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Home Blog Payday Super is Here: What It Means for Your Business Payday Super is Here: What It Means for Your Business The way employers pay superannuation is changing. With the introduction of Payday Super, employers will need to pay their employees’ superannuation at the same time they pay wages, rather than making quarterly super payments. While this represents a significant change for many businesses, preparing early will make the transition much easier. For employers, Payday Super isn’t just about changing when super is paid. It’s also about ensuring super is being calculated correctly on an employee’s earnings and that payroll systems are set up accurately. What is Payday Super? Under the current Superannuation Guarantee rules, employers generally pay employee wages throughout the quarter before paying superannuation by the quarterly due dates. Under Payday Super, super contributions will instead be paid alongside each payroll cycle. Whether you pay your employees weekly, fortnightly or monthly, their super will also need to be processed at the same time. This change is designed to reduce unpaid super, improve compliance and help employees receive their retirement savings sooner. Understanding Qualifying Earnings You may have heard the phrase qualifying earnings when reading about Payday Super or payroll compliance. While this is a commonly used international term, in Australia superannuation is generally calculated on an employee’s Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE). These are the earnings that qualify for Superannuation Guarantee contributions. For Australian employers, the important question is not simply when super is paid, but whether payroll is correctly identifying the earnings that attract super. If super is not being calculated on the correct earnings, employees may receive less than they are entitled to, creating additional work, penalties and interest if the issue is identified by the Australian Taxation Office. Why This Matters With super being reported and paid much more frequently, payroll errors will become visible much sooner. Many businesses have payroll categories that were established years ago and have never been reviewed. As legislation changes and businesses grow, payroll settings may no longer reflect current requirements. Reviewing your payroll now can help ensure super is being calculated correctly across all relevant earnings and reduce the risk of future compliance issues. Cash Flow Will Need to Change One of the biggest impacts of Payday Super will be cash flow management. Businesses that have traditionally paid super quarterly will no longer have that additional time before payment is required. Instead, every payroll cycle will include: Employee wages PAYG withholding obligations Superannuation contributions This means businesses will need to budget for these costs throughout the year rather than planning for quarterly payments. Good cash flow management will become more important than ever. Review Your Payroll Software Most modern cloud accounting platforms, including Xero, already support payroll and superannuation processing. However, software is only as accurate as the information entered into it. Now is an excellent time to review: Employee payroll categories Ordinary Time Earnings classifications Leave settings Allowances Salary sacrifice arrangements Superannuation rates Small errors today can become much larger issues once super is being paid every pay cycle. What Happens if Super Is Incorrect? Payday Super is expected to improve visibility for both employers and the Australian Taxation Office. Late or incorrect super payments may result in: Superannuation Guarantee Charge liabilities Interest Administrative penalties Additional compliance costs Processing payroll accurately from the beginning is far easier than correcting errors after they occur. How Atium Accounting Can Help Atium Accounting works with businesses throughout Bendigo and across Australia to help them meet their payroll and superannuation obligations. We can help you review your payroll systems, confirm that super is being calculated correctly on Qualifying Earnings, identify payroll categories that may require attention, assess the cash flow impact of Payday Super and ensure your payroll software is configured correctly before the new requirements apply. Our aim is to help businesses stay compliant while making payroll as simple and efficient as possible. Preparing Now Will Save Time Later Although Payday Super changes the timing of super payments, it also provides businesses with an opportunity to review their payroll processes and improve compliance. By reviewing your payroll settings, confirming that super is being calculated on the correct earnings and ensuring your payroll software is operating correctly, you can transition to Payday Super with confidence. If you’d like to understand how these changes may affect your business, the team at Atium Accounting is here to help. We can review your payroll, answer your questions and ensure you’re ready before the new requirements commence.

