Applying for small business entity income tax concessions

Businesses looking to save on tax for the financial year may consider applying for income tax concessions.

Businesses classified as a small business entity are eligible for income tax concessions. Since 1 July 2016, businesses are considered small business entities in the case that they:

• are a sole trader, partnership or trust,
• operate as a business for all or part of the income year, and
• have an aggregated turnover of less than $10 million.

In the event that you meet the above requirements as a small business entity, here are the income tax concessions available to you.

Small business structure rollover

Small business entities can change the legal structure of their business and transfer active assets from one entity to another without incurring any income tax liability. Assets such as capital gains tax assets, trading stock, revenue assets and depreciating assets are eligible in this rollover. The rollover is also only available in the case that it is part of a genuine restructure and there is no change to ultimate economic ownership.

Simplified trading stock rules

Under the simplified trading stock rules concession, you can estimate the value of your trading stock at the end of the financial year when reporting in your tax return. However, small businesses will also need to show how they calculated their estimated trading stock value. Businesses which choose not to use an estimate will need to account for value changes in their stock and conduct a stocktake. Stocktakes do not need to be conducted if there is a difference of $5,000 or less between the value of your stock at the start of the income year.

Immediate deductions for prepaid expenses

Payments which cover a period of 12 months or less that are ending in the next income year are eligible for immediate deductions. Prepaid expenditure is also immediately deductible when the period ends no later than the last day of the income year following the year in which the expenditure was incurred.

Two-year amendment period

Small businesses receiving a notice of assessment from the ATO have a two-year time limit for reviewing an assessment.