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Bonusisode with Julia – Tax Planning Tips to Maximise your Returns (Part Two)

Folks we’re back to finish what we started… 

In last week’s Bonusisode we featured Part One of Tax Planning Tips to Maximise your Returns and now, we’re back to give you the rest of the gold!  

We’ll be unpacking… 

  • How to claim travel expenses related to work (especially if you’re a rental owner!)  
  • Is it possible to successfully act as your own accountant and claim travel expenses for properties? Hint: you need to prove this ONE thing to be eligible…
  • The 2 key ways to keep a travel record (Plus Ben gives a life hack which makes recording 100% easier!)   
  • How to determine if you’re eligible for Building Depreciation + when should you get a Tax Depreciation Schedule?!  
  • What’s included when claiming plant and equipment depreciation!? 

Julia also shares an extremely handy tax tip (Just see how excited it makes Ben!)  for those who’ve missed out on creating a property depreciation schedule… 

Spoiler: You may be able to go back and AMEND past tax returns to gain access to these benefits! 

And lots more! So before you get start lodging any tax returns for 2022, listen to this first folks!  

p.s. If you are looking for an experienced and qualified tax accountant, you can reach out to us here 👉 https://thepropertycouch.com.au/tax

Free Stuff Mentioned…

 

Here’s some of the gold we cover… 

  • 1:54 – The 2 ways to keep a travel record  
  • 4:40 – Which record is best for you??  
  • 5:10 – We’re setting THIS common myth straight… 
  • 6:25 – Deducting taxes from travel related to work – what is claimable?!  
  • 8:27 – Can Realtors claim travel expenses?  
  • 9:15 – Defining normal workplaces and being itinerate  
  • 12:15 – Essential rules for transporting others  
  • 13:09 – Recap! (Plus, how to make recording your logbook easier!)  
  • 14:50 – When is TOO LATE to start a logbook?  
  • 16:19 – Successful & unsuccessful examples of claiming travel expenses for Rental Properties!  
  • 19:40 – Should you get an accountant or DIY with a private ruling?  
  • 20:50 – The 3 Key Takeaways…  
  • 25:13 – Is your property eligible for Building Depreciation?  
  • 28:10 – Should you get a Tax Depreciation Schedule?! 
  • 30:20 – The who, what, when and why of SCRAPPING   
  • 32:44 – Plant and Equipment Depreciation: What’s included??  
  • 36:18 – When should you get a depreciation schedule?  
  • 39:25 – Missed out on a schedule? Listen to this for a HOT tip!  
  • 42:50 – So.much.free.stuff!!  

 

Episode 351 | Why The Cost Of A Brick Can Get You More Cash Back! – Chat with Bradley Beer

Did you know that the BRICKS on your investment property actually influence the amount of tax depreciation you can claim?

… Wait, what!?!

Yep. Here to unfold the tax secrets only Quantity Surveyors know about is none other than Bradley Beer, CEO of BMT Tax, the largest and most trusted quantity surveying firm in the country.

Basically, Brad is going to walk you through the little-known legalities of depreciation – and how much you can really claim when the totality (and history!) of your investment property is considered. Handy hint: a LOT of investors are leaving money on the table when it comes to this!

Co-hosting today’s episode as part of our AweGuest Series, Brad Beer is THE expert you want to hear from when it comes to tax depreciation claims – to give you an idea, his company has completed almost 750,000 depreciation schedules for property investors… so let’s just say he knows more than the “ins and outs” of how to maximise the cash you can get back while still staying on the right side of the law!

A bit more about today’s co-host: Aside from working with BMT Tax Depreciation since 1998, Bradley Beer is also a member of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Auctioneers and Valuers Association of Australia, which means he contributes to the latest information within the quantity surveying and the property industry in Australia. His knowledge as both a quantity surveyor AND property investor means he is a highly sought-after speaker and regularly features in national events, conferences and the media to share his knowledge with the wider property investment community.

 

So. WHY can the cost of a brick get you more cash back???

Tune in now to find out, folks!

