The 2023-24 Federal Budget contains a wide range of tax and superannuation-related measures, with a focus on support for small businesses. Here's a summary:
From 1 July 2023 until 30 June 2024, the Government will temporarily increase the instant asset write-off threshold from $1,000 to $20,000.
Small businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million will be able to immediately deduct the full cost of eligible assets costing less than $20,000 that are first used or installed ready for use between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. The $20,000 threshold will apply on a per-asset basis, so small businesses can instantly write off multiple assets.
Assets valued at $20,000 or more (which cannot be immediately deducted) can continue to be placed into the small business simplified depreciation pool and depreciated at 15% in the first income year and 30% each income year thereafter.
The provisions that prevent small businesses from re-entering the simplified depreciation regime for five years if they opt-out will continue to be suspended until 30 June 2024.
Small and medium businesses with an aggregated annual turnover of less than $50 million will be able to deduct an additional 20% of the cost of eligible depreciating assets that support electrification and more efficient use of energy. Up to $100,000 of total expenditure will be eligible for the Small Business Energy Incentive, with the maximum bonus deduction being $20,000.
A range of depreciating assets, as well as upgrades to existing assets, will be eligible for the Small Business Energy Incentive. These will include assets that upgrade to more efficient electrical goods (such as energy-efficient fridges), assets that support electrification (such as heat pumps and electric heating or cooling systems), and demand management assets (such as batteries or thermal energy storage). Full details of eligibility criteria will be finalised in consultation with stakeholders.
Eligible assets will need to be first used or installed ready for use between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. Eligible upgrades will also need to be made in this period.
Certain exclusions will apply such as electric vehicles, renewable electricity generation assets, capital works, and assets that are not connected to the electricity grid and use fossil fuels.
The Government will amend the tax law to set the GDP adjustment factor for pay as you go (‘PAYG’) and GST instalments at 6% for the 2024 income year, a reduction from 12% under the statutory formula. The reduced factor will provide cash flow support to small businesses and other PAYG instalment taxpayers.
The 6% GDP adjustment rate will apply to small businesses and individuals who are eligible to use the relevant instalment methods (up to $10 million aggregated annual turnover for GST instalments and $50 million aggregated annual turnover for PAYG instalments), in respect of instalments that relate to the 2024 income year and fall due after the enabling legislation receives Royal Assent.
The Government is investing $23.4 million to help small businesses build their resilience to cyber security attacks by training in‑house cyber wardens.
This measure will help mitigate and reduce the harms associated with cyber‑attacks on small business.
The small business Cyber Wardens program will be delivered by the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia.
From 1 July 2026, employers will be required to pay their employees’ superannuation guarantee entitlements on the same day that they pay salary and wages.
Currently, employers are only required to pay their employees’ superannuation guarantee on a quarterly basis. By increasing the payment frequency of superannuation to align with the payment of salary and wages, this measure aims to ensure employees have greater visibility over whether their entitlements have been paid and better enable the ATO to recover unpaid superannuation.
Changes to the design of the superannuation guarantee charge will also be necessary to align with increased payment frequency.
This package will particularly benefit those in lower paid, casual and insecure work who are more likely to miss out when superannuation guarantee is paid less frequently.
From 1 July 2025, the Government will reduce the tax concessions available to individuals with a total superannuation balance exceeding $3 million.
Individuals with a total superannuation balance of less than $3 million will not be affected.
This reform is intended to ensure superannuation concessions are better targeted and sustainable. It will bring the headline tax rate to 30%, up from 15%, for earnings corresponding to the proportion of an individual’s total superannuation balance that is greater than $3 million. This rate remains lower than the top marginal tax rate of 45%.
Earnings relating to assets below the $3 million threshold will continue to be taxed at 15%, or 0% if held in a retirement pension account.
Interests in defined benefit schemes will be appropriately valued and will have earnings taxed under this measure in a similar way to other interests. This will ensure commensurate treatment.
The measure will not place a limit on the amount of money an individual can hold in superannuation. The current contributions rules will
continue to apply.
The Government will provide funding over four years from 1 July 2023 to enable the ATO to engage more effectively with businesses to address
the growth of tax and superannuation liabilities. The additional funding will facilitate ATO engagement with taxpayers who have high-value
debts over $100,000 and aged debts older than two years where those taxpayers are either:
• public and multinational groups with an aggregated turnover of greater than $10 million; or
• privately owned groups or individuals controlling over $5 million of net wealth.
The Government will provide $40.2 million to the ATO in the 2024 income year, which includes $27 million for the ATO to improve data
matching capabilities to identify and act on cases of superannuation guarantee underpayment by employers and $13.2 million for consultation
and co-design.
For eligible new build-to-rent projects where construction commences after 7:30pm (AEST) on 9 May 2023 (Budget night), the Government will:
• increase the rate for the capital works tax deduction to 4% per year; and
• reduce the final withholding tax rate on eligible fund payments from managed investment trust (‘MIT’) investments from 30% to 15%.
This measure will apply to build-to-rent projects consisting of 50 or more apartments or dwellings made available for rent to the general public. The dwellings must be retained under single ownership for at least 10 years before being able to be sold and landlords must offer a lease term of at least three years for each dwelling.
The reduced managed investment trust withholding tax rate for residential build-to-rent will apply from 1 July 2024. Consultation will be undertaken on implementation details, including any minimum proportion of dwellings being offered as affordable tenancies and the length of time dwellings must be retained under single ownership.
At Trinity Advisory, we specialise in tax accounting, advisory services, and business coaching for small businesses located in and around Cairns (116 Mulgrave Road, Parramatta Park QLD 4870) and the Sunshine Coast (2/8 Maroochydore Road, Maroochydore QLD 4558).
Should you need any taxation or accounting advice for your business, get in touch with Trinity Advisory today. Our team of expert Business Accountants, Advisors and Coaches are here to help!
Ref: NTAA 2023/24 Federal Budget Summary