Summary of Individual Highlights from the Budget:

  • Low and middle income tax offset (LMITO) will be increased by $420 for the 2021-22 income year so that eligible individuals will receive a maximum LMITO benefit up to $1,500 for 2021-22 up from the current maximum of $1,080). This remains legislated only to apply until the end of 2022 tax year and not extended to 2022-2023.
  • The low income tax offset (LITO) will also continue to apply for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 income years.
  • This years Budget paper has also confirmed that the costs of taking a COVID-19 test to attend a place of work are tax deductible for individuals from 1 July 2021.

Summary of Company Highlights from the Budget:

  • Two support measures for small businesses (annual turnover less than 50 million) in the form of 20% uplift in the amount of deductible expenditure incurred on external training courses and digital technology expenditure including the adoption of cyber security and cloud-based systems.
  • Last year the Government announced the introduction of concessional tax treatment for eligible corporate income associated with new patents in the medical and biotechnology sectors (referred to “patent box” income), such income will be taxed at a concessional rate of 17%, with effect for income years starting on or after 1 July 2022. Eligible income will be taxed at the concessional tax rate to the extent that the R&D of the innovation took place in Australia.
  • The GDP uplift factor for PAYG and GST instalments will be set at 2% for the 2022-23 income year, lower than the 10% that would have applied under the statutory formula.
  • Extension of the temporary full expensing regime by 12 months, until 30 June 2023.

Summary of Superannuation Highlights from the Budget:

  • The temporary 50% reduction in minimum annual payment amounts for superannuation pensions and annuities, which has applied for the last couple of years, was due to end on 30 June 2022 will now be extended until 30 June 2023. This will allow retirees to avoid selling assets to satisfy the minimum draw-down requirements.
  • No maximum annual payments apply, except for transition to retirement pensions which have a maximum annual payment limit of 10% of the account balance at the start of each financial year.
  • Please note that the 50% reduction in the minimum annual pension payments are not compulsory.
  • Super Guarantee no change to legislated rate rise to 10.5% for 2022-23
  • There were no Budget announcements of any changes to the timing of the next Super Guarantee (SG) rate increase. Currently legislated to increase from 10% to 10.5% from 1 July 2022, and by 0.5% per year from 1 July 2023 until it reaches 12% from 1 July 2025.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact the office and speak to myself or our Superannuation expert Jen Grierson or contact us here!

Please remember that your tax return for 2020-2021 needs to be lodged by 15th May 2022, if you haven’t already done so, please send us your paperwork!