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The Victorian Government will provide new cash grants for businesses affected by the short lockdown in July 2021 because of the Covid-19 Delta strain outbreak in Victoria.

If you were eligible and applied for the May-June 2021 Business Cost Assistance Grant, your business will automatically receive the new July 2021 Lockdown Grant.  The list of eligible businesses can be found here: Eligible businesses list.

The July 2021 Grant payments will be:

• $3,000 for Licenced Hospitality Venues
• $2,000 for all other Eligible Businesses

What If I Haven’t Received The May-June 2021 Grant Payments Yet?

The payment of these Grants has been much slower than the Government originally promised.  If you have not received your grant monies yet, you are not alone.  More than half of our clients that applied are still waiting.  However, the good news is, we are starting to see more payments coming through every day.

Other Support Payments For Employees

For employees affected by the public health restrictions in Victoria, they may now be eligible for support payments without the ‘assets test’ that had been previously applied. These payments start from the first day of lockdown and are payments of:

• $600 for Victorian employees that lose 20 hours or more of work during the period of the lockdown
• $375 for Victorian employees that lose between 8-20 hours of work during the period of the lockdown

All applications can be made through: Services Australia

We understand that almost every Victorian business will again be impacted by our 5th round of lockdowns and that it can be frustrating to hear that unfortunately these grants are only available for specific businesses.

For those of you who will not be receiving any assistance in this round of Grants, we feel your frustration.  If there is anything you think we can help you or your business with, please reach out.  We are currently in full ‘tax time mode’ and we are all preparing returns via virtual meetings from home. We hope to be back in the office this Wednesday for anyone wanting face to face meetings.

The Suntax Team

It’s time to process your EOFY Payroll using Single Touch Payroll (STP).

Employees now access their Income Statements (previously known as Payment Summary or Group Certificate) through their personal MyGov account.  This happens after you have completed your Single Touch Payroll processing.

To finalise your Single Touch Payroll in Xero you need to complete your End of year Employer Reporting.  There are two ways you can do this:

1. Easy Way – Let Suntax complete your Employer Reporting for you.

Click here for Suntax to Prepare your Employer Reporting

The cost to prepare Employer Reporting will be as follows:

• STP Finalisation – $110 + $22 per employee
• Annual Workers Compensation – Declaration of Rateable Remuneration
  • $88 if we are completing STP Finalisation
  • $198 if we are not completing STP Finalisation
• Payroll Tax Annual Reconciliation – $275 per state reconciliation

If you choose this option, you do not need to read this newsletter any further.

OR

2. Complete the Employer Reporting yourself using the instructions below:

Completing the Employer Reporting

Step 1 – Complete the Instructions on the attached Xero Payroll Checklist

Step 2 – Workers Compensation Annual Declaration of Rateable Remuneration

At the end of each financial year, employers are required to declare their total rateable remuneration to their Workers Compensation insurer and an estimation of the following year’s remuneration.  If you employ staff in various states, you may be required to hold a workers compensation policy for each state.  Please let us know if you would like assistance with this.

If you are registered for Workers Compensation, your insurer will issue a Tax Invoice shortly after the end of the financial year.  This tax invoice will provide details on how to access your online account if you haven’t done so already.  By logging onto your online account, you can make the declaration online.

If you only employ staff in Victoria, here is a link to assist you in calculating your remuneration:   Remuneration inclusions and exclusions

Or, if you would like further information about Workers Compensation Insurance in Victoria, click on this link:  More Information about Victorian Workers Compensation Insurance

Step 3 – Payroll Tax Annual Reconciliation (if applicable)

Payroll tax is a state government imposed tax with varying thresholds and rates for each state.  If you employ staff in multiple states and you need advice on your payroll tax status, please contact us.  If you only employ staff in Victoria and your total wages plus superannuation exceeds $650,000, then you will be required to register for Payroll Tax.

At the end of each financial year, if you are registered for Payroll Tax, you are required to submit an Annual Reconciliation.

