Tax Season 2026
Business Groups & Family Businesses
“Complex or messy? That’s our speciality!”
Local First.
Virtual When It Suits You.
We're big believers in starting with a proper conversation. Whether it's over a coffee in our Nedlands office or a quick video call, that first face-to-face meeting means we get to know you, your situation, your goals, and what you actually need — before we touch a single number.
After that? We're as flexible as you need us to be. Most of our clients manage everything remotely through our secure client portal, email, and phone. No need to come in for every question or document. Life's busy, we get it.
So, if you're just around the corner in Claremont or Subiaco, come in and say hello. And if you're across town or just prefer to work online, we've got you covered there too.
Business Groups & Multi-Entity Structures
When your business interests span multiple entities — a company, a family trust, a property holding structure, or a group of related businesses — the tax and compliance picture becomes genuinely complex. The interactions between entities matter as much as each one individually, and a mistake in one can have consequences across the whole group.
This is where a lot of accounting firms struggle. It's also where we thrive.
We have deep experience working with business groups, family business structures, and multi-entity arrangements across Perth. Whether you've grown organically into a group structure or set one up deliberately for asset protection and tax efficiency, we understand how the pieces fit together — and how to manage them as a whole, not just as separate lodgements.
What We Take Care of at Tax Season
Here's what our business clients typically need handled every year-end — and what we cover:
| Obligation | What It Involves | We Handle It |
|---|---|---|
| Business Tax Return | Annual company/trust/partnership return lodged with ATO | ✅ |
| Financial Statements | Annual accounts, P&L, balance sheet | ✅ |
| BAS / IAS | Quarterly or monthly activity statements | ✅ |
| Payroll Finalisation (STP) | End-of-year Single Touch Payroll submission | ✅ (Business Pro) |
| Personal Tax Return | Director/owner individual return | ✅ (included in packages) |
| ASIC Compliance | Annual review, minutes & resolutions | ✅ (Advanced & Pro) |
| ATO Debt Management | Negotiating payment plans, managing notices | ✅ |
| Tax Planning | Minimising your tax position before 30 June | ✅ (Advanced & Pro) |
What Perth Business Owners Need to Know for 2026
The ATO Is Watching Closely This Year
The ATO has flagged several priority areas for 2026 that directly affect Perth small businesses:
Cash Transactions Businesses operating in cash — trades, hospitality, retail — are under heightened scrutiny. If your declared income doesn't match your lifestyle or industry benchmarks, expect questions.
Home-Based Business Expenses If you work from home, the rules have tightened around what you can claim. The ATO now requires contemporaneous records (not estimates) for home office hours and expenses.
Motor Vehicle Claims Vehicle deductions remain one of the most commonly audited areas for sole traders. A logbook covering at least 12 consecutive weeks is essential if you're claiming more than the 5,000km flat rate.
Employee vs. Contractor Classification The ATO has issued updated guidance on the distinction between employees and contractors. If you pay workers under ABN, review your arrangements — misclassification carries significant back-pay and superannuation obligations.
Division 7A (Company/Trust Clients) If you've taken loans or payments from your company, Division 7A compliance is non-negotiable. The ATO is running data-matching specifically in this area.
Key Dates for Perth Business Owners — 2026 Tax Season
| Date | What’s Due |
|---|---|
| 28 July 2026 | Q4 BAS due (if quarterly) |
| 31 October 2026 | Business tax returns due if self-lodging |
| February 2027 | Most business tax returns due via registered agent |
| May 2027 | Extended lodgement deadline for registered agent clients |
Lodging through us gives you access to extended deadlines — and eliminates the stress of managing ATO due dates yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Do I need a separate tax return for each entity in my group?
-
Division 7A is an ATO rule that treats certain loans, payments, or forgiven debts from a private company to its shareholders or associates as unfranked dividends — meaning you pay tax on them as income. It catches a lot of business owners off guard, particularly those who draw money from their company informally or run personal expenses through the business. We make sure any loans are properly documented and managed under complying loan agreements before they become a tax problem.
-
Trust distribution resolutions must be made and documented before 30 June each year — no exceptions. If a trustee fails to make a valid resolution by that date, the ATO can tax the entire trust income at the top marginal rate (47%). We proactively contact all our trust clients ahead of this deadline every year so it never gets missed.
-
Yes — an SMSF can own commercial property and lease it back to a related business, provided the arrangement is on commercial terms (market rent, documented lease agreement) and the property meets the business real property rules. This is one of the most effective strategies available to small business owners for building retirement wealth while also securing their business premises. We can advise on whether it suits your situation.
-
Structures that were set up when a business was small often don't keep pace with growth. Common signs it's time for a review include: your business has grown significantly, you're holding appreciating assets inside an operating company, you're planning to bring family members into the business, you're thinking about succession or sale, or your personal tax bill feels higher than it should be. We review structures for clients regularly and give straightforward advice on whether a change makes sense — and what it would involve.
-
This is more common than you'd think. Businesses grow quickly and structures get added without a clear plan, leaving clients with entities they don't need, loan accounts that are out of control, and compliance that's hard to keep on top of. We can review your full group, map out what you have, identify the risks, and give you a clear recommendation on what to keep, simplify, or wind up.
-
The 2026–27 Federal Budget contains some of the most significant changes to trust and investment taxation in decades. If you operate a discretionary trust, hold appreciating assets, or use income splitting strategies, these changes will affect you — and the time to plan is now, not when the rules take effect.
The key changes include a 30% minimum tax on discretionary trust distributions from 1 July 2028, significant reforms to capital gains tax from 1 July 2027, and important implications for how business owners use superannuation going forward. There is also a restructure relief window opening from 1 July 2027 for businesses that need to change their structure in response.
The details matter — and how they apply depends entirely on your specific situation. Contact us and we'll walk through exactly what these changes mean for your structure and what your options are.
These measures are subject to legislation and may be affected by the next Federal election. We are monitoring developments closely.
(08) 9200-3465 | office@atramentum.com.au
136 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands WA 6009 (The Spaces Building)
Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
What we cover for business groups and multi-entity structures:
Consolidated group tax returns and intercompany reconciliations
Related-party transactions and loan accounts — including Division 7A compliance
Trust distribution strategies and resolutions — reviewed and documented before 30 June every year
Holding company and operating company structures
Family trust elections and trust deed reviews
Intercompany management fees, profit distributions, and pricing
Group-level tax planning — minimising the overall tax position across all entities
ATO compliance across the full group
Family businesses carry a unique set of dynamics that go beyond pure compliance. Succession planning, income splitting between family members, estate planning considerations, and the blurring of personal and business finances are all part of the picture. We work with families who are building and protecting wealth across generations — not just filing returns.
Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF) Many of our business group clients also operate an SMSF as part of their broader wealth structure. We work with clients on SMSF tax returns, annual compliance, and the interaction between the fund and their business entities — including related-party property arrangements and contribution strategies.
Whether your SMSF holds commercial property leased back to your business, or you're simply using it as your primary retirement vehicle alongside your business interests, we understand how the two worlds connect.
Thinking about restructuring or simplifying your group? As businesses evolve, the structure that made sense five years ago may not be the most efficient one today. We regularly review group structures for clients and advise on when and how to restructure — balancing tax efficiency, asset protection, and practical administration.
Request Business Group Services
Not sure if your current structure is still working for you? Book a free consultation → — we'll take a look at the whole picture.