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Reference: Otago Daily Times 12 April 2022 (condensed)
Homeowners could get a large unwanted tax bill if they do not do their homework on a new bright-line disclosure system, accountants are warning.
It asked taxpayers who had recently sold a property to fill in details regarding the nature of the transaction and whether the bright-line test - the way of taxing financial gains on investment properties sold within a certain period of buying it - applied.
In light of the current COVID-19 Omicron outbreak, the Government has announced three additional forms of financial support for businesses with cashflow pressures as a result of COVID-19. These are:
New targeted COVID-19 Support Payment (CSP) for the most affected businesses
This payment is aimed at the most affected business only and hence has strict eligibility criteria. Applications for the first payment opened on 28 February 2022 and it is expected that the second payment will open on 14 March 2022 and the third payment on 28 March 2022.
For information on eligibility criteria click here.
You apply for the new CSP through myIR. For more information on how to apply for the new CSP click here.
Top-up loan available under the Small Business Cashflow Scheme
The Small Business Cashflow Scheme (SBCS) was introduced to support small to medium businesses and organisations struggling with a loss of actual revenue due to COVID-19.
The SBCS base loan will be increased to $20,000 (from $10,000). This means the total amount that can be borrowed will be $20,000, plus $1,800 per full-time equivalent employee (up to 50 employees). The loan repayment period remains 5 years (60 months).
The first 2 years of existing loans will become interest-free provided the loan is not in default. Interest will apply at a rate of 3% per year on the remaining loan balance from the first day of the third year of the loan period.
These changes will be made to the SBCS by the end of March. More information will be available soon.
Flexibility on tax payment terms extended by Inland Revenue.
The IRD have advised they are offering some flexibility due to COVID-19 impacts, including remitting penalties and interest and providing instalment arrangements to pay off tax liabilities. You can enquire about these direct with the IRD through myIR.
For more information on the full range of business supports during this Omicron outbreak, please read here and contact us more assistance.
Around one in five Kiwis is either invested in cryptocurrency or plans to invest, according to a survey by the Financial Services Council. With so many of us jumping into cryptoassets, it's helpful to understand what our tax obligations are.
When do you need to pay tax on cryptocurrencies?
When you buy or mine cryptocurrencies, there is no tax to pay. And while you hold cryptocurrencies, there is no tax to pay.
The post-Covid, globalised economy has created a number of challenges for the average business. Depending on your business purpose and strategy, you may need to either upsize, or downsize, to secure the long-term future of your company.
But what are the implications of scaling up, or scaling down, your operations? And how do you refine your business so it's fit for purpose and ready to take on your new aims and goals?
The answer is to look carefully at your forecasting and your future decision-making.
Plenty of Kiwi businesses buy utes as company vehicles. If you're in the trades, for instance, a ute can be the perfect way to haul everything around and promote your brand at the same time.
However, the recently announced EV feebate scheme is likely to hit ute buyers the hardest, since these vehicles tend to have some of the highest emissions of any on our roads.
The fee depends on the model
Only the highest-emission models will require you to pay the highest fees. For example, the Nissan Navara is a relatively low-emission ute model and the fee on a new Navarra is forecast at $810. That is considerably lower than the fee of $5175 expected to be incurred by the highest-emission Toyota Hilux model.
In 1961, President John F Kennedy famously announced his goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth before the decade was out. As we know, in July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the moon, and were brought back to Earth safely, achieving JFK's goal.
At a time when most people hadn't even been on an aeroplane, landing on the moon would've felt unachievable and overwhelming. However, such a massive goal united people with a purpose; the story goes that even a cleaner mopping the floor at the space station said his job was to help put a man on the moon.
So, how did they make the goal achievable? They broke it down into milestones, with each one taking them closer and closer to achieving their ultimate goal.
Good news for first-home buyers with wider eligibility for grants and loans
20/04/2021 by Paul Martin
It's a little easier to buy a first house after Government policy changes were introduced in March. The major change is that house price and income caps have increased, making a few more buyers eligible for the first home assistance and giving them more leeway on eligible properties.
What can first home buyers access?
Eligible Kiwis can make use of the First Home Grant and/or First Home Loan. They could potentially:
- Buy an eligible property, below the price cap, with a 5% deposit.
- Get a $10,000 grant per person for a new build, or $5,000 for an existing home.
- Withdraw from their KiwiSaver account, potentially taking out all their funds except $1000.
You can find all the details here.
How are costs for meeting the Healthy Homes Standards for residential rental properties claimed in my tax return?
21/01/2021 by Paul Martin
Most residential rental property owners should be well aware of the Healthy Homes Standards which became law on 1 July 2019.
The healthy homes standards introduce specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties.
Trusts are common in NZ and the reasons for setting them up vary. The Trusts Act 2019 comes into effect on 30 January 2021. Changes to the act aim to make trusts more accessible. There are increased compliance obligations on trustees and duties that ensure greater transparency for beneficiaries.
The changes to the act include:
- The age of majority (the default age that a person can inherit if not specified) changes from 20 to 18.
- The maximum duration period of a trust is extended from 80 years to 125 years
- Obligations on trustees to keep certain information about trusts
- A mechanism to request the court to review the decisions and actions of trustees
- Flexible powers for trustees to manage trusts.
The world of work has been transformed this year and the only way forward is to adapt. Here are two businesses who rejigged their offering to keep the invoices rolling and who experienced great success.
Bringing home the bacon
Pop-up restaurant founder Stacey Jones from Mount Maunganui describes time in lockdown as a 'tale of two halves' for her business Kitchen Takeover. "It was hard because my seven events sold out in 24 hours before lockdown and they all had to be cancelled. But this was good because it forced me to pivot and move really quickly into something new, which would never have happened if I hadn't had my hand forced."
Stacey decided to package up her pop-up restaurant night into a dinner party box - a fine-dining experience delivered to your door.
