Tax & payroll
ATO obligations across income tax, GST, FBT, payroll tax (state-by-state), Single Touch Payroll Phase 2, Payday Super, CARF crypto reporting, and tax practitioner regulation.
50
Obligations
19
Regulators
0
Recent enforcement
Regulators
Obligations (50)
- criticalCWLTHcurrentAnnual YFYS performance test (MySuper + Choice)
APRA annual performance test for MySuper products + (from 2024) Trustee Directed Products.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentApply for and maintain an Australian Business Number
Entities carrying on an enterprise in Australia must have an ABN to operate (or face PAYG withholding at 47%).
- criticalCWLTHcurrentComply with SIS Act trustee covenants
Super fund trustees owe statutory covenants of care, skill, diligence, best financial interests, and prudent investment.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentComply with the TASA Code of Professional Conduct
Tax practitioners must observe honesty, competence, confidentiality, PI insurance, and (from 2025) expanded breach reporting.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentLodge an annual SMSF audit before lodging the SMSF Annual Return
Self-managed super funds must be audited by an ASIC-registered auditor each year.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentLodge Business Activity Statements at assigned frequency
GST-registered entities must lodge a BAS monthly, quarterly or annually as the ATO assigns.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentMaintain SMSF compliance with the sole purpose test (s 62)
SMSFs must be maintained for the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentMake trustee resolutions for trust distributions by 30 June
Discretionary trust trustees must validly resolve to distribute trust income before the end of the FY.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentPay company PAYG/GST/SG or face Director Penalty Notice (DPN)
Directors personally liable for unpaid company PAYG, GST + SG via DPN regime.
- criticalCWLTHupcomingPay superannuation on every payday (Payday Super)
From 1 July 2026, super must reach the employee's fund within 7 calendar days of each payday.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentStronger Member Outcomes — APRA SPS 515
RSE licensees must annually assess member-outcomes performance + take action.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentTASA Code Determinations from 1 August 2024
Tax practitioner code reformed via Code Determinations — false + misleading statements + supervision + breach reporting.
- criticalCWLTHcurrentWithhold PAYG from employee and contractor payments
Employers must withhold tax from wages, certain contractor payments + report via STP / BAS.
- highACTcurrentACT payroll tax (≥$2M threshold, 6.85%)
ACT payroll tax on monthly + annual cycle.
- highCWLTHcurrentApply for a Tax File Number for new entities and partnerships
Companies, trusts and partnerships need a TFN to file tax returns and claim TFN exemptions.
- highCWLTHcurrentComply with SPS 530 (Investment Governance) for APRA-regulated super funds
RSE licensees must have a documented investment governance framework.
- highCWLTHupcomingCrypto Asset Platform licensing (Treasury reforms 2024-2025)
Treasury scoping CASP regime for digital asset platforms.
- highCWLTHupcomingCrypto Asset Secondary Service Provider (CASSPr) licensing reforms
Treasury consultation 2024 on bespoke crypto licensing — separate from AFSL.
- highCWLTHupcomingCrypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) — implementation 2026-2027
AU adopts the OECD CARF for crypto reporting from 2026; ATO reporting starts 2027.
- highCWLTHcurrentDGR annual self-review (from 1 July 2024)
ACNC-registered DGRs must complete annual self-review.
- highCWLTHcurrentLodge an FBT return and pay FBT by 21 May
Employers who provided fringe benefits in the FBT year (1 April – 31 March) must lodge by 21 May.
- highCWLTHcurrentLodge Country-by-Country Report (CbC) for significant global entities
Multinationals with global income >EUR 750M must lodge CbC Report annually.
- highCWLTHcurrentMaintain TPB registration (tax/BAS agents)
Tax agents and BAS agents must be registered with the TPB and comply with the Code of Professional Conduct.
- highCWLTHcurrentMaintain transfer pricing documentation (Subdivision 815-D)
Multinational groups must keep contemporaneous transfer pricing documentation per Subdivision 815-D ITAA 1997.
- highCWLTHcurrentMySuper authorisation for default super products
Default super contributions can only flow to APRA-authorised MySuper products.
- highNTcurrentNT payroll tax (≥$1.5M threshold, 5.5%)
NT payroll tax monthly + annual cycle.
- highACTcurrentPay ACT payroll tax when threshold met
ACT: 6.85% rate on Australian wages above the $2M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highNTcurrentPay Northern Territory payroll tax when threshold met
NT: 5.5% rate on Australian wages above the $1.5M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highNSWcurrentPay NSW land tax
NSW land tax applies on aggregated unimproved land value above $1.075M general threshold (2026).
- highNSWcurrentPay NSW payroll tax when threshold met
NSW: 5.45% rate on Australian wages above the $1.2M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highNSWcurrentPay NSW transfer duty on residential property acquisitions
Variable transfer duty rates; foreign purchaser additional duty 9%.
- highQLDcurrentPay QLD transfer duty on residential property
QLD transfer duty progressive; foreign acquirer additional duty 7%.
- highQLDcurrentPay Queensland land tax
QLD land tax applies on aggregated land value above $600K (individuals) / $350K (companies + trusts).
- highQLDcurrentPay Queensland payroll tax when threshold met
QLD: 4.75% rate on Australian wages above the $1.3M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highSAcurrentPay South Australian payroll tax when threshold met
SA: 4.95% rate on Australian wages above the $1.5M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highTAScurrentPay Tasmanian payroll tax when threshold met
TAS: 4.0% / 6.1% on Australian wages above the $1.25M tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highVICcurrentPay Victorian land tax (including absentee owner surcharge)
VIC land tax applies on aggregated taxable value above $50K (general) / $25K (trust); absentee owner +4% surcharge.
- highVICcurrentPay Victorian payroll tax when threshold met
VIC: 4.85% rate on Australian wages above the $900,000 tax-free threshold (FY26).
- highVICcurrentPay Victorian stamp duty on residential property
Variable rates by purchase price; foreign purchaser surcharge 8%. PPR concession available.
- highWAcurrentPay Western Australian payroll tax when threshold met
WA: 5.5% rate on Australian wages above the $1M tax-free threshold (FY26), with diminishing deduction up to $7.5M.
- highCWLTHcurrentPetroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT)
40% PRRT on offshore + onshore (Bass Strait only) petroleum project profits.
- highCWLTHcurrentProcess super contributions and rollovers via SuperStream
All super contributions and rollovers must use SuperStream-compliant data + payment standards.
- highCWLTHcurrentRegister for GST when GST turnover meets the threshold
Register within 21 days when GST turnover reaches $75K (or $150K for NFPs, or any amount for ride-share/taxis).
- highCWLTHcurrentRegister R&D activities for the R&D Tax Incentive
Companies must register R&D activities with AusIndustry within 10 months of the end of the income year.
- highCWLTHcurrentReport under Single Touch Payroll Phase 2
Disaggregated payroll reporting to the ATO via STP-enabled software.
- highCWLTHupcomingStablecoin payments licensing — Treasury reforms (in scoping)
Treasury reforms scoping payment stablecoin licensing under PSP regime.
- highCWLTHcurrentState mining royalties
Royalty payable on mining production per state Mining Acts.
- highTAScurrentTas payroll tax (≥$1.25M threshold, 4-6.1%)
Tasmania payroll tax tiered.
- highCWLTHcurrentThin capitalisation rules (Div 820 ITAA 1997)
Limits debt deductions for thinly-capitalised entities, reformed from 1 July 2023.
- highCWLTHcurrentWine Equalisation Tax (WET) for producers + wholesalers
WET at 29% on wine wholesale value; rebate scheme up to $350K per producer.