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Podcasts

View > How to manage your tax risk: Thursday, 17 July 2008 Every business owner should get their head around the very real benefits of tax risk management. By TERRY HAYES

View > Employee theft: Bosses still have a duty: Tuesday, 15 July 2008 Theft – no matter how small – is grounds for dismissal, but employers must investigate allegations of theft and give employees a chance to respond in full. By PETER VITALE

View > Don’t forget about capital works tax deductions: Thursday, 10 July 2008 Business can often forget about claiming capital works deductions for property improvements. Tax expert TERRY HAYES explains how these deductions work.

View > Salary sacrifice – the taxman’s getting testy: Thursday, 3 July 2008 Although salary sacrifice schemes are not rare, there are those who seek to push the boundaries – and the taxman’s patience is wearing thin. By TERRY HAYES

View > The HR costs of buying a business: Tuesday, 1 July 2008 When purchasing a business, it pays in the short and the long term to do proper due diligence on the workforce. ANDREW DOUGLAS explains how.

View > Tax deduction guide for small and medium business: Tuesday, 24 June 2008 I’ve already talked about some year end tax planning issues, but it might be worth reminding SMEs of some of the tax deductions they may be able to claim. By TERRY HAYES

View > The taxman’s secret tool: Thursday, 19 June 2008 Data-matching is set to catch out those in the cash economy. TERRY HAYES explains how it will work.

View > The taxman’s targets: 2008-09: Thursday, 12 June 2008 Each August, the tax office publicly releases its targets for the year. It’s a valuable guide for taxpayers – forewarned is forearmed. By TERRY HAYES

View > Bad performance; good redundancy: Tuesday, 10 June 2008 Many employers settle unfair dismissal cases before they get to the Industrial Relations Commission because they are scared they will lose. But employers that have made a worker redundant for genuine reasons need not fear. By ANDREW DOUGLAS

View > Free kick from the taxman: Thursday, 5 June 2008 The taxman has given businesses a bit longer to lodge their FBT returns. There are also some crucial FBT changes that you need to understand. By TERRY HAYES

View > Maternity leave breaches can get you in hot water: Tuesday, 3 June 2008 Employer obligations on parental entitlements are clear – and the courts are not reluctant to flex disciplinary muscle. By PETER VITALE

View > End-of-year tax tips: Thursday, 29 May 2008 With the end of the financial year fast approaching, our tax expert TERRY HAYES has six tips to help businesses minimise their tax bill.

View > Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork – the OH&S nightmare: Tuesday, 27 May 2008 Most businesses find OH&S a great cost and irritation, but good companies save time and money by making OH&S a part of the operational decision making process. By ANDREW DOUGLAS

View > Company directors beware – less time to pay outstanding tax: Thursday, 22 May 2008 Even directors of small companies can be held liable for the tax debts of their businesses. And they may have less time to pay those debts than they thought. By TERRY HAYES

View > Salary packages hit by tighter FBT: Thursday, 15 May 2008 Employers need to review staff remuneration arrangements as a result of federal budget changes to fringe benefits tax legislation and amendments to income tax brackets. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Reuters

View > Sick again? You're sacked!: Tuesday, 13 May 2008 Being away from work for very long periods may seem a plain scenario for termination, but the law is not so straightforward. By PETER VITALE

View > Car dealers set for GST refund bonanza: Thursday, 8 May 2008 A Federal Court decision confirming a car dealer’s right to claim refunds for GST paid mistakenly could open the way for a broad range of businesses to recover GST paid on transactions where no goods or services were actually supplied. By JAMES THOMSON

View > How to deal with unions: The future without AWAs: Tuesday, 6 May 2008 The rights of union officials to enter a worksite is always a touchy subject for employers. ANDREW DOUGLAS reports on the first decision about union site access since the introduction of WorkChoices.

View > Company directors: Ensure your tax debt is paid: Thursday, 1 May 2008 Every company director needs to make sure that tax is paid, and on time. As TERRY HAYES reports, the consequences can be severe.

View > Tread carefully with share loss CGT claims: Thursday, 24 April 2008 Known as "wash sale" arrangements, offsetting share losses for tax minimisation purposes could make the taxman sit up and notice. TERRY HAYES explains.

View > Do employers have to pay workers compensation indefinitely?: Tuesday, 22 April 2008 In weighing up the hit you might feel on your premiums against cutting staff costs there are some questions you have to ask. By ANDREW DOUGLAS

View > The taxman’s 2008 focus: Thursday, 17 April 2008 Compliance, although always an issue, has been honed by the taxman to three points of interest for businesses this year. TERRY HAYES reports.

View > What the new employee safety net will mean for business: Tuesday, 15 April 2008 The impending employee award modernisation process will set a safety net that business owners will need to accommodate, as well as the costs. PETER VITALE looks at the choices.

View > Time to tame the tax law troika: Thursday, 10 April 2008 There are particular tax problems that every business owner experiences. Here are tips to take at least some of the complexity out of three of the more common conundrums. By TERRY HAYES

View > Super cost time-bomb awaits unprepared SMEs: Thursday, 3 April 2008 Mark 1 July 2008 in your diary in big bold letters…NOW. Because, from that date, your cost of paying the 9% compulsory superannuation under the super guarantee regime could increase. By TERRY HAYES

View > Footy fever is no excuse for sick leave: Tuesday, 1 April 2008 A passionate AFL supporter has become the focus of an employer’s successful challenge to the veracity of a medical certificate. By PETER VITALE

View > FBT tricks and traps: Thursday, 27 March 2008 The end of this month marks the end of the FBT year, and time to make sure your business won’t pay any more tax than is necessary. By TERRY HAYES

View > WorkChoices is dead: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 Here are the highlights and the practical outcomes of Labor’s IR laws, now through Parliament, writes PETER VITALE.

View > In tough times, the taxman can help: Thursday, 20 March 2008 The wash-up of this economic rough patch may include tax consequences, but TERRY HAYES reminds business that the tax office is not blind to suffering.

View > Property investors making mistakes, taxman warns: Thursday, 13 March 2008 Despite mortgage pressure and economic ructions, property’s rental yields and capital growth have still made it an inviting investment option. But, warns TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory, tax is often a forgotten obligation.

View > Award breach fines biting careless employers: Tuesday, 11 March 2008 Heavy WorkChoices penalties are hitting employers, and there is no sign the Rudd Government will soften them. Employers will be left with all the pain of WorkChoices and little of the gain. By PETER VITALE.

View > DIY super may feel the taxman’s bite: Thursday, 6 March 2008 DIY super trustees may hear a knock on the door from the tax office, even before June, says TERRY HAYES. Make sure your SMSF is on track; your fund, and your future, depend on it.

View > Termination: The case for strict policies: Tuesday, 4 March 2008 Unfair dismissal will soon be an issue for all employers. Recent claims of unfair dismissal have lived or died on the strength of company policies – not on the fact that they were in place, but how they were enforced. PETER VITALE explains.

View > No certainty to promised tax breaks: Thursday, 28 February 2008 The Coalition promised small business certain tax concessions, reports TERRY HAYES. They are not yet law, but will the new Government stick by them?

View > Think you are getting a tax concession? You had better read these rules carefully: Thursday, 21 February 2008 The Government says it is keen to help small business and to ease its regulatory and compliance burden. It has got its work cut out. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > The key IR cards Labor has laid on the table: Tuesday, 19 February 2008 The first steps in the Government’s makeover of industrial relations have been taken, reports PETER VITALE. Early signs show that business will be dealt more of a reformation than a revolution.

View > An early tax win for SMEs: Thursday, 14 February 2008 Now that the 1 July 2008 income tax cuts are looking much more certain, it is time to start planning. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Boss: Make room for working mums and dads: Tuesday, 12 February 2008 Make room for working mums and dads. A recent case highlights what employers must do to meet staff family commitments. Are you complying? By PETER VITALE.

View > Tax watchlist: Be prepared for change: Thursday, 7 February 2008 The new Government has barely warmed the seats in Canberra, and so far the tax regime is business as usual. But don’t be complacent. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > IR: A national system has a long way to go: Tuesday, 29 January 2008 Co-operation on a national IR regime is not going to be won any time soon – let alone implemented. By PETER VITALE.

View > Pluses and pitfalls: Employee share schemes: Thursday, 24 January 2008 Employee share schemes not only provide a way to engage workers in the success of the business, they can be a tax effective way of delivering benefits to staff. By MIKE PRESTON.

View > Rudd IR: How will the legislation look?: Tuesday, 22 January 2008 The workplace landscape is about to change under Labor’s IR plans. Now that we have some details, here is what to expect. By PETER VITALE.