We know it has been another year of challenges and EOFY can be a particularly hectic time so if these steps seem too onerous or time consuming, please remember, we have a team at the ready to process your EOFY Employer Reporting. Just click the button below.

Click here for Suntax to Prepare your Employer Reporting

 

The Suntax Team

Following the latest Covid outbreak in Victoria and the ‘Circuit Breaker Lockdown’ across all of Victoria, the Victorian Government has released two new business support packages.

The details have only been released TODAY (Thursday the 3rd of June) at 4.45pm. We have already lodged one of these forms so we know what is required to process a successful grant application.

There are two new Government Grants available now:

1. Business Cost Assistance Program

a. For Metro Businesses in Victoria – A $5,000 Grant for businesses listed in the eligible ANSZIC codes with an annual payroll of up to $10 million whether they have employees or not. Sole traders without employees are eligible. All applicants must be registered for GST on 27th of May 2021.

b. For Regional Businesses in Victoria – A $2,500 Grant for businesses listed in the eligible ANSZIC codes with an annual payroll of up to $10 million whether they have employees or not. Sole traders without employees are eligible. All applicants must be registered for GST on 27th of May 2021.

In summary, this grant covers the following general business classes:

• Non-essential retail
• Hospitality
• Tourism
• Events and related services
• Services and education
• Health care and social assistance

If your business is in one of these classes but was able to partially operate during restrictions you may still be eligible for the grant if you were unable to  carry your usual business activities.

For example:

• a retail business unable to open for normal trading but changed its operation to ‘click and collect’
• a restaurant unable to have dine-in service but can operate a limited takeaway service.

For more details and examples, please click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

How To Apply for the Business Cost Assistance Program:

1. Easy Way – Let Suntax apply for the Business Support Fund on your behalf by clicking here. The cost to prepare this application is $220 including GST, which is fully refundable if your grant application is not successful.

OR

2. Complete the application form yourself via Business Cost Assistance Program. Please note, that you will need to confirm that your industry code listed on the Australian Business Register matches the eligible industries for this grant. In order to confirm your industry code, you will need to link your MyGov ID to the Australian Business Register and check your businesses details.

 

2. Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund Payment

a. For Metro Businesses in Victoria – A grant of $7,000 for eligible liquor licensees operating a restaurant, hotel, café, pub, bar, club, or reception centres that are registered to serve food and alcohol. All applicants must be registrered for GST on 27th of May 2021.
b. For Regional Businesses in Victoria – A grant of $3,500 for eligible liquor licensees operating a restaurant, hotel, café, pub, bar, club, or reception centres that are registered to serve food and alcohol. All applicants must be registrered for GST on 27th of May 2021.

NOTE: This grant is larger than the ‘Business Costs Assistance Grant.’  As you can only apply for one grant, you should apply for this grant first, and if it is declined, you can apply for the Business Costs Assistance Grant.

How To Apply for the Licence Hospitality Venue Grant:

To claim this licenced hospitality Venue Fund Grant, you can only use a link in an email provided by Business Victoria. These links will be sent according to your registration of your eLicence, as detailed below.

• Eligible liquor licensees with an eLicence email address will receive an email containing their grant application link from Business Victoria from Thursday 3 June 2021.
• Liquor licensees without an eLicence email address must set one up on their Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation Liquor Portal by 20 June 2021 to receive their grant application link from Business Victoria within five business days.

Because of the requirement to apply via the link in an email, Suntax will not be able to apply on your behalf for the Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund Grant.

Almost every Victorian business was affected by these latest circuit breaker lockdowns but unfortunately the Government have only issued these funding options for the specific business Industries.

For those of you who will not be receiving any assistance in this round of Grants, we feel your frustration.  If there is anything you think we can help you or your business with, please reach out.  We are currently working from home and can still offer virtual meetings to give you a hand.

 

The Suntax Team

Following on from the recent Circuit Breaker Lockdown, the Victorian Government has released an additional $143 million package to support eligible businesses.

It is IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE NEW GRANTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A VERY SELECT GROUP OF INDUSTRIES.

