​The end of the financial year is fast approaching. For SMSF members and trustees, a few timely checks now can avoid headaches later and help preserve valuable tax and contribution opportunities. Below is a checklist of the things members and trustees should consider before 30 June.

​The Government has announced a staged wind-back of the current Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for electric vehicles (EVs), following recommendations from the Statutory Review of the Electric Car Discount released in May 2026. While the policy continues to support EV uptake, it also aims to make concessions more sustainable and better targeted. The changes are expected to save the Budget an estimated $1.7 billion over five years from 2025–26.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has confirmed that all surcharges on credit and debit card payments,  across eftpos, Mastercard and Visa, will be banned from 1 October 2026.

This represents one of the most significant updates to Australia’s payments landscape in years and will have a direct impact on businesses and consumers.

The 2026–27 Federal Budget, released on 12 May 2026, has received more attention than most budgets in recent years.

With proposed changes to negative gearing, the CGT discount and the taxation of trusts, this is a budget that has the potential to materially impact on property investors, business owners and families using discretionary trusts.

​Following the recent release of the December 2025 quarter average weekly ordinary times earnings (AWOTE) the annual concessional contribution (CC) cap will increase from $30,000 to $32,500 from 1 July 2026. The annual non-concessional contribution (NCC) cap will also increase to $130,000.

When considering contribution opportunities some individuals may have higher caps due to the carry forward CC rules or the NCC bring forward rules, while others with higher super balances may have a reduced or nil NCC cap. This will depend on your total superannuation balance (TSB) at the prior 30 June.

As tax time approaches, so does the annual spike in scam calls pretending to be from the ATO. These calls are becoming increasingly convincing and increasingly costly for those who get caught by them.

The ATO has now launched a simple, powerful solution: the ‘verify call’ feature in the free ATO app. Rolled out in early April 2026, it allows you to confirm, instantly and in real time, whether the person calling you is genuinely from the ATO.

No guesswork. No pressure. No risk.

​With global fuel supply chains still under strain from conflict in the Middle East, many Australian businesses are feeling the impact through higher operating costs, delayed deliveries and pressure on cash flow.

To help stabilise affected sectors, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and the ATO have announced a package designed to give businesses immediate breathing room and reduce administrative burden during a volatile period.

The ATO has announced a significant update that will affect anyone using electric vehicles (EVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for work or fleet purposes and where the vehicle is charged at the relevant individual’s home.

From 1 April 2026 (for FBT purposes) or from 1 July 2026 (for income tax purposes), the ATO’s standard home-charging electricity rate will increase from 4.20 cents per kilometre to 5.47.

The ATO is turning up the heat on employers who provide work vehicles for private use. Sophisticated data-matching means assumptions and shortcuts can quickly lead to audits, penalties, interest charges—and even reputational damage. You can see the latest ATO FBT audit warning here: Misreporting FBT on personal use of work vehicles | Australian Taxation Office

​When selling a business—or even a slice of one—how you value the assets involved can have a major impact on the tax bill. A recent Full Federal Court decision, Kilgour v Commissioner of Taxation [2025] FCAFC 183, offers timely guidance on how “market value” is really determined for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes.