The current financial year is almost at an end, and with an election to be held two days later the recently announced federal budget measures will of course have no chance to take effect until some time into the next financial year, if at all. But in the meantime there are still many strategies you may be able to put into play to ensure you pay not one cent more tax than is necessary for the 2015-16 financial year. So here are some last-minute tax planning tips for individuals.
Tip! The best tax planning tactics are adopted in July, not June. That is, as early as possible in any financial year, not right near the end of it. And it is also wise to remember that proper tax planning is more than just finding bigger and better deductions — the best tips are those that set your tax affairs in better order for not just the current financial year but also for future income years.
Not all of the following tips will suit your circumstances, but as a list of possibilities they may get you thinking along the right track, and have you asking the right questions.
Investment property Many expenses stemming from owning a rental property are claimable, so it can be helpful to bring forward any expenses before June 30 and claim them in the present financial year. If you know that an investment property needs some repairs or requires attention regarding, say, pest control, see if you can incur these costs before year end.
Prepay investment loan interest In a similar vein, see if you can negotiate with your finance provider to make upfront interest repayments for certain investments, such as a margin loan on shares.
Most taxpayers can claim a deduction for up to 12 months ahead. But make sure you review how you and your lender have allocated funds secured against your property correctly, as a tax deduction is generally only allowed against the finance costs incurred for the purpose of earning assessable income from investments.
A deduction may not be available on funds you redraw from this loan put to other purposes. Bring forward expenses Try to bring forward any other deductions (like the interest payments mentioned above) into the 2015-16 year.
If you know that next fiscal year you will be earning less (if you’re going on maternity leave, for example, or going part-time etc), deductible expenses that can be brought forward into the present financial year will provide more financial benefit.
An exception for some lucky individuals will arise if you expect to earn more next financial year. In that case it may be to your advantage to delay any tax-deductible payments until next financial year, when the financial benefit of deductions could be greater. Your personal circumstances will dictate whether these measures are appropriate.
Use the CGT rules to your advantage If you have made and crystallised any capital gain from your investments this financial year (which will be added to your assessable income), think about selling any investments that are currently sitting on a loss before year-end. Doing so means the capital gains you made on your successful investments can be offset against the capital losses from the less successful ones, reducing your overall taxable income.
A similar approach could also be adopted if you have carry forward capital losses and wish to realise some gains at year end.
Keep in mind that for CGT purposes a capital gain generally occurs on the date you sign a contract, not when you settle on a property purchased. When you are making a large capital gain toward the end of an income year, such as selling an investment property, knowing which financial year the gain will be attributed to is a great tax planning advantage.
Of course, with all of the above, tread carefully and don’t let mere tax drive your investment decisions.
Final reminders No-one knows your affairs better than yourself, so you will recognise if any of the above tax tips applies to your circumstances. But no-one is better informed as to what is appropriate, or indeed allowable, than your tax agent (and don’t forget, any fee is an allowable deduction in the year it is paid).
Every individual taxpayer is required to lodge their return before October 31, but tax agents are generally given more time to lodge, which can be a handy extension to a payment deadline. Of course, if you’re sure you are going to get a refund it’s no use delaying, so in these cases it is worth getting all of your information to your tax professional as soon as you can after July 1.
#[tax deductions], [tax planning], [tax time 2016]
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