If you are a business owner here in Australia, you will have no doubt heard some headlines recently that caught your attention about the Australian Government’s incentives on offer right now to help stimulate our economy.
One of those initiatives involves giving a number of Australian businesses a much needed cashflow boost via the ATO system.
Below is a summary of how it works.
The Boosting Cash Flow for Employers measure will provide up to $25,000 back to business, with a minimum payment of $2,000 for eligible businesses. The payment will provide temporary cash flow support to small and medium businesses that employ staff. The payment will be tax free.
Small and medium business entities with aggregated annual turnover under $50 million and that employ workers will be eligible. Eligibility will generally be based on prior year turnover.
The payment will be delivered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as a credit in the activity statement system from 28 April 2020 upon businesses lodging eligible upcoming activity statements.
Eligible businesses that withhold tax to the ATO on their employees’ salary and wages will receive a payment equal to 50 per cent of the amount withheld, up to a maximum payment of $25,000.
Eligible businesses that pay salary and wages will receive a minimum payment of $2,000, even if they are not required to withhold tax.
This measure will benefit around 690,000 businesses employing around 7.8 million people.
The Boosting Cash Flow for Employers measure will be applied for a limited number of activity statement lodgements. The ATO will deliver the payment as a credit to the business upon lodgement of their activity statements. Where this places the business in a refund position, the ATO will deliver the refund within 14 days.
Quarterly lodgers will be eligible to receive the payment for the quarters ending March 2020 and June 2020.
Monthly lodgers will be eligible to receive the payment for the March 2020, April 2020, May 2020 and June 2020 lodgements. To provide a similar treatment to quarterly lodgers, the payment for monthly lodgers will be calculated at three times the rate (150 per cent) in the March 2020 activity statement.
The minimum payment will be applied to the business’ first lodgement.
Sarah owns and runs a building business in South Australia and employs 8 construction workers on average full-time weekly earnings who each earn $89,730 per year. In the months of March, April and June for the 2019-20 income year, Sarah reports withholding of $15,008 for her employees on each Business Activity Statement (BAS).
Under the Government’s changes, Sarah will be eligible to receive the payment on lodgement of each of her BAS.
Sarah’s business receives:
Sean owns a hairdresser’s salon on the Gold Coast. He employs one apprentice who earns $37,970 per year and two stylists who both earn $44,260 per year. In the March and June 2020 quarterly BAS, Sean reports withholding of $4,570 for his employees.
Under the Government’s changes, Sean will be eligible to receive the payment on lodgement of his BAS.
Sean’s business will receive:
Sean’s business will receive a total payment of $4,570.
Sean may also benefit from the assistance for existing apprentices and trainees measure.
Tim owns and runs a small paper delivery business in Melbourne, and employs two casual employees who each earn $10,000 per year. In the March and June 2020 quarterly BAS, Tim reports withholding of $0 for his employees as they are under the tax-free threshold.
Under the Government’s changes, Tim will be eligible to receive the payment on lodgement of his BAS.
Tim’s business will receive:
If Tim begins withholding tax for the June quarter, he would need to withhold more than $4,000 before he receives any additional payment.
The ATO offers a range of support services to small and medium businesses experiencing hardship visit ato.gov.au to find out more.
 Dan Fox |
After graduating year 12, Dan began his banking and finance career at Westpac Banking Corporation in Brisbane in 1988. He worked for the bank for seven years, excelling in his career and working his way up to management.
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