What's the difference between death and taxes?
The government doesn't meet every year to make death worse.

ATO warns about aggressive phone scams

The ATO is again warning the public to be aware of a phone scam that is circulating, where fraudsters are intimidating people into paying a fake tax debt over the phone.

The aggressive scam attempts to force people to pay a fake tax debt immediately by threatening arrest if they don’t comply.

If you receive a call from the ATO we recommend that you ask for the caller’s name and either call our office with the details or phone them back through the ATO’s switchboard on 13 28 69. 

Early access to super for people with terminal illness

The Assistant Treasurer has announced that, from 1 July 2015, the government will amend the provision for accessing superannuation for people suffering a terminal illness.

Under the current provision for early access to super, a person with a terminal illness is required to obtain a certification from medical specialists that they have less than 12 months to live.

The relevant regulations will be amended to change the life expectancy period from 12 months to 24 months.

The sharing economy

The ATO has issued an information guide titled the 'Sharing economy and tax'.  It states that the 'sharing economy' is a new way of connecting buyers ('users') and sellers ('providers') for economic activity.

Sharing economy arrangements are generally booked through a facilitator using a website or app.

Common examples of some sharing economy services include:

- renting out or letting a room or other property for accommodation;

- renting out or letting car parking space;

- providing odd jobs, errands, deliveries or more skilled services on an ad hoc basis; and

- using a car to transport members of the public for a fare.

The ATO says that tax laws which apply to activities conducted in a conventional manner apply in the same way to activities conducted in the sharing economy.

ATO's new appeals division – the "RDR"

In a recent speech, an ATO Second Commissioner spoke about the ATO's new Review and Dispute Resolution (RDR) area which is being set up as a separate division to review objections and appeals.

He stated that the ATO has accepted that disputes should be managed in a division separate from audit.

He said that "From 1 July, all objections will come under the purview of RDR, which reports to him, and is separate from their Compliance and Tax Counsel areas".