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

Hust a quick update on our NEW TAX SERVICE as well folks, the response rate had been really good! So Bryce has asked our Tax Accountants to free up their calendar and move things around so that we can help more of The Property Couch Community! So if you are on the hunt for a specialised property tax accountant, simple fill in the form below and we’ll get in touch with you very soon. 😉

  • Please select your type of Tax Return

  • If you've engaged our services before, tick the checkbox below:

 

10 Mission-Critical Answers You’ll Get…

  1. WHAT is property tax depreciation?
  2. WHY is it important for investors?
  3. WHO is a quantity surveyor and why do they get involved in providing depreciation schedules?
  4. … But doesn’t an accountant look after depreciation!?!
  5. Is it worth getting a depreciation schedule for OLDER properties?
  6. HOW does depreciation work when renovating?
  7. WHEN should an investor be thinking about property depreciation?
  8. What can an investor do if they have been missing out on depreciation deductions?
    • Can they go back and get and missed deductions?
  9. How can an investor find out if getting a depreciation schedule completed will be WORTH IT?
  10. What is involved in preparing a tax depreciation schedule?

 

 

The Listener Questions We Answer

Question from Sharon Paterson on “Improvement or Repair” For A Leaking Hot Water Service

Hi Bryce and Ben, my name is Sharon, and I’ve been listening to your podcasts now for quite a few years and I love listening to them every week. My question is probably for Julia or for Brad –it’s in relation to replacing a hot water service. It was leaking so it had to be replaced, it wasn’t an improvement, and because the cost was nearly $1800, I am just wondering if that can be written off against my tax or do I have to depreciate it?

 

Question from Mick on “Improvement or Repair” For Replacing Cracked Tiles On Roof

Hi Brad, just a quick tax depreciation question from me. We have an investment property that’s getting on age a little bit now and has a concrete tile roof. Some of the tiles on this roof are cracked and need to be replaced, charge for facing is they are beyond repair and

we’re finding it difficult to source tiles to replace them with. Say the recommendation from our builder is to reroof the house with Colorbond… can we claim this as capital works or can we claim it as a repair? We’re hoping we can claim this as a repair because we’ve been told that the roof is not replaceable. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!

 

 

Question from Leonard on How To Choose A Quantity Surveyor

Hi my name is Leonard and I’ve got a question for Brad Beer. Hi Brad, how should investors go about choosing a quantity surveyor to work with? What can a good quantity surveyor do that a not so good one can’t? And if depreciation values are determined by a set of rules, isn’t the outcome going to be the same anyway regardless of who we work with? Is it just a matter of picking who provides the best price? Thank you very much and looking forward to your response.

 

 

Question from Leonard on Turning PPR Into A Rental

Hello everyone, my name is Leonard and I have a depreciation question for Brad here. We have a PPR which we have lived in for three years. We are the first occupiers as we

bought it new. Next year, on the 4th year, we will move out and turn our PPR into a rental property. I have 2 questions.

First, how many years of depreciation deductions do we have remaining on the property? Will it be 40 years starting from the time it became a rental? Or 37 years as the depreciation had already commenced when we lived in the property but it was just not claimable as a tax deduction?

Second question: will we still able to claim depreciation on the fixtures and fittings because the property is rented out for the first time?

Thank you.

 

Question from Kim on Overcapitalising?

Hi this is a question for Bradley Beer. Bradley, I wanna know, I often hear people overcapitalising on their investment or even their home property— is there a general rule you think clients should stay with for insuring that they don’t fall into this trap of overcapitalising? Thank you!

 

 

 

151 | Is Bitcoin a good investment and what are the Final Budget Changes on Tax Depreciation?

There are so many things to be excited about in this week’s episode!!!

First of all, PICA IS FINALLY UP! Remember a few weeks back (Sydney expo) when Ben gave you a sneak peek at setting up a not-for-profit association for property investors by property investors? Well, it’s official now … and it’s time to unite and make our voices heard. It’s time we take action to ensure our property investments are protected, now and into the future. So make sure you check it out! www.pica.asn.au

(Membership is only $5 a year or $20 for 5 years! Find out more about PICA’s Membership here.)

