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The fringe benefits tax (FBT) year ends on 31 March. That means it’s time to review the benefits you’ve provided to your employees for the last 12 months and work out which of those attract FBT. You may provide your employees with benefits you do not usually provide because of COVID-19. This includes paying for items that allow your employees to work from home. Fringe benefits tax (FBT) may apply…  Read more

Often small business owners find themselves in the position of running a great business that appears to be profitable but there never seems to be any money in the bank. It’s an important situation to address. After all, a lack of adequate cash flow is one of the main causes of small business failure. Here are three reasons potentially profitable businesses have little money in the bank. What is the…  Read more

The bubble has burst in WA and we need to join the rest of the world in accepting the reality that Covid is here. What we do know is that the world economy has not collapsed, businesses in WA have been relatively sheltered and we are more aware of how we can react to outbreaks. Our first case in 10 months is a setback but not a disaster. We have…  Read more

The past six years have been tough for Perth’s property market but maybe the tide has turned. Perth dwelling values fell by more than 22% from highs in June 2014. For any home or investment property buyers from 2008 onwards, breaking even on a subsequent sale has been a measure of success. Regional markets are also booming. You will struggle to find a rental property, a holiday home, a vacant…  Read more

Family business owners often share a similar goal – to grow the business and pass it on to the next generation. While keeping the business in the family and getting to work with your parents, siblings, or children can be rewarding, managing and growing a family-owned business isn’t without its challenges. Conflicting views on business and family matters such as succession of power, rivalry, favoritism, and disposition of assets often…  Read more

Since the government announced the $70-billion JobKeeper program to support businesses and their employees, many businesses have relied on the scheme to stay afloat. Others have been grateful for the cash boost that made the way for smoother sailing. Phase one of Jobkeeper comes to an end on 28 September and not all businesses are eligible for the next relief package. According to a recent survey by the Australian Institute…  Read more

Tips to Adapt Your Small Business During the Pandemic As COVID-19 continues to impact the way businesses operate and consumers shop, many small businesses may struggle to stay afloat, let alone thrive. Below are some of the simple, yet effective, ways on how you can build a stronger brand, earn more sales, and survive in these uncertain times. Showcase locally-made products Now, more than ever, consumers want to buy from…  Read more

Technology is a tool and a means to an end. How does it help you? make your business run better make your life easier give you control information at your fingertips access to real time support from our team option for our bookkeepers to do it all for you We are here to help. What is cloud accounting? Accounting moves from your desktop computer to your fingertips. Cloud accounting software…  Read more

We’ve heard this before: the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global health and financial crisis that has caught many off guard. While the threats to human life are very real, the damage to the health of businesses is really just starting to show. The seriousness of the disease and the lack of a vaccine (at the time of writing this) have prompted governments around the world to impose strict measures…  Read more

If your small business operates on a tight budget you might be tempted to eliminate costs that you think aren’t necessary. Often small business owners choose to go without business insurance as a way of saving money, but doing so can be incredibly costly in the long run. Business insurance is something that may seem like an unnecessary expense in the short term, but is worth the cost now in…  Read more

The introduction of Single Touch Payroll (STP) has meant that tax time this year will be a little different. Under the new system employers must report pay, taxes and superannuation information directly to the ATO every payday through STP. Employers using STP will not give employees a payment summary as they usually would at this time of year. Instead, employees will get an end-of-year income statement in ATO online services…  Read more

The pains caused by a recession can be brutal and most of us dread the thought. A recession can mean massive layoffs, fewer jobs and wages frozen, which means consumers spend less and in turn worsening the economic slowdown. If we look at the effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008, between December 2008 and December 2010, about 1.8 million small businesses closed. According to Investopedia one decade…  Read more

As small business operators emerge post COVID, there are some important business questions to ask. These questions will help determine whether your business model is working and if there are additional changes you want to make to protect your business through future economic downturns or volatility. Will you remain the same old caterpillar or a change and improve like a butterfly? 1. What worked and what didn’t work in my…  Read more

You run a business, you take a risk. The aim is generally to provide income to support your lifestyle and family and freedom to be your own boss. For too many business owners, their business is a harder task master than any boss they have ever reported to. We know there is a better way… Too many businesses fall over or fail to achieve their potential because the owner has…  Read more

Good news! This week the government announced that the Instant Asset Write-off has been extended for six months, taking the initiative to 31 December 2020. Australian businesses with less than $500 million annual turnover will be able to take advantage of the write-off and invest in assets to support their business. This government initiative is designed to help the economy reopen and boost economic growth. The instant asset write-off applies…  Read more

Image from The Spirit Business If you’re like many business owners you’re probably astounded by how the world changed in a very short time, and now it seems to have changed all over again! While we can all hope that the pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime scenario, the truth is there is a lot in life and in business that is uncertain, and there is a great deal we can learn…  Read more

Seamless bookkeeping and accounting You want to avoid paying more than you should come tax time. Part of that is ensuring you have well organised and recorded financial records. When tax time comes around, are you ready or scrambling last minute for missing financial records? Business owners have a lot on their plate and can easily lose track of an approaching tax deadline or financial data needed to submit returns.…  Read more

Your “war chest” is the financial reserve your business has built up. Your war chest helps you take advantage of opportunities or cover unexpected costs or emergencies such as the current Covid pandemic. Building a cash reserve when finances are tight, however, can be difficult. You need money to continue running your business while attempting to keep your reserve account healthy. To begin you should download a cashflow scenario planner…  Read more

A market update from joint venture partner Knight Financial Advisors To say it has been a volatile month in markets would be an understatement. From their recent highs to recent lows US shares have fallen 13%, Eurozone shares have lost 16%, Japanese shares have fallen 14% and Australian shares have lost 13%. Emergency central bank intervention saw bond yields plunge to new record lows in the US and Australia. Commodity…  Read more

Risk management should be central to every business. At Porters CA – Chartered Accountants we see two key imperatives – (A) achieve your goals; (B) manage the risk of not achieving your goals. Simple really. Invest in solutions that will improve your business performance and resilience in all cases such as remote working capability, duplicate supply options, multiple unrelated revenue streams, strong client communication channels, robust funding arrangements, documented operating…  Read more