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Small Business Stimulus package explained

Company4Me| Government stimulus explained
Government stimulus explained for corona virus

This article aims to explain the Australian government stimulus package for small businesses in an easy to understand one-page summary.

In response to the economic fallout from the global coronavirus pandemic the Australian Government is supporting eligible businesses to manage cash flow challenges and retain workforce. Assistance will be provided in form of cash flow support though the normal ATO channels and some other temporary measures to provide some relief in the current financial situation. Below is a list of measures taken by the commonwealth government:

Boosting cash flow for employers– Maximum of $100,000 and minimum of $20,000 available to small businesses (turnover under $50m) and Not for-Profits for employers in business before 12/03/2020. First payout will be within 14 days of lodging the March BAS or BAS due date (whichever is later) and additional payment equal to the total of first payment between July-October. Employers who lodge BAS on monthly basis will receive 300% of the withheld PAYG and employers who lodge quarterly BAS will get 100% of the withheld PAYG. Maximum payout will be $50,000 and minimum payout will be $10,000 even if withheld PAYG is zero (employees’ wages below tax threshold). March BAS is due 28/04/2020 for employers who lodge quarterly and 21/04/2020 for employers who lodge monthly.

Temporary relief for financially distressed businesses– Increase in minimum threshold under the Corporations Act 2001 for a creditor to issue a statutory demand from current $2,000 to $20,000 for a period of 6 months. For individuals/sole traders the limit under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 has also been increased from current $5,000 to $20,000. Also, the time to respond to bankruptcy notice increased to 6 months from the current 21 days.

Increasing the instant asset write-off from $30,000 to $150,000 and increasing the eligibility threshold for businesses from less than $50m to less than $500m annual aggregated turnover until June 2020.

Backing business investment- for a limited period of 15 months businesses with turnover less than $500m will be able to deduct 50% of the cost of an eligible asset on installation.

Supporting apprentices and trainees-Employers will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $21,000 per eligible apprentice or trainee ($7,000 per quarter).

Source: ATO and Australian government treasury department 

EDITED on 31/03/2020

The Australian government announced a third stimulus on 30/03/2020 to guarantee $1500 as job keeper payment to employers per eligible employee per fortnight. Details available in the following link https://company4me.com.au/small-business-stimulus-package-explained.

If you need any assistance to lodge your BAS and claim the assistance simply complete the form at the end of the article and one of our team members will be in touch.

COMPANY4ME ASSISTANCE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Company4Me

On our part to assist small businesses Company4Me will wave setup charges for XERO or MYOB/QuickBooks migration to XERO, include XERO subscription and Receipt bank subscription as part of all bookkeeping packages we offer. This adds up to a one off $500 benefit and $165 monthly benefit for a 6-month period. All new small business clients from 26/03/2020 onwards till 30/06/2020 will get this offer.

Being a small business ourselves we will do the best to accommodate existing and new clients to come out stronger on the other side. Stay safe and keep the Aussie never give up spirit going!

     

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    Steps to register a company

    Steps to register a company with Company4Me

    This section details how to register a company with us and the things you need to keep in mind.

    • Step 1 – Is company structure the correct business structure for my business?
    • Step 2 – Select a company name
    • Step 3 – Do you need a constitution for your company?
    • Step 4 – Become aware of the obligations of a director/secretary/public office
    • Step 5 – Get consent from the newly appointed director(s)/secretary/public officer
    • Step 6 – Registering your company
    • Step 7 – What happens after you register the  company..

    Step 1 – Is a company right for you?

    You need to decide if a registered company suits your needs or if you should use a different business structure.

    A company structure has many advantages over other business structures. Key facts to consider before selecting company as your business structure.

    • Company’s usually have a higher setup and run cost. ASIC fees and other statutory requirements
    • Setting up a registered company in Australia is more complicated that running a Sole Trader business
    • The company is owned by the Shareholders
    • The appointed Directors are responsible for the business decisions
    • Business losses are the responsibility of the registered company which is a separate legal entity
    • Company’s pay tax at the company tax rate (30%) which is lower than the higher threshold paid by Sole Traders in the top bracket of personal income tax (45%)

    Registering a company with ASIC is not the same as just registering a business name. When you have a company you do not need to register a business name if you will be trading in the company name. On the other hand if you are a sole trader you will need to register a business name. Below table gives you a quick comparison between different business structures.

    Various Business Structures

    Step 2 – Choosing a company name

    If you have registered a company you do not need to register a business name separately when you decide to trade in the name of the company. When deciding to choose a name for your company you need to be aware of a few things.

    A company’s proposed name must not be same as an existing company or business name

    We have a support article that details the ASIC requirements. For further details you can ready the article at https://support.company4me.com.au/article/8-proposed-company-name

    A company’s name must display its legal status

    • if a company’s shareholders’ liability is limited to the amount of money unpaid for the issued shares, the name has to end with ‘Proprietary Limited’
    • if the company’s shareholders’ liability is unlimited, the registered company name has to end with ‘Proprietary’.

