Latest News

SMSF and Property Tips

Here is a great article from The Age by Chris Tolhurst about the tips and traps of purchasing property in super. GGA was one of the first firms to offer .....

ASIC fines for late payments

We can not stress enough how important it is to pay your Annual ASIC Fee on time! If you are just one day over the set deadline you will automatically receive a late payment fine, currently the initial fine is $70.00, if you fail to pay this, then you receive another substantial fine - $222.00! Last week, a couple of our clients .....

Becoming a Property Developer

When considering developing a block of units ensuring you get the structure right is very important.  For a small (2 unit) one-off development you will likely be fine with individual or trust ownership.

If you are looking at larger developments (4 or more units), or planning on undertaking multiple developments in the future, then you need to .....

Good news for Queensland property owners:

It has recently been confirmed that QLD Office of State Revenue have approved the stamp duty exemption when converting to a Land Tax Unit Trust. This gives you the ability access .....

GGA's Charity of the Month

This month we are donating to The Salvation Army Relief Appeal supporting the people affected by the Tasmanian bushfires and the Queensland and Northern New South Wales floods.

The first Tuesday of each month is a casual clothes day. Every employee donates money to a nominated charity and GGA matches this amount!

We wish all those who have been affected by these national disasters the very best and if you are a client who has been affected please do contact us at the office so we can assist and advise you with the taxation issues which will arise from this.

Just come back from holidays and thinking of buying a holiday rental?

Merry Christmas!

Our office will be closed over the break from noon Friday 21 December 2012 and reopen on Monday 14 January 2013.

We wish you all a lovely Christmas and a safe and happy new year. See you all in 2013.

The Team at GGA

Paid Parental Leave for Dads & Partners

Great news for SMSF Loans

GGA just signed off on a SMSF Loan with a Finance Broker through St.George and our client made a 20% deposit so the bank came up with 80%. The most interesting .....

The benefits of a split depreciation report

When a property is owned by 2 people or more, obtaining a split depreciation report will have significant tax benefits. This will allow property investors the opportunity to split immediate write off and low value pool items based on the ownership percentage.

What does this mean for me, we hear you ask. This means ....

ALERT: Hybrid Trusts and high land tax rates

For clients in New South Wales, it is possible to convert your Hybrid Trust to a Land Tax Unit Trust and save thousands in land tax.

Many property investors have become concerned about the escalating costs of land tax, especially .....

FBT & Christmas Gifts for Employees

Winner of the November Facebook Competition

We have just drawn our November FB competition...

And the winner is...

FBT & Christmas Parties for Employees

The festive season is here and we thought this is the perfect time to refresh business owners on FBT and the tax implications surrounding Christmas parties. 

Christmas parties are subject to FBT as it is entertainment, however they can be exempt from FBT as Minor Benefits providing your Christmas party abides by the following...

New super guarantee laws make directors liable

Company directors need to be aware that the Australian Government have brought in new laws now making directors personally liable for their company’s unpaid guarantee charge.

Companies have two weeks to ensure their super guarantee obligations are up-to-date for the June quarter or .....

Transition from Education Tax Refund to the Schoolkids Bonus

A reminder to all of our clients who diligently collected all their recepts to claim the Education Tax Refund for the 2010/11 tax year, that the government has changed this to .....

Facebook Competition for November

Our GGA Facebook monthly competition is continuing. November's prize will be 2 Gold Class movie tickets to give you .....

Winner of the October Facebook Competition

Better late than never!

We have had a busy couple of weeks and only just now got around to drawing the October Competition...

Are you happy with YOUR investment mix?

Have you been thinking carefully lately about where you are investing your money and what kind of mix...

An option for renting your property privately

Over the years we have seen a number for clients who prefer to rent their investment property privately rather than use a real estate agent. To this end, we have seen great success and ....

Online Savings Accounts Reaping Rewards

Are you making the most of any spare cash??

Property Investment Marketing...BEWARE

After noticing the recent significant increase in Property Investment marketing and advertising we thought it was a good idea to remind everyone to BEWARE!  Whilst many of these .....

Winner of the SEPTEMBER Facebook Competition!

We have just drawn our September FB competition...

And the winner is...

