Expert Advice

Many factors go into working out how best to divide assets following the breakdown of a relationship. One factor that can be overlooked in negotiations is the taxation consequences of a proposed division. It is important to understand how stamp duty in particular applies to family law settlements. Stamp Duty is a tax levied by State and Territory governments. Typically...

Recent times have brought back fears of a global economic slowdown, with concerns surrounding China adding substantial volatility to the markets. These unsure times generally cause investors to question their investment strategies and can lead to some investors giving up on their carefully laid plans and selling at inopportune times. As with all investing, sometimes that tip you receive or...

When selecting a new business name or brand, it is tempting to select words that describe your goods or services. The benefit of course is that when consumers see your brand, they will know what you do. The use of online search terms makes a brand that describes your goods or services all the more tempting. The problem for descriptive...

Planning for the future is an important part of our lives, part of which includes your future housing needs. Where do you want to live and what facilities will you require? So bearing this in mind should I buy an investment property now that I can move into? Naturally being able to make decisions for your future needs as soon...

Do your line managers know how to motivate and engage staff at work? A new report on staff engagement by recruiting experts Hays found a disparity of up to 13% between what people say engages them and what employers think engages their employees. We surveyed 1,196 employers and employees and found that being valued, recognition for a job well done,...

Who will win the 2050 Soccer World Cup? Brazil, Germany, Italy? Well if you can get a bet on it may I suggest you back China. Yes, China. Currently ranked as the 81st best team in the world, today many would think you are making a foolhardy decision but no, you probably have the winner or at least a favoured...

I have said in the past that strata is often considered the ugly second cousin of the property services industry. In the past a strata manager has not commanded the same degree of authority as perhaps a facilities manager or a real estate salesperson. Pigeonholed as being a "necessary evil" many people who have worked in the strata industry for...

In one of my previous articles, I spoke to you about Attention Economy. Every business is out there trying hard to get your and your customers attention. Attention is the currency and there is way too much noise out there. There is a way to cut-through that and you guessed it right - it's Relationship Marketing. Relationship Marketing is as...

Are you part of a not-for-profit (NFP) health organisation that offers benefits to its workers in exchange for lower wages? If so, you need to know that the Federal Government has introduced changes to fringe benefit rules from April 1. In particular, salary-sacrificed meal entertainment benefits in FBT exempt or rebatable organisations will be capped at $5,000, and will also...

One of our clients recently asked us why we spend two to three hours to prepare one set of business activity statement (BAS) each time, when we can easily export BAS from MYOB. He believed that we should not be 'double-handling' as this wasn't cost-effective. Since I started Tailored Accounts in 2009, I have always insisted on 'double-handling' because we...

It's a common scenario: you're owed money and your debtor is refusing to pay. Surely the next step is to protect your debt by lodging a caveat over the land they're sitting on, right? Wrong. The mere existence of a debt is no basis for lodging a caveat. If you lodge a caveat without reasonable cause, then you could end...

Saving money and keeping costs under control - it's what smart businesses do. If you operate from a separate business premises (not home), and have fewer than 10 full-time equivalent staff or electricity bills under $20,000 (incl. GST), you could be eligible for Actsmart's Business Energy and Water program. Actsmart will conduct a FREE energy and water assessment of your...

This is a common question faced by many people who separate. Litigation can be expensive and it is not uncommon for one person to control most of the parties' wealth in a relationship. In this situation, the person who does not have control of the parties' wealth or who earns a much lower income than the other party, is at...

It is common for people or companies in the ICT industry to "team" up for various reasons. There are a wide range of examples such as: a. a software / app developer subcontracting some development of code; b. an incorporated or an unincorporated joint venture being formed for an ICT project; c. software / hardware or other ICT products being...

Firstly let me state very clearly that I am not a part of any political party. I was in real estate last time Paul Keating stopped negative gearing in the late 80's and that was such a disaster it was cancelled in less than 12 months. It ended because investors stopped buying residential property and rents went up alarmingly as...

Last month many people and organisations here in Canberra celebrated International Women's Day (IWD). While we have a lot to celebrate every IWD, many people would argue that progress towards workplace gender equality can still be hindered today by people, more often than not men, who fail to see any problem. Here at Hays we surveyed 603 Australians and found...