Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
SMSF adviser logo
Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA

ATO to contact members about deductions for contributions

news
By mbrownlee
February 14 2019
1 minute read
ATO
expand image

The ATO plans to contact around 11,000 taxpayers in February about claiming deductions for personal super contributions to ensure they claim correctly.

In an online update, the ATO said that from mid-February it will be issuing emails and letters to individuals who it expects will be claiming deductions for personal super contributions.

“The campaign will reach around 11,000 people who self-prepare their tax returns with emails issuing on 12 February, and letters issuing on 25 February,” it said.

==
==

Earlier this year, the ATO reminded professionals about some of the common errors that can arise when clients claim deductions for personal super contributions.

Before lodging the client’s 2018 tax return, the ATO said that practitioners should check that their client is eligible to claim and that they made personal (after tax) super contributions directly to their super fund before 30 June 2018.

In order to be eligible for deductions on contributions made on or after 1 July, the contributions cannot have been made to a Commonwealth public sector superannuation scheme in which the client has a defined benefit interest, a constitutionally protected fund, or a super fund that notified the ATO before the start of the income year that it had elected to treat all member contributions as non-deductible.

The client also needs to meet the age restrictions. Clients aged between 65 and 74 may be eligible to use this strategy if they meet the work test.

Practitioners also need to ensure that their client has sent a notice of intent to claim or vary a deduction for personal super contributions to their super fund and has received an acknowledgement.

It also noted that members can only claim deductions for their after-tax personal super contributions and not from before-tax income such as the superannuation guarantee, salary sacrifice or reportable employer super contributions shown on their payment summary.

Miranda Brownlee

Miranda Brownlee

Miranda Brownlee is the deputy editor of SMSF Adviser, which is the leading source of news, strategy and educational content for professionals working in the SMSF sector.

Since joining the team in 2014, Miranda has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest superannuation stories in Australia, and has reported extensively on technical strategy and legislative updates.
Miranda also has broad business and financial services reporting experience, having written for titles including Investor Daily, ifa and Accountants Daily.

You can email Miranda on: miranda.brownlee@momentummedia.com.au