Who can apply for VIC Small Business COVID Hardship Fund grant? To be eligible, businesses must: be located within Victoria as a direct consequence of COVID-19 restrictions since 27 May 2021 have experienced a reduction in turnover of at least 70% for a minimum consecutive two-week period comparable to a benchmark period in 2019 have an annual Victorian payroll of up to $10 million in 2019-20 on an ungrouped basis…  Read more

Only couple of weeks until the applications for NSW Covid-19 Business Grant close! Who can apply for NSW Covid-19 Business Grant? Funding is available to support businesses, sole traders and not-for-profits that have experienced reduced demand or have had to close due to the public health orders. It will support businesses with cash flow for the first 3 weeks of the Greater Sydney lockdown, which started on 26 June 2021.…  Read more

Running a successful business requires you to make smart decisions about everything from who you hire to how you spend your money. There are many legitimate expenses to cover, but it’s easy to overspend in areas that aren’t helping you or your business. Spending wisely is key to owning a sustainable business. Here are four practical money saving tips for business owners. 1. Have a list of all your subscriptions,…  Read more

One classic mistake business owners make when money gets tight is to stop marketing or cut their marketing budget. At first glance, it seems logical to cut down your expenses during tough economic conditions. However, in reality, it’s the opposite of what you should do. When your business is struggling, cutting your marketing budget will further hurt your business. It is during this time that you should go the extra…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. We’re thinking of everyone affected by lockdowns around the country and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions about your business during this time. Read on for assistance that may be available to you. Tougher COVID-19 Restrictions in Melbourne New stricter COVID-19 restrictions came into effect…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Greater Sydney Lockdown to Extended by 4 Weeks What began as a two-week lockdown on June 26 for the more than 5 million people living in Greater Sydney will now stretch until at least August 28, as COVID-19 daily case numbers continue to grow. Existing rules including the five…  Read more

Solid cash flow management is vital to ensuring your business survives, but not everyone understands what cash flow is or how to manage it. That’s likely what makes it a leading cause of stress for small business owners. In fact, a Capital One study found that 42% of small business owners say cash flow management is a major concern for them. Cash flow refers to the movement of money into…  Read more

This week the NSW state and Australian Federal Governments announced a combined support package to help households and businesses during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. The COVID-19 Disaster Payment will be expanded and increased under this agreement. The payment will increase to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work a week or $375 if a person has lost between 8 and less than 20 hours of…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. NSW Lockdown Extended for 2 Weeks Lockdown measures in Greater Sydney have been extended by at least another two weeks from Monday. At this stage it will last until 11:59pm on Friday July 30. We’re thinking of everyone affected and encourage you to get in touch with us if…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Five states in lockdowns After months of keeping the coronavirus under control, five out of eight Australian states and territories are battling the highly infectious Delta variant. In order to prevent the spread, lockdowns in three large cities have been implemented, affecting more than 20 million Australians, or about…  Read more

For some people, early retirement is a choice. For others, it’s a necessity. Regardless of which group you fall into, there are some steps you can take to help make early retirement a reality and live the life you dream about. 1. Know your goals Before you know exactly how much money you need to save, you need to know your goals for retirement. Do you want to live in…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. NSW Records 16 New Local Cases, New Restrictions Reimposed NSW recorded 16 new cases of COVID-19 since the last time health officials spoke at 11 am on Tuesday. There’s also one mystery case where authorities still haven’t identified the source of COVID-19 detected in a nine-year-old child from Sydney’s…  Read more

Is your business ready for 30 June? Hopefully by now you have 2021 tax planning sorted and are ready to plan out the next year. What do you need to do now to make EOFY seamless? Consider automation! There is no better time than 1 July to start afresh. If you got to June and are finding it hard to get your paperwork organised for the end of financial year…  Read more

A Quick Overview The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) is scheduled to increase to 10% from 1 July 2021. If you have employees, you need to be ready for this legislated increase. What is Superannuation Guarantee? The Superannuation Guarantee is the minimum super an employer must pay to their employees super fund. The current SG percentage rate is 9.5% of employees Ordinary Time Earnings, but this is changing. Ordinary Time Earnings or…  Read more

Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Melbourne’s Lockdown Lifted Lockdown in Melbourne was lifted on 11 June, but restrictions remain in place including a mandate to wear face masks at all times outside the home, limiting travel to within 25 km, and preventing some businesses from operating. Although restrictions have been eased further in regional…  Read more

If you ask 100 business owners what they like least about running a business, chances are good that bookkeeping will rank high on the list. It’s an annoying and frustrating chore that takes up a lot of time and is easy to put off until tomorrow. Avoiding your bookkeeping is dangerous, however. Not knowing your company’s financial situation can result in a series of missteps that could ultimately cost you…  Read more

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has released the 2021 Federal Budget and confirmed Australia’s economy is performing more strongly than was expected six months ago. This article has a summary of the “Winners and Losers” of the Budget and we’ve compiled a recap of the key points below. Get in touch with us if you have any questions. A Quick Overview This budget assumes our international borders won’t reopen until mid-2022. $1.9…  Read more

Many entrepreneurs start their business with the goal of earning an income for themselves, but they often think of the business only in terms of them running it. In truth, there is a huge benefit to starting a business either with the goal of selling it or at least setting it up so it can be sold at some point in the future. You don’t have to plan on making…  Read more

What is a Fringe Benefits Tax? Fringe benefits tax (FBT) is completely separate from income tax. It is paid on certain benefits provided to employees or their associates (generally family members), including directors or beneficiaries of a trust, working in the business. Examples of fringe benefits include: allowing an employee to use a work car for private purposes giving an employee a discounted loan paying an employee’s gym membership providing…  Read more

The Australian Government’s JobKeeper scheme is set to end on the 28th March 2021. Since this program was introduced in March last year, it has provided a lifeline to many businesses, protected jobs, and helped protect Australia’s economy. Now that it’s about to end, you may be worried about your business. We’ve compiled our top tips to help you prepare your business for what’s next. Create a cashflow forecast. Cashflow…  Read more

At face value, it seems like a great idea. If you’re a small business owner with just a few employees, you probably think that hiring a payroll specialist is an expense that you can avoid. You feel that you can handle it yourself. You have the best intentions to keep your staff paid right and on time. What could go wrong, right? Well, lots actually. Below are the reasons why…  Read more