When you sell an asset (let’s say a property), you will do so at a profit, a loss, or you’ll come out even. If you’re lucky enough to come out with a profit, that profit you receive is called your Capital Gain. When you complete your tax return, you’re required to report your Capital Gains as well as your Capital Losses, but you only pay tax on your Capital Gains (i.e. when you’ve made a profit). This is called Capital Gains Tax (CGT).
While negative gearing is a method commonly applied to rental properties, it can in fact be applied to any type of investment. Essentially, negative gearing is when you borrow money to invest (let’s use the example of property), and you operate at a loss, i.e. your rental income is less than what it costs you to hold the property. When it comes to rental properties, there are a number of things you can claim as a deduction in an effort to boost your costs and come out “negatively geared”.
Making additional contributions into your superannuation is just one method you can use to reduce the tax you pay each year, which can be particularly appealing to higher income earners who consequently see higher proportions of their salaries disappear on tax. However, it’s not just higher income earners who can benefit from this strategy.
Let’s not sugar coat it – each year we pay large sums in taxes (some more than others depending on what you earn…. AND what you can claim). You earnt it, so we want to help you keep it (well, as much of it as possible). Ultimately, that comes down to knowing what you can and should be claiming, and that’s where we come in.
Most businesses stem from a passion, and many passions show themselves in our recreational and hobby activities. The lines begin to blur when we start making money from what we love, whether it be a full time or ‘spare time’ pursuit.
I came across an article last week by Kochie’s Business Builders on what you should ask your accountant once you’ve chosen the right one for you. It was great to read as these are the same things (among a few others) that we discuss and address with our clients. What’s our response?