Home Blog AUSTRAC Changes: What the New Client Onboarding Requirements Mean for You AUSTRAC Changes: What the New Client Onboarding Requirements Mean for You The way accountants onboard new clients is changing. From 1 July 2026, new Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws will apply to many accounting firms that provide designated services. These reforms expand AUSTRAC’s oversight to include accountants, lawyers, real estate professionals and other industries that may be exposed to money laundering risks. While these changes create additional obligations for accounting firms, they also mean clients will notice a more detailed onboarding process before certain services can be provided. At Atium Accounting, we understand that providing additional information can sometimes feel inconvenient. However, these new requirements are designed to protect both you and the Australian financial system by making it more difficult for criminals to use legitimate businesses to facilitate money laundering, fraud or terrorism financing. Why Are These Changes Happening? Australia has strengthened its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing legislation to better align with international standards and close gaps that have allowed criminal organisations to misuse professional services. These reforms are commonly referred to as the “Tranche 2” reforms and now bring many accountants within the AUSTRAC reporting regime when they provide certain designated services. The objective is simple: ensure businesses understand who their clients are, identify higher-risk situations and report suspicious activity where required. What Does This Mean for Clients? If you engage us to provide services that fall within the new legislation, we may need to collect additional information before we can commence work. Depending on the services you require, we may ask for: Proof of identity. Verification of your residential address. Information about your business activities. Details of company directors and shareholders. Details of trustees and beneficiaries. Information about beneficial owners. The purpose of the engagement. Information about the source of funds or source of wealth where required. Supporting documentation for company or trust structures. For many existing clients, much of this information is already verified. However, we may still need to update our records periodically to ensure they remain current. Why We Need This Information These requirements aren’t about making life harder for our clients. They are about ensuring accounting firms understand who they are acting for and identifying situations where there may be a higher risk of financial crime. Just as banks ask questions when opening an account or approving a loan, accountants who provide designated services will also need to complete customer due diligence before providing those services. Collecting this information allows us to comply with our legal obligations while continuing to provide professional services efficiently and responsibly. Will Every Client Be Affected? Not necessarily. The new legislation only applies to particular designated services. Depending on the type of work we undertake for you, additional verification may or may not be required. If further information is required, we’ll explain exactly what we need and why. Our aim is to make the onboarding process as straightforward as possible while meeting our professional obligations. How Atium Accounting Is Preparing At Atium Accounting, we’re committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for our clients. We’re reviewing our client onboarding procedures, implementing secure identity verification processes and updating our internal systems to ensure compliance with the new legislation. These changes will help us continue providing trusted accounting and taxation services while protecting our clients’ information through secure processes. We’ll also continue investing in staff training so our team understands the new obligations and can assist clients with any questions they may have. AUSTRAC expects reporting entities to have appropriate governance, risk assessments, compliance programs and staff training in place. What This Means for New Clients If you’re engaging Atium Accounting for the first time, you may notice that we ask for more information than accounting firms have traditionally requested. This is completely normal under the new legislation. Providing the requested information early helps us complete your onboarding quickly and allows us to commence work without unnecessary delays. Our secure client portal enables documents to be uploaded safely, reducing paperwork while protecting your personal information. Existing Clients May Also Be Contacted Even if you’ve been a client for many years, we may need to update your records. For example, we may ask you to confirm your identity, update ownership details for your business or trust, or provide information about changes to your circumstances. Keeping this information current is an important part of our ongoing compliance obligations and helps ensure we can continue acting on your behalf. Our Commitment to You While these new AUSTRAC requirements introduce additional compliance obligations, they don’t change our commitment to providing practical advice and outstanding client service. We’ll always explain why we’re requesting information, keep your data secure and make the onboarding process as simple as possible. Our goal is to ensure you remain compliant while receiving the personalised advice and support you’ve come to expect from Atium Accounting. If you have any questions about the new AUSTRAC onboarding requirements or would like to understand how they may affect you or your business, please contact our team. We’re here to guide you through the process every step of the way.