View > The tax fraud busters!: Thursday, 17 January 2008 Don’t underestimate the power that lies in the hands of that other tax regulator. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Is your business claiming all its tax deductions?: Thursday, 10 January 2008 It’s a simple enough question – are you claiming all your business’s tax deductions? But the answer may not be so simple. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Nine questions you can NEVER ask in a job interview: Tuesday, 8 January 2008 As much as you might like to know the answers, there are some questions that could land you in very hot water. By PETER VITALE.

View > Company cars, and the FBT wrangle: Thursday, 3 January 2008 Business owners who claim a high level of use of the company car can expect to hear from the taxman. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > A year of tax changes (but wait, there’s more!): Thursday, 20 December 2007 The world of tax is never dull – it never stands still long enough for that. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Workplace law and the Christmas quiet: Tuesday, 18 December 2007 The Christmas and new year period can be the quietest time of the year. But managing staffing needs (or lack of them) has some legislative limits. By PETER VITALE.

View > The taxman’s no Scrooge: Thursday, 13 December 2007 There’s no excuse to be frugal this Christmas, reports JAMES DUNN. The taxman may be prudent, but he has left some yule-tide wriggle room.

View > Xmas party perils: Tuesday, 11 December 2007 If your employees have a Christmas party, make sure you don’t get the hangover. PETER VITALE lists the top six tips to avoid the litigeous dangers of the Christmas function.

View > Business goods for private use? The taxman’s watching: Thursday, 6 December 2007 Don’t forget the tax implications when using items taken from stock for your own use. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Labor’s tax plans – what lies ahead?: Thursday, 29 November 2007 The future taxation landscape has so far only been painted with a broad brush, but already the view is different. What can SMEs expect? By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > How will the fair dismissal code work?: Tuesday, 27 November 2007 Labor has signalled that IR changes will be made sooner rather than later. Details are scarce, but there are parameters. Here’s an informed run-down. By PETER VITALE.

View > Small business keeps the taxman employed: Thursday, 22 November 2007 Offers of help to SMEs from the taxman are undoubtedly genuine. After all, small business is the source of about two thirds of collectable tax debt. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > What will the workplace be like on Monday?: Tuesday, 20 November 2007 Will a change of government on Saturday make workplace relations simple or sinuous for employers? Either way, you need to have a strategy in place. By PETER VITALE.

View > SME company directors in the tax firing line: Thursday, 15 November 2007 Directors should be aware that they are liable for any unpaid tax debts, and that they have a limited time to respond. By TERRY HAYES.

View > The tax fraud busters!: Thursday, 8 November 2007 Don’t underestimate the power that lies in the hands of that other tax regulator. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Court slugs employer for denying protesters leave: Tuesday, 6 November 2007 The Government has been fined for a ‘serious’ breach of employee entitlements – a clear warning for every boss to understand your staff’s rights. By PETER VITALE.

View > Change employee hours at your peril: Thursday, 1 November 2007 Bosses beware. Employee entitlements are not always those written on paper, as a recent case exemplifies. By PETER VITALE.

View > Company cars, and the FBT wrangle: Tuesday, 30 October 2007 Business owners who claim a high level of use of the company car can expect to hear from the taxman. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Taxman promises to stay his hand: Thursday, 25 October 2007 The tax office says it will go easy where super funds can show they are trying to comply with new rules. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Lock, stock, barrel – and tax: Thursday, 18 October 2007 Selling your business? Expect the taxman to take an interest (and even conduct an audit). By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > AWAs: Bosses and unions warned on pressure tactics: Tuesday, 16 October 2007 Employers who pursue a ‘sign or else’ approach to AWAs can fall foul of the law – and unions are not immune. By PETER VITALE.

View > Taxman takes aim at phoenix tactics: Thursday, 11 October 2007 The deliberate use of trading entities, or phoenix arrangements, that seek to evade tax are in the taxman’s sights. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.

View > Long-term injured need handling with care: Tuesday, 9 October 2007 Employers should not assume they can terminate employees absent for long periods for reasons that are not work-related. By PETER VITALE.

View > Cash economy: The taxman hones his scythe: Thursday, 4 October 2007 The tax office has new strategies to snare those in the cash economy – know his targets you keep your head down. By TERRY HAYES of Thomson Legal & Regulatory.