    When you register a company with Company4Me you will get an option to choose the Legal Element for Proprietary Limited which can be displayed in various forms.

    If you want to display a different name (trading name) to the registered company name (legal name) you will need to register a Business Name. In case of Company4Me our legal name is Tax 4 Me Pty Ltd but because we have registered Company4Me as a business name we can use this as our display name.

    Step 3 – Will your registered company need a constitution?

    In cases were you only have one company officer (director/secretary/public officer) you do not need a constitution and will not need to follow the replaceable rules of the Corporation Act.

    As soon as you have more than one officer in your company you will be governed by the default replaceable rules of the Corporation Act if you do not have a constitution. When a company has a constitution it is a requirement of the law to keep the constitution on records for easy access by any member of the company or the ATO/ASIC.

    Share structure

    A Pty company can not have non employee members greater than 50 and be either:

    • company limited by shares, or
    • unlimited company with share capital.

    A Pty company must not do any business activity that will require any disclosures to investors. A Pty company can offer shares only to members or employees of the company and not to the general public.

    Step 4 – Directors/Office holders need to understand their responsibilities

    As per the corporations Act the Directors/Office holders have the final responsibility to make sure:

    • All company details (address, members register etc) are kept up to date with ASIC
    • Proper recording keeping and maintaining a company register
    • Pay required lodgement/review fees to ASIC as and when due

    You can also refer to our support article on Office Holders/Shareholders.

    Step 5 – A registered company needs to get officeholders, members and occupiers to sign a consent form

    As part of the registration process Company4Me will provide pre filled consent forms on successful registration that will need to be signed and filed in the company binder.

    Step 6 – Registering your company

    Company4Me is a registered ASIC agent that provides hassle free and secure company registration in real time. You will be able to complete the process in 4 simple online stages.

    To get started go to our company registration link- https://company4me.com.au/company-registration/

    Once we file your application with ASIC

    As soon as you submit your online application the details are sent securely to the ASIC server for approval. Usually within 5 minutes we receive an approval. Once approved:

    • We provide you with the ACN (Australian Company Number)
    • Confirm registration of your company with ASIC
    • Provide you the ASIC certificate of registration
    • Provide you a list of all legal documents*. Refer list below
    • Give you an option to select a bookkeeping package
    • Give you an option to select a domain and website package
    • You should get all directors/members to sign the consent forms
    • You should get all shareholders to pay the unpaid value of the allocated shares and issue them share certificates
    •  Register your company with ATO for GST/ABN/FBT etc..

    *With each registered company, you will get all the documents listed below in a zip file. The zip archive contains all documents in .docx format, and an all-in-one PDF file with all the documents together (suitable for printing).

    • – Form 201
    • – Constitution (for companies and superannuation trustees)
    • – Occupiers Consent to use Registered Office
    • – Consent to Act as Director
    • – Consent to Act as Secretary
    • – Consent to Act as Public Officer
    • – Notice of Appointment of Public Officer
    • – Minutes of First Meeting of Members
    • – Minutes of First Meeting of Directors
    • – Application for Shares
    • – Share Certificate
    • – Register of Members
    • – Register of Directors
    • – Allotment Journal
    • – Table of Forms & Documents Lodged with ASIC
    • – Common Seal Register
    • – Register of Debenture Holders

     

    Just like Michael you can start your celebrations!!

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    Starting Your business checklist

    Company/Business registration

    New business essentials checklist

    When setting up a new venture, there are lot of details that need to be looked at and ticked off. The checklist below provides a quick list of some important points that you need to consider:

    • What will be the right business structure for your business. Refer Choosing a business structure section of our earlier article 
    • Get your Australian business number (ABN),register for goods and services tax (GST), register a company or register a business name depending on the kind of business structure your select
    • Make sure you have record keeping and bookkeeping sorted. Selecting the correct bookkeeping software is critical
    • Make sure you understand your tax obligations by getting tailored advice from professionals
    • Manage your risk by getting insurance cover
    • Do you have the right protection for your intellectual property? Consider trademarks and patents.
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    Register your business name in Australia: Take a Look at This Guide

    Business Name Registration
    Business Name Registration

    Starting and running a successful business is a dream for a lot of entrepreneurial people. Having an idea and successfully translating it into a profit-making business can be a challenge. Considering a failure rate of almost 87% for small business (source), we know it’s not easy going. We, as business consultants and accountants, can help ease some of the complexities by making it easy for you to start up and manage your business.

    It’s not all doom and gloom, and we have some encouraging statistics as well.

    For more details, check out Australian business statistics.