Home Blog What Does a Registered Tax Agent Do? What Does a Registered Tax Agent Do? When you’re looking for a registered tax agent in Bendigo or anywhere in Australia, you need more than someone who simply prepares and lodges tax returns. You need a trusted adviser who understands Australian tax law, represents your interests with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and provides practical advice to help you remain compliant while making informed financial decisions. At Atium Accounting, we work with individuals, sole traders, companies, trusts, partnerships and self-managed super funds throughout Bendigo and across Australia. Our role is to simplify tax, provide proactive advice and support you throughout the year, not just at tax time. Whether you’re starting a new business, growing an existing one, investing in property or simply looking for an accountant you can trust, having a registered tax agent on your side can make a significant difference. What Is a Registered Tax Agent? A registered tax agent is a professional who is authorised by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) to provide taxation advice and tax agent services in Australia. Registration is only granted to professionals who meet strict education, experience and ethical requirements and continue their professional development each year. As registered tax agents, we are authorised to: Prepare and lodge tax returns. Provide taxation advice. Represent clients with the Australian Taxation Office. Assist with audits and reviews. Manage disputes with the ATO. Request payment plans and penalty remissions. Help clients understand and meet their tax obligations. Working with a registered tax agent means you have a qualified professional managing your tax affairs while ensuring everything is completed correctly and in accordance with Australian taxation law. We Represent You with the Australian Taxation Office One of the biggest advantages of appointing a registered tax agent is that we become your authorised representative with the ATO. Instead of spending hours trying to understand tax legislation or speaking directly with the ATO, we manage those conversations for you. We receive correspondence, respond to requests, lodge documents, explain complex issues and ensure deadlines are met. If the ATO reviews your tax affairs or requests additional information, we work on your behalf to provide the required documentation and resolve the matter as efficiently as possible. Having an experienced tax professional representing you provides confidence that your tax affairs are being handled correctly while reducing the stress that often comes with dealing directly with government departments. Tax Return Preparation and Lodgement Preparing a tax return involves much more than entering income and expenses into software. We carefully review your financial position to ensure every eligible deduction, offset and concession is considered while maintaining full compliance with Australian tax legislation. Our tax return services include: Individual tax returns Sole trader tax returns Company tax returns Trust tax returns Partnership tax returns Self-managed super fund tax returns Rental property schedules Capital gains tax reporting Investment income Cryptocurrency transactions Foreign income reporting Every return is prepared with accuracy, compliance and long-term tax planning in mind. Business Tax Advice Successful businesses need more than annual tax compliance. Atium Accounting works alongside business owners throughout the year, helping them understand their tax obligations while identifying opportunities to improve profitability and reduce unnecessary tax. Our business taxation services include: Business tax planning BAS preparation and lodgement GST advice PAYG withholding Fringe Benefits Tax Payroll tax Company compliance Trust compliance Business advisory services Rather than simply reporting the past, we help businesses plan for the future by providing practical advice that supports sustainable growth. Business Structure Advice Choosing the right business structure can have significant taxation, legal and asset protection implications. Whether you’re establishing a new business or reviewing an existing structure, we can advise whether operating as a sole trader, partnership, company or trust is the most appropriate option for your circumstances. Selecting the right structure from the beginning can improve flexibility, reduce tax, protect assets and make future business growth easier. As your circumstances change, we’ll continue reviewing your structure to ensure it remains suitable. Tax Planning Throughout the Year Tax planning shouldn’t happen once a year in June. We believe the best tax outcomes come from regular conversations throughout the financial year. By reviewing your financial position early, we can identify legitimate opportunities to reduce tax before the end of the financial year. This may include reviewing: Superannuation contributions Business purchases Depreciation opportunities Trust distributions Capital gains Cash flow planning Business income and expenses Proactive tax planning allows you to make informed decisions before it’s too late. Assistance with ATO Audits and Reviews Receiving a letter from the ATO can be stressful, particularly if you’ve never experienced an audit or review. As your registered tax agent, we manage the process from start to finish by communicating directly with the ATO, preparing responses and ensuring all required information is provided. Where appropriate, we can also assist with objections, payment arrangements and requests to remit penalties or interest. Having experienced representation often makes the process significantly easier and ensures your position is clearly presented. Why Being a Registered Tax Agent Matters to Us Being a registered tax agent is much more than holding a professional registration. It reflects our commitment to providing trusted advice, acting ethically and putting our clients’ interests first. At Atium Accounting, we understand that our clients place enormous trust in us. Whether we’re preparing a tax return, advising on a business structure or representing a client during an ATO review, we take that responsibility seriously. As registered tax agents, we must comply with the Tax Practitioners Board’s Code of Professional Conduct. This means acting honestly, maintaining confidentiality, providing competent advice and continually updating our knowledge as tax legislation changes. Tax laws change regularly, and keeping up to date is essential. We invest heavily in ongoing professional education so we can provide current advice based on the latest legislation rather than relying on outdated information. More importantly, we believe our role extends well beyond tax compliance. We aim to become a trusted adviser

