | 4P Framework

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The 4P framework is a helpful tool to work out how to grow your accounting practice. 

370 | Repricing

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Repricing existing clients is one of the hardest things to do when growing your firm.

369 | Safe Harbour for Non-Commercial Business Losses

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

PCG 2022/D2 gives you a safe harbour for non-commercial business losses; Ben Miller of Wolters Kluwer explains.

368 | Arguments for Offshore Direct Hire

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are a direct hire’s strong points? What speaks for not going through an agency but hiring your staff directly?

367 | Arguments for Offshore Labour Hire

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We went through 17 arguments for renting your staff through a labor-hire agency. Today let’s look at direct hire. What are direct hire’s strong po...

366 | ASIC Deregistration of Insolvent Companies

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

ASIC deregistration of insolvent companies can be a deliberate strategy.

365 | When To Call It A Day

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As your business struggles, when is it time to call it a day? Here is Ben Sewell with nine more questions to ask.

364 | When Your Business Can’t Pay Its Bills

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What should you do when your business is struggling? There are 19 questions to ask.

363 Part 2 | Hire Offshore Staff

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How to hire offshore staff - only 2 steps but there is a lot in there.

363 Part 1 | Find Offshore Staff

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How to find your offshore staff - nine steps to find who you need. From advertising to shortlisting and interviews.

Update 32 | Queensland Land Tax Changes

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Queensland land tax is changing from 1 January 2023. But since land tax is based on land holdings as of 30 June, this change won't hit you until some ...

Update 31 | Class SMSF Benchmark Report August 2022

11 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This latest report was published in August 2022 and covers developments up until 31 March 2022. The June numbers are not out yet. In this episode, Kev...

362 | Disclaimer of Trust Income

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A disclaimer of trust income used to be easy - not anymore as Andrew Henshaw of Velocity Legal in Melbourne will tell you.

361 | The Carter Case

28 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Carter Case changed everything. You can no longer disclaim a trust distribution for income tax purposes.

360 | Insights from an Offshore Accountant

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is it like to work in a labour hire agency in the Philippines? Get an insider view on moonlighting and staff poaching.

359 | Direct Offshore Team

14 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Charitha Wasala tells you how he set up his own direct offshore team in Sri Lanka and manages his teams - directly without an agency sitting between h...

358 | Offshore Labour Hire

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Offshore labour hire has become a very popular solution. Listen to three Australian accountants about their experiences.

357 | US - AU Tax Questions

31 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you structure across the US - AU border for tax purposes, you easily run into the following six tax questions.

356 | Expansion Into The US

24 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When your clients plan an expansion into the US, they will most likely ask you how to structure this.

355 | US Public and Private Markets

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How you structure your investment into US public and private markets depends on the following seven factors as Peter Harper of Asena Advisers will tel...

354 | Div 7A Loan Write - Off

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Will a Div 7A Loan write-off trigger a deemed dividend under s109F ITAA36? That is the question.

353 | Distributable Surplus

03 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Distributable surplus is one of five Div 7A quick fixes. If you have no distributable surplus, no deemed Div 7A dividend.

352 | Amendment Periods

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amendment periods determine how much time you have to fix an issue. Within the amendment period you can still fix things. Outside you can’t - unless...

351 | Point of Sale Systems

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inventory management and point of sale systems go hand in hand, but the focus is different. The systems we will discuss in this episode start with poi...

350 | Inventory Management Systems

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inventory management systems focus on inventory. They cover point of sale but started in inventory.

349 | US Retirement Plans in Australia

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Holding a 401K as an Australian tax resident can cost you a lot of tax - but there are ways around it.

348 | CGT Moving Back To Australia

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today let’s talk with Bradley Murphy and Darren Catherall of Murphy Tax Lawyers and Advisors in Sydney about the CGT implications when you move from...