AIB Audit Insurance Renewal due 30 September 2012

By now you should have received your AIB Audit Insurance Renewal which is due on 30 September 2012. If for some reason you have not received your renewal please contact the office and speak with Karen.

Depreciation of outdoor structures

Depreciation schedules are a must for Property Investors, this article from BMT examines outdoor items which can be claimed. When it comes to claiming depreciation on investment properties, many investors are .....

How is your LVR (Loan Valuation Ratio) calculated?

When looking into purchasing an investment property(s) the term LVR regularly comes up with lenders and/or mortgage brokers. How many of us know what LVR is and how to calculate it? .....

Body corporate fees: be aware of additional expenses

In preparing returns this year we have come across a few clients with additional body corporate levies so this is an appropriate article for those looking at purchasing a strata .....

Winner of the August Facebook Competition!

We have just drawn our August FB competition...

And the winner is...
 

A faster refund – nominate your bank account!!

Clients wanting a faster refund can nominate their bank account. The ATO will process your assessment and transfer your refund directly into your bank account. This saves a huge amount of time, regardless of whether you need the money fast or simply for convenience.

Facebook Competition for August

The August Facebook Competition is almost at a close. We have another fantastic prize, a 12 month subscription to Australian Property Investors Magazine (API).

Depreciation schedules and the benefits!

Have you had a depreciation schedule done for your investment property? Here is a great article explaining the benefits of these "non-cash" deductions for investors...

Do you know how your super is performing?

Far more men know their super balance to the nearest $1000, says CoreData, than do women - 35 per cent versus 19 per cent.

Property investors need realistic expectations

We cannot stress enough how important it is to do your research before deciding where to buy your investment property, whether it is your first, or your sixth...

Be carefull of "SCAM" emails claiming to be from the ATO

This morning we received a copy of an email the "ATO" had sent a client, informing them that they were eligible to receive a tax refund.....

The Future of the Australian Stock Market

Michael Pascoe as written an interesting article for The Age on the future of the Australianstock market.

$7.3 billion in tax refunds will be forfeited due to lost receipts!

Reading the Herald Sun at lunchtime, I came across an article regarding receipts at tax-time. Aparently, Australians will forfeit $7.3 billion in tax refunds because of lost receipts!!

Facbook Competition Winner for July!

We have just drawn the winner for the GGA Facebook Competition for July, and the winner is.....

Property Tax Basics Workshop!

A Big Thank you to everyone to attended our workshop last night in Richmond. We had a great time and we hope it was fun & informative for everyone!!

The winner of the June FB competition is.....

LEON TROETH!!

Congratulations Leon, we will be in contact with you on how you can redeem your $50 voucher.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

On the eve of the end of the financial year, we've come across this lighthearted weekend reading... Enjoy!

Health Cover Rebates to be Reduced – Pre-pay and SAVE!

There is still time to pre-pay and save, before the government rebates are reduced.

Property Tax Basics Workshop – Wednesday 18 July 2012

GGA is hosting a Property Tax Basics Workshop – ‘your questions answered’.

New Margin Lending Deals

Lenders are overhauling their margin loans in a bid to overcome investors’ reluctance to borrow to buy shares and managed fund

And the Winner of the GGA Facebook is….

At 11am this morning, we drew the winner for our May Facebook Competition.

GGA Facebook Competition for JUNE

Our June Facebook Competition is now underway. All you have to do is “LIKE” us on facebook and you will be in the running.

GGA Facebook Competition for May closes at Midnight Tonight!

Don’t forget to encourage your friends and family to “LIKE” us and be in the running for a discount on accounting fees!

Tax Tips for 30 June

As 30 June is creeping closer, we have attached another great article, Here you will find some fantastic year end planning!

Superannuation Contributions Check

Now is the perfect time to check your superannuation contributions before June 30.

Removal of the 50% CGT Discount for Non-Residents

Non-residents with Australian assets need to consider the impact of the Governments announcement in last week’s Federal Budget of the removal of the 50% CGT discount for non-residents on capital gains accrued after 7.30pm (AEST) on 8 May 2012.

Calls for Negative Gearing Review

An interesting blog in today’s Age, calling for review to Negative Gearing…

http://theage.domain.com.au/blogs/talking-property/calls-for-negative-gearing-review-20120417-1x50i.html