Accountants now liable for Fair Work breaches made by clients

The Fair Work Ombudsman has won its first case against an accountant being ‘knowingly involved’ in the workplace breaches of his client. The accountant could now face up to $357,000 in penalties, as though he committed the breaches himself. Find out what you can do to avoid this problem.
What’s the best structure for my startup?

When asked what structure to use, we like to apply several key principles and ‘rules of thumb’ to get the right answer.
Some less obvious observations about the 1 July super changes…

As most people now know, from 1 July 2017 the amount a super fund member can have in a pension account will be capped at $1.6 million. There has been a lot of general commentary on these changes, but little deeper analysis of the details.
Forcing a sale of a property in South Australia

Deciding to purchase property with another person is likely to be one of the most significant financial decision you may make in your lifetime.
Unfortunately, things do not always go to plan and it may be the case that one of you wants ‘out’.
ESS – The ‘start-up’ concession

What is the ESS ‘start-up’ concession and how do employees qualify for it? If you are receiving shares or share options from your employer, you need to know how and when they will be taxed. This article covers when an employee is eligible for the ESS ‘start-up’ concession to reduce the tax they must pay.
ESS – How do you work out the ‘discount’ when you grant an interest under an ESS?

When setting up an ‘employee share scheme’ (ESS), employers often grapple with the tax implications of issuing ESS interests. However, these concerns only arise if there is a ‘discount’ at the time the ESS interest is granted. Working out if there is a discount, and what the extent of the discount is, are therefore two critical threshold questions.
ESS – Qualifying for ‘deferral’ of the taxable discount

How do you qualify to defer any tax otherwise payable on shares and options acquired under an employee share scheme? When does the deferral come to an end?
I want to set up a charity to raise money for people overseas. Where do I start?

If you want to do charitable work or raise funds to help people living overseas, you should carefully consider your options to make sure your aid is targeted to where it’s most needed.
To what extent can a company indemnify a director?

There are over 700 laws that can impose personal liability on directors. While it is common for companies to provide directors with an ‘indemnity’ or ‘insurance cover’ for these liabilities, there are limitations and restrictions on how far this indemnity and cover can extend.
“Show me the money!”: Tread carefully with loans to children

People are more aware – and wary – than ever of family law issues in relation to their assets. More and more couples seek binding financial agreements to protect their assets, or put off living together or marrying to minimise their financial exposure.