 

Following on from this … the most drastic change impacting property investors significantly is the recent depreciation changes. On this year’s Budget Night, 7:30 pm AEST on the 9th of May 2017, the Government proposed quite some changes to the tax depreciation schedule. We’ve talked about these changes before with Bradley Beer, CEO of BMT Tax Depreciation back in Episode 117.

Since then, the Government has finalised on some of these changes and has decided that some of the proposed changes will not go ahead after all. But what are the finalised depreciation changes? That’s why we’ve invited Brad back into the studio today for a quick update!

 

And finally… Bitcoin.

It’s the No.1 trending search word at the moment.

So, are we for or against it???

Let’s talk.

So, what are you in for?

  • What depreciation changes did the Government finally decide on?
  • Who will be affected and who WILL NOT be affected?
  • What happens if you purchase an existing property after the 9th of May?
  • Will you be able to claim tax depreciation now, and is it still worth get a tax depreciation schedule done?
  • Are commercial properties affected by this change?
  • How can your accountant help with your claim?
  • What’s the definition of “Substantial renovation” in this new ruling?
  • Will Capital Gains Tax be affected?

and of course, on Bitcoin…

  • What is Bitcoin to start with, and why is it so trendy now?
  • Are there other cryptocurrencies out there?
  • Can they be used as a valid currency?
  • Will this last?

 

Don’t forget the Free Resources mentioned:

  • Brad’s previous appearance on the Couch — Episode 117
  • Ben’s Did You Know Tips can be found here.
  • Access to PICA (Property Investors Council of Australia) — Subscribe here
  • BMT Tax Depreciation Application Form – Fill in the form below to download or click here

 

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P.S. Ben’s Webinar Impact of Interest Only Lending is out! Make sure you check out your Throwback Thursday newsletter. Haven’t subscribed to our newsletter yet? Download the Money SMARTS and you’ll get it 🙂

BMT Tax Depreciation Schedule Application Form

We’re no stranger to Bradley Beer from BMT Tax Depreciation. They are the top player in the industry and has helped thousands of investors across Australia with their property depreciation claim. And that is why we keep having him back on the show since Episode 10!

If you’re interested in the tax depreciation schedule application form to start working with them, just fill in the form below and we’ll send it to your nominated email.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

 

 

 

ps: We’ve got heaps of other Free Resources on the site! Make sure to check them all out here.

Episode 126 | Q & A-ccounting with Frank Azzopardi—Tax Deduction, Capital Gains Tax, Land Tax and Aussie Expats

Alright folks! It’s Q & “Accounting” time! Yep, on the couch today we’re talking all things tax! Here to help us wade through the grey area is Frank Azzopardi from our friends (and accountants) at YK Partners. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Frank joined us back at Episode 48!

So, we’ve received a couch-load of questions about tax lately, and quite the few of you have these questions because you’ve “temporarily departed” overseas—you’re Aussie Expats working in another country, but investing in properties back here. And as you know, this can be quite the pickle for tax purposes!

(The rest of you simply want to know what you can and can’t claim. Fair enough.)

Trying not to number-crunch the neurotransmitters in your brain, here are what B1 & B2 + Frank discuss:

  • Is there a tax-free threshold when you live overseas?
  • What is a Double Tax Agreement and what does it mean for you?
  • How does foreign tax credit work?
  • How do you offset tax loses?
  • Tax Talking, What’s the difference between a PPOR and an IP?
  • Can you claim tax on Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)?
  • What really constitutes “Repair” or “Capital Improvement”?
  • Can you negatively gear a property as an expat?
  • What is the “6 Year Rule” of Capital Gains Tax?
  • Can you avoid Capital Gains Tax?
  • What’s the risk of loan in two people’s names (joint ventures)?
  • What’s the tax cut for your kids when they inherit your property?

 

Some of the helpful resources mentioned today are:

 

And… The questions discussed are:

 

From Andrea

“First of all I am loving the podcasts. I listen to them over and over. Secondly, as an Australian expat, living overseas long term but preferring to invest my money back home in Australia, are you able to do a podcast directed at Aussie expats wanting to invest back home but are not sure how to go about it? If you could talk about it or bring someone in? If you could talk about things Aussie expats need to be aware of ie—the different rules that apply regarding capital gains; tax depreciation; tax credits; services expats can employ to assist with the fact we can’t make a trip every week to attend viewings and sign papers. Having bought 4 places in the last few years, I have not completed my PIPA education yet—I am nervous about giving too much advice. Thanks and keep up the good work. I’ll be ready to buy again soon so will likely be in touch for assistance in this.”

 

From Salim:

“Hi Guys. I listen your podcast regularly and leaning a lot!! I have a question and have been searching for the answer for a while; but no luck so far (asked same questions to few accountants but all of them have different opinions)! I bought an investment property last year in Melbourne in July 2016 (that time I was living and working in Sydney) but very soon, I am moving to Melbourne and am living in my investment property as principal residence.
1. I paid around $7500 as LMI. Can I claim this for tax deduction?
2. Can I offset the interest in my Tax?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Look forward for your resonance. Thanks.”

 

From Nick:

“Hi guys! Really enjoy the podcast—you have both helped reshape my approach to property investment and I’m currently in the process of developing an investment strategy that suits the specific circumstances of my partner and I, rather than rushing into the often-scary Sydney market.
We’re a couple currently renting in Sydney with a combined income of over $220,000/year, around $80,000 sitting in the bank, no kids at the moment (but probably will within the next 2 years); and we’d like to get our foot in the door of the property market. One challenge we face is a high likelihood of moving overseas for work within the next 5 years. If we buy as owner/occupiers we’ll be looking at 2 bedroom apartments in the medium-priced suburbs of Sydney – right at the limit of our purchasing means. Should we move overseas for work, my understanding is that we won’t be able to negatively gear the property (since our income tax will be overseas). It does appear that some other countries have negative-gearing policies, although it’s not clear whether losses incurred from overseas investments are eligible and the rules differ from country to country. My feeling is that stretching to buy an apartment in Sydney for ourselves now could force us to sell early if we move overseas and the repayments are strongly outweighing the rental income—not a situation we want to be in.
If we instead look at rent-vesting and aim for a cheaper investment property in a growth location somewhere outside of Sydney, with a path to getting it positively geared in the short-term, this seems like a lower risk strategy that still gets us a start on our journey to a property portfolio. I’m hoping the principles you talk about have sunk in a bit and I’d love to hear if you think I’m on the right track.
I think our situation is quite common for a lot of young professionals. What tips can you give from both a tax and property selection point of view to the many Australians working overseas or planning to work overseas, who still want to invest in the Australian property market and start building a passive income for their futures?

 

From James:

“Hi Ben & Bryce. With the strategy of accumulating 3–5 good capital growth properties and potentially selling 1–2 in the long term future upon retirement, would we not be best to (if possible) move into each property for minimum of 12 months to avoid capital gains tax when the properties are sold? Thanks for such a valuable podcast I always listen to each episode a couple of times a week. Regard, James

 

From Simon:

“Boys. Love the book and am now an avid listener to your podcast each week. I have a land tax question for your next Q&A session that no one can seem to give me a clear cut answer.
My wife and I have a PPOR (Newcastle), as well as one current investment property also in Newcastle. Recently we have just purchased an apartment off the plan which is not due to be completed until late 2018 at the earliest.
Currently all three properties are in both our names—50/50 share.
My question is regarding NSW land tax which the 2017 threshold is approximately $549k. (Lets just say $550k for ease of rounding off)
Does this mean that as a couple we have a combined threshold of $1.1 million or despite having two people owning these properties do we still have to come under the $550k to avoid land tax as a couple?
If the latter is the case, what is the best way to minimise our exposure to paying land tax if we wanted to continue to purchase investment properties in NSW? Should our next purchases be in separate names?
Thanks for your help. Simon.”

 

If you like this podcast: “Q & A-ccounting with Frank Azzopardi—Tax Deduction, Capital Gains Tax, Land Tax and Aussie Expats”, don’t forget to rate us on our iTunes channel (The Property Couch Podcast) and our Facebook page. If you have any questions or ideas, feel free to drop us your thoughts here: New Topics

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