    The responsive markets enable companies to run their businesses with ease and flexibility. If you are aspiring to start a business in Australia, we have got you covered from the initial process of online company registration!

    Here, you’ll learn everything that’s required to register your business name to set your commercial operations up and running.

    Content of the guide:

    • Business name registration

    • Dos and Don’ts for choosing a business name

    • Trading name

    • Personal name

    • Business structure

    • Before registering your business name

    • Australian Business Number

    • Protect your business name

    • ASIC

    Let’s get started:

     

    Business name registration –

     

    A business name is basically the name in which your business will operate. It’s imperative to register the business name if you want to run it under a different name, which is not your own.

     

    Dos and Don’ts to choose a valid business name –

     

    There are some DON’Ts which you should avoid using in your business name.

    • Use characters for your business name from the approved character set. For example, avoid using umlauts and “greater than” symbol.

    • Manually created words, words with an unusual spelling, or a mixture of words go under manual scrutiny.

    • The name should also not be offensive to the masses or any organisation.

    • It should also not indicate any connection or affiliation with any authorised institution.

    • Crosscheck your business name such that it does not have any restricted words, such as ‘Charity’, ‘Incorporated’, Co-operative’, etc.

    • Your business name should not be identical to another organisation which is already registered under the Corporations Act 2001.

    • The business name which is under review if ASIC processes the cancellation, should also not be used.

    Some Dos to follow to finalise a business name for your company.

    • The name should be catchy and notable.

    • It should also be easy to speak and spell, as well.

    • It must be professionally appealing.

    • Short and straightforward work best.

    • At the same time, it should be descriptive, self-explanatory and peculiar.

     

    If you want to register as a trading name –

     

    Till 28 May 2012, the Australian Business Register (ABR) used to gather names of entities which carried out their business activities. They are called as trading names by the ABR. However, these records are not updated since the inception of the national business name register.

    Trading names are different than business names. So, if you want to run your business under a particular name, you need to register the same as a business name.

     

    If you want to register your personal name –

     

    You can even opt to use your personal name for your business – for example, Mary Jane.

    And guess what, this option doesn’t need registration. But, if you want to name it as “Mary Jane & Co.” this requires registration since the usage of “Co” does not include in your personal name.

    Once you’re done with deciding the business name, you need to determine the model of your business for the process of online company registration.

    Choosing a business structure –

    A business structure should be chosen based on your requirements. Remember, it is a critical factor in establishing your business though you can change it in future during expansion or restructuring.

    Your business structure is essential for:

    • Determining the required licenses

    • Payment of taxes

    • Deciding whether you are an employee or an owner

    • Calculating approximate personal liability

    • The amount of control on your business

    • Analysing costs and volume for your business

    There are 4 types of business structures for you to choose from.

    • Sole Trader

    It is the simplest and affordable form of business structure. This structure makes you liable for all aspects of your business, such as debts, losses, etc.

    In this structure, you can use your individual tax file number (TFN) to file tax returns. That means you won’t require a separate bank account for your business. However, we recommend you to have a different one, as it makes it easier for you to keep a record of your business-related expenses and income.

    This structure restricts you to share your profits and losses from the business with your family members. If you are a sole trader, then you are liable to pay tax for all the income sources.

    • Partnership

    It requires 2 or more people to distribute income and losses. There are three types of partnerships.

    1. General Partnership (GP): Here, the partners are equally accountable for managing the business with liability for debts and obligations.

    2. Limited Partnership (LP): Here, the liability of the partners is limited to the amount of investment made by them for the partnership. These partners are generally passive as they are not involved in managing the daily operations of the business.

    3. Incorporated Limited Partnership (ILP): The partners can have limited liability for the debts, but one of them must have unlimited liability. If the business is unable to recover from obligations, then the general partner must take up the liability.

    For partnership business structure, you need separate tax file numbers (TFN), and also must have an Australian business number (ABN). Here, you’ll share the control over management with your partners. The income tax is not paid for income earned, rather on the net partnership, each one receives.

    • Company

    In a company business structure, the company has the same rights as the person. It can be sued, incur debts and can even sue. Here, you are not liable for the debts suffered by the company. In this business structure, you are required to pay the amount for your shares.

    Company set up is an expensive and complicated affair, suitable for those who foresee their business income to be variable and who want to keep an option of using losses to balance profits in the future.

    • Trust

    This is a commitment put on a trustee to have property or assets for the benefit of others, known as beneficiaries. This one too is an expensive process which requires a formal trust deed. Here, the trustee would be expected to manage annual administrative tasks.

    After picking your business structure, you need to understand a few processes that come in the way of online business registration.

     

    Things you need to know before you start with the process of online company registration –

     

    First, you need to apply for an ABN Number and start with online business name registration.

