Do you suffer from FTI?

Clear Vision • October 8, 2015

Need a cure for your FTI?

It’s something so many businesses suffer from you might call it an epidemic.  Ask business owners what stops them achieving most of their goals and this is likely to be number one on the list.  But it’s not something a doctor can help you with…it’s the dreaded Failure To Implement (FTI).

We all know it happens.  The planning session that creates a plan but no results.  The business plan that is gathering dust on your desk.  The new credit policy that just never quite gets implemented.

So what’s the cure?  Clear Vision works with many businesses suffering from FTI.  We regularly remind our clients of the importance of working on, not in, your business.  And we can help you figure out how to do that.

Finding the right people for the right jobs is a good start.  If it frees you up to work more strategically now might be the time to trust your employees with more responsibility.  If you’re wasting too much time on the books now might be the right time to engage a bookkeeping service.

Whatever is causing FTI in your business Clear Vision can help you find the cure.

Don’t be on the ATO’s naughty list in 2026

By Caroline Gillies • December 11, 2025
The ATO is cracking down on people who claim too many tax deductions for properties that they use both personally and as rentals — especially holiday homes. A new draft ruling says that if you use a property for both personal use and renting it out, you must split (apportion) the expenses in a fair and reasonable way. You can only claim deductions for the portion of time or space used to earn rental income. If the ATO thinks your property is really a holiday home — for example, you block out peak times for your own use and only rent it occasionally — they can classify it as a “leisure facility.” If that happens, you cannot claim big expenses like mortgage interest, council rates, land tax or maintenance. You’ll only be allowed to claim small costs like cleaning, advertising and platform/agent fees. The ATO says many owners of holiday homes have been claiming too much by showing “rental losses” every year. They are now looking more closely at cases where the owner keeps the property unavailable for rent during busy periods.  How do I stay off the ATO naughty list? If you mix personal use with rental use, be careful. Only claim the rental part of your expenses, or the ATO may deny most of your deductions.

ATO Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) Closure

By Caroline Gillies • October 17, 2025
From 1 October 2025, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) officially closed the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) to new users. Thanks to the efficiencies of Xero, this change does not impact Xero clients, as Xero includes its own built-in auto-super functionality. This means employers can make superannuation payments directly through Xero—without needing to access the ATO’s separate clearing house service. Key Dates and Details No new users: From 1 October 2025, the SBSCH stopped accepting new registrations. Full closure: The SBSCH will be fully decommissioned on 1 July 2026. Existing users: Businesses currently using the SBSCH can continue until 30 June 2026 but are encouraged to transition to an alternative solution before this date. At Clear Vision Accountancy Group, we highly recommend Xero as an efficient, streamlined, and ATO-compliant payroll and superannuation solution. If you’d like to discuss transitioning your business to Xero, call our team today on (07) 4688 2500 — we’re happy to help.

What Records to Keep for Your Rental Property

By Caroline Gillies • August 3, 2025
If you own a rental property or holiday home, keeping the right records is key to maximising your tax deductions and staying ATO-compliant. This week, we’re highlighting what the ATO expects you to keep when it comes to residential rental properties. Here’s a quick checklist of the documents you should hold onto: Purchase & Sale Documents – Contracts, settlement statements, and legal documents. Loan & Ownership Records – Loan statements, refinancing documents, land tax assessments. Rental Income – If you don’t have a rental statement you will need to document all rental income received, including bond money retained, insurance payouts, and any other reimbursements. Expenses & Repairs – Keep receipts and invoices for expenses like advertising for tenants, property agent fees, council rates, strata levies, repairs, maintenance, insurance, and interest on loans. Depreciation & Capital Works – Receipts for assets over $300, depreciation reports, and capital improvement records. Before and after photos of any capital works. Holiday Home Use – If your property is rented out part-time, you’ll need evidence of when it was genuinely available for rent (e.g. booking requests, advertising, availability calendars). How long to keep records: You’ll need to keep most records for at least 5 years after lodging your tax return, or longer if claiming capital works or carrying forward losses. Keeping detailed records ensures you claim everything you're entitled to—and makes things much easier in the event of an ATO audit.  Need help getting your documentation in order? Reach out to our team at Clear Vision Accountancy Group—we’re here to help. To read a more detailed list of items you need to keep for your rental property visit: Records for rental properties and holiday homes | Australian Taxation Office