With the cost of living crisis affecting every individual Australian and Australian Small Business, it’s a good idea to cut costs wherever you can. The Australian Federal Government and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) often have tax incentives and schemes to help cut costs to those businesses who qualify. Here is a list of the 2023 tax incentives for small business on offer.
Small Business Income Tax Offset
If you run your own small business in Australia as a sole trader or partnership, you could get a tax break of up to $1,000 each year from the government.
This 2023 Small Business Income Tax Offset is essentially a discount on the amount of tax you need to pay that is calculated based on your business profits.
To qualify, your business must have a turnover of less than $5 million per year. You also need to be operating as a sole trader, partnership or trust – so entities like companies don’t qualify.
If eligible, come tax time you could find you owe the ATO less tax than expected, thanks to this offset of up to one thousand dollars. It’s the government’s way of giving unincorporated small businesses a helping hand each year.
Small business energy incentive
In the upcoming financial year, the government wants to encourage more businesses to invest in upgrades that save energy and reduce power bills.
To help with this, they’ve announced that companies with a yearly turnover under $50 million will get an extra tax deduction of 20% when they spend money on things like switching to electric heating/cooling systems, buying more efficient fridges or induction cooktops.
Even batteries and heat pumps that take advantage of renewable energy are eligible. The expenditure just needs to be for assets installed and ready between July 2023 and June 2024.
Each business can claim an additional deduction on up to $100,000 worth of spending. But the maximum bonus deduction you can get is $20,000.
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Small business technology investment boost
The government wants to help small businesses go digital, so they’re offering an extra tax deduction for money spent on technology upgrades and is another 2023 tax incentive for small business you don’t want to miss out on.
To qualify, your company needs a yearly turnover under $50 million. Then until the end of June 2023, you can claim a bonus 20% deduction on eligible tech expenses, on top of the usual deduction. The boost applies to eligible expenditure incurred between 7:30 pm AEDT on 29 March 2022 and 30 June 2023.
Things like computers, software, internet and cyber security costs count. Upgrades that let you take payments or manage stock online do too. Even advice on digitizing your business processes is included.
Each business can claim an additional 20% deduction on up to $100,000 worth of spending. Therefore, you’re capped at getting $20,000 back as the bonus amount.
It has to be for your business – personal tech isn’t eligible. And you need to have the assets installed and ready to use by 30 June 2023. This aims to help companies afford things like new websites, payment systems and security programs. By claiming the extra deduction, it makes the upgrades more affordable through lower tax. Just be aware of any fringe benefits tax that may apply too.
Small business skills and training boost
The government wants to help small businesses train their employees, so they are offering an extra tax deduction for money spent on external training courses.
Small businesses can now get an extra tax deduction for sending their employees to training courses run by registered providers.
To qualify, your business needs to have annual sales under $50 million. The training must happen between March 2022 and June 2024.
It can be in-person or online. Things like leadership, software and safety courses would count. The provider must be properly registered too.
You can claim a bonus 20% deduction on eligible training costs, on top of the normal deduction. So, if a course costs $1,000, you could deduct $1,200 from your taxable income.
There’s no limit to how much you can spend – the bonus is 20% of actual costs. And you can claim it all in the first year even if the training is over multiple years.
This aims to help small businesses afford to upskill staff. By claiming the extra deduction, it lowers the tax impact.
Just be aware that fringe benefits tax may apply if the training is considered a benefit to employees.
Research and development tax incentive
If your small business qualifies for the Research and Development tax incentive, you can only claim that and no other deductions for the same expenses. However, you’re still eligible for the 20% bonus deduction on top of what the R&D incentive would have been.
For example, if you spent $10,000 on eligible R&D and got a $4,000 tax offset through that program, your bonus deduction would be 20% of the $4,000, which is $800.
You can claim both the R&D offset and bonus deduction in the same year.
Not-for-profit groups can also get the bonus if they have income tax obligations.
You generally claim deductions in the year you spend the money. But sometimes you have to delay claiming the bonus portion to a later tax return, depending on your business’s financial year. An ITP Tax Accountant will know what business incentives your small business is eligible to claim and how to claim them. They’ll also advise how to claim the maximum deductions and minimize the tax your small business is obligated to pay.