Home Blog Federal Budget Tax Changes: What We Know So Far and What It Could Mean for You Federal Budget Tax Changes: What We Know So Far and What It Could Mean for You The recent Federal Budget has proposed some of the most significant tax reforms Australia has seen in many years. Much of the discussion has focused on Capital Gains Tax (CGT), discretionary trusts, property investors and broader taxation reform. While these announcements have generated considerable attention, it’s important to remember that many of the proposed measures are exactly that, proposed. Some require legislation to pass through Parliament, while others are still subject to consultation and further detail before they become law. At Atium Accounting, we’re closely monitoring every announcement, consultation paper and legislative update so we can provide our clients with accurate, practical advice when the time comes. Why There Is So Much Discussion The Government has announced a range of proposed tax reforms aimed at reshaping Australia’s taxation system. These proposals are intended to improve housing affordability, simplify aspects of the tax system and increase government revenue. They have also sparked significant debate among accountants, financial advisers, business owners and investors. Some of the areas receiving the most attention include: Proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax. Proposed changes affecting discretionary trusts. Changes to property investment rules, including negative gearing. Small business tax measures. Broader taxation reform affecting investors and business owners. Because many Australians own investment properties, operate through family trusts or run small businesses, these proposals have the potential to affect a large number of taxpayers. Proposed Capital Gains Tax Changes One of the most widely discussed announcements is the proposed reform of Australia’s Capital Gains Tax system. The Government has announced its intention to replace the existing 50% CGT discount for many taxpayers with a new approach based on inflation indexation together with a minimum tax rate on capital gains. Transitional rules have also been proposed for existing assets. If implemented, these changes could affect: Investment property owners. Share investors. Business owners selling their business. Trusts. Individuals planning long term investments. However, many of the technical details are still being worked through, and legislation will determine exactly how these rules operate in practice. Proposed Changes to Trusts Family trusts have long been an effective structure for asset protection, succession planning and managing business operations. The Federal Budget has proposed introducing a minimum tax on certain discretionary trust distributions. While this has attracted widespread media attention, there are still many questions around how the rules will apply, which trusts may be affected and what exemptions may ultimately be included. Until legislation is finalised, it’s too early to make significant structural decisions based solely on media headlines. Property Investors Property investors have also been closely watching the Budget announcements. Proposed reforms include changes to negative gearing and Capital Gains Tax, with the Government aiming to encourage investment in new housing rather than existing residential properties. Transitional arrangements and exemptions have also been proposed for some existing investments. As with all proposed legislation, the final outcome may differ from the original announcement. What Should You Do Right Now? Our advice is simple. Don’t make major financial decisions based purely on newspaper headlines or social media commentary. Whenever significant tax reform is announced, there’s often a lengthy consultation process before legislation is introduced. During that time, details can change substantially as industry bodies, professional associations and stakeholders provide feedback. Selling investments, restructuring businesses or changing trust arrangements prematurely could have unintended tax consequences if the final legislation differs from the original proposal. Every client’s circumstances are different, and any decisions should be based on your individual situation rather than speculation. How Atium Accounting Is Preparing At Atium Accounting, staying up to date isn’t optional. It’s part of our responsibility as registered tax agents. Our team is actively monitoring: Federal Budget announcements. Treasury consultation papers. Draft legislation. Parliamentary updates. Australian Taxation Office guidance. Professional accounting updates from leading industry bodies. As more information becomes available, we’ll assess how the proposed changes may affect our clients and provide practical advice tailored to individual circumstances. Rather than reacting to headlines, we focus on understanding the legislation, interpreting the finer details and considering how the changes interact with existing tax law. Our Commitment to Our Clients Periods of tax reform can create uncertainty. That’s why we believe it’s more important than ever to have trusted advisers who understand not only today’s tax rules but also the direction tax policy is heading. We are committed to ongoing professional education and continually updating our knowledge so our clients receive advice based on current legislation, not speculation. Our team invests significant time reviewing legislative changes, attending professional training and monitoring updates from the ATO, Treasury and industry bodies. When new laws are passed, we’ll be ready. If changes affect your business structure, investment strategy, trust, succession planning or tax position, we’ll contact you proactively to discuss your options and help you make informed decisions. Looking Ahead The Federal Budget has started an important conversation about the future of Australia’s tax system. While some proposals may ultimately become law, others may change significantly during the legislative process. For now, the most important thing is to stay informed and avoid making rushed decisions based on incomplete information. At Atium Accounting, we’re committed to staying ahead of these developments so you don’t have to. We’ll continue monitoring every update, interpreting the legislation as it evolves and providing clear, practical advice that helps you make confident decisions for your financial future. If you have questions about the proposed Federal Budget changes, Capital Gains Tax reforms, trust taxation or how these announcements could affect you, contact the team at Atium Accounting. We’re here to help you understand what matters today while preparing for tomorrow.