    This is where Company4Me comes into the picture. With our goal to make everything simple for Australian entrepreneurs, we take care of all your statutory requirements, be it company registration, ABN, or a business name in real-time.

     

    About Australian Business Number –

     

    Without the following, you won’t be able to register your business name.

    1. Australian Business Number (ABN), or

    2. Already started applying for ABN with the Australian Business Register (ABR).

    After this, it is a must to check if the business name that you’ve thought is available. You can check the availability here.

     

    Then, you need to look into ways to protect your business name –

     

    Why?

    Online business registration does not mean that you’re done. What if a third party declares a trademark violation?

    So, to avoid such cases, you can use IP Australia’s Australian Trade Mark Search to look for already registered trademarks.

     

    ASIC for online company registration –

     

    • You’ll receive an ACN (Australian Company Number).

    • That should be done before you get your Australian Business Name (ABN).

    The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is a regulator in Australia for corporate, markets, and financial services.

    Company4Me can take up the task of online company registration and get it done within a few minutes with the secure submission to ASIC. You’ll receive your documents, including ACN in no time.

    With a few details of you and your business (check out here), we’re all set to register your company. Get in touch with us now!

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    An interesting read on Australian Business Statistics

    Starting a business can be a very daunting experience. Entrepreneurs  can take solace from the fact that the business environment in Australia is generally very conducive for small businesses. If you have skills/product that are in demand you will do well with the right support. All you need is some guidance and help to get started.
    Company4Me was started to make it easy for entrepreneurs with the initial setup. Be it registering a company, registering a business name, getting an ABN, getting a website or bookkeeping services.
    Below are some very encouraging statistics about businesses in Australia. Do not delay the start and join the club. We are here to assist! Go to www.company4me.com.au and complete the form in 15 minutes.
    At the end of financial year 2018 the count of actively traded businesses in Australia increased by almost 80,000 (increase of 3.4% vs previous financial year) to finish at 2.3 million businesses.
    AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES BY INDUSTRIES:
     
    Construction industry is the largest industry sector in Australia amounting to almost 17% or 380k+ of all businesses. Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing (A) and Mining (B) showed annual decrease.

    Source(s): Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits (cat. no. 8165.0)A – Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; B – Mining; C – Manufacturing; D – Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services; E – Construction; F – Wholesale Trade; G – Retail Trade; H – Accommodation and Food Services; I – Transport, Postal and Warehousing; J – Information Media and Telecommunications; K – Financial and Insurance Services; L – Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services; M – Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; N – Administrative and Support Services; O – Public Administration and Safety; P – Education and Training; Q – Health Care and Social Assistance; R – Arts and Recreation Services; S – Other Services

     
     

    AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES BY STATE:

     
    New South Wales and Victoria contribute to 61% of the total businesses in Australia with NSW at 783k and VIC at 618k. The positive is that all states saw an increase in the number of new business registrations. These registered businesses can be sole trader/registered companies/trust or partnerships.

     

    AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES BY LEGAL TYPE:
     
    Registering a company seems to be the preferred business model across Australia. A registered company has pros and cons compared to other models which we will cover in a different article. 38% of active businesses in Australia are companies. Company4me will provide you with all legal documents including certificate of incorporation within 5 minutes after successful submission of the order.
    AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES BY EMPLOYEE COUNT:
     
     
    Majority businesses in Australia 62% (almost 1.5m) are non employing. Non-employing businesses had the greatest increase in financial year 2018 of 5% (65k)

    AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES BY REVENUE:

    If you had any doubt about how important small businesses are for Australian economy the numbers and graph below may help you understand this fact. 93% of Australian businesses are classified as small businesses with revenue less than $2m.

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    Get a website to brand your business

    Whether you have a well-established business or you are just starting up, a good website helps in making a strong first impression. The best way to make an impact, and sell your products and services is a good website. It increases your credibility and puts you across as a professional company who means business.

     

    In today’s day and age where smartphones and tablets have become an extension of our arms, more and more people are searching for things online. Whether its online shopping, or to have a solution to some problem they are facing, or comparing prices and or just reading reviews. They expect you to have a website. If you do not have a website you could lose potential new customers or old existing ones. A business without a website these days, can’t be trusted.

     

    A well planned and designed website is a great place to showcase your work and interact with your clients. A website is accessible and available 24×7 and as result reaches out to a wider audience. Bill Gates said “If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business.” Now we don’t want that do we, and what is the best way to put your business on internet ‘A WEBSITE’.

     

    Having a website is not as expensive as a lot of people might think. Its actually cheaper than many old conventional methods of advertising, and a lot more effective. The only constant thing in this world is change and businesses are no different. Things are forever changing and our customers need to be updated about it.

     

    A good website is easy to change and manage and this puts us in a position of control. Your website can be your biggest asset. Check website packages offered by www.company4me.com.au on https://company4me.com.au/web-packages/