These include Hospitality, Food Wholesaling, Tourism, Events & Related Services and Florists.  For a more concise list, please click the List of Industry Codes to see if your business is eligible.

There are three new Government Grants available:

1. Business Cost Assistance Program – A $2000 one off Grant for eligible businesses with an annual payroll of up to $3 million whether they have employees or not.
2. Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund Payment – An automatic one off payment of $3000 for those who received the Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund Grant last year (please note, this makes you ineligible to receive the Business Cost Assistance Program).
3. Victorian Accommodation Support Program – A two tiered funding program for accommodation providers.

The details of these grants are summarised below.

1. Business Cost Assistance Program – Action Required

This is a $2000 one off Grant for eligible businesses with an annual payroll of up to $3 million whether they have employees or not.   If your business industry code is on this List of Industry Codes you are eligible to receive the $2000 Business Cost Assistance Program Grant.

Your business must have experienced direct costs due to the circuit breaker action announced on 12 February 2021.  These costs incurred do not necessarily have to be up to the value of $2000 to receive the full $2000 Grant.

How do I apply?

1. Easy Way – Let Suntax apply for the Business Support Fund on your behalf by clicking here. The cost to prepare this application is $220 including GST, which is fully refundable if your grant application is not successful.

OR

2. Complete the application form yourself via Business Cost Assistance Program. Please note, that you will need to confirm that your industry code listed on the Australian Business Register matches the eligible industries for this grant. In order to confirm your industry code, you will need to link your MyGov ID to the Australian Business Register and check your businesses details.

 

2. Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund Payment

If you received a grant through the Licenced Hospitality Fund last year you will be automatically eligible for the additional $3000 grant.

You DO NOT NEED TO APPLY for this payment.  You will be contacted by the Victorian Government with further information.

 

3. Victorian Accommodation Support Program

This is an expansion on the Regional Tourism Accommodation Support Program from last year.  It is being offered as a two tier program.

• Tier 1:  Funding of $2250 (ex GST) per Accommodation Premises experiencing 10 or fewer cancelled nights
• Tier 2:  Funding of $4500 (ex GST) per Accommodation Premises experiencing 11 or more cancelled nights

 

Action Required:

The Victorian Accommodation Support Program will open soon.  You can register your interest in this program by clicking this link  Victorian Accommodation Support Program

Almost every Victorian business was affected by these latest circuit breaker lockdowns but unfortunately the Government have only issued these funding options for the specific business Industries as listed above.

For those of you who will not be receiving any assistance in this round of Grants, we feel your frustration.  If there is anything you think we can help you or your business with, please reach out.  We are back in the office and while we still offer virtual meetings, we are now available for face to face meetings as well if you prefer.

 

The Suntax Team

The arrival of COVID-19 has transformed the lives of small business owners across the country. In Victoria, under shifting waves of lockdown restrictions, many have seen sales plummet and their doors temporarily close.

As the state moves into new phases of recovery, the key to not only your business’ survival, but its continued growth, lies in boosting your digital capabilities.

By automating processes such as your accounting package, online payments, and the many other options available to you, you will also be able to achieve live access to your accountant, with a direct line into your business enabling them to provide advice and support as needed.

The great news is, Xero has partnered with the Victorian Government to create the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program.  Compromising of a $20m investment, this program is designed to increase Victorian small business’ digital capability by encouraging them to trial new software.

The program is open to Victorian businesses from all industry sectors and covers not only Xero subscriptions but any of their add on software programs as well.
On the condition that you haven’t used the participating software before, you will be entitled to a reimbursement of $1,200 after purchasing a software subscription.

If you are new to Xero’s online accounting software the $1,200 rebate can go towards the subscription of any of their Starter, Standard or Premium plans. Already using Xero?  You can receive the $1,200 rebate when you sign up to any of the other participating providers.

To qualify for the program, you must:

• Operate your business in Victoria as a sole trader, micro business or small business
• Have held a valid ABN since 13 September 2019
• Be registered for GST since 13 September 2020
• Report sales of at least $75,000 in your annual tax return
• Be registered with the responsible Federal or State regulator
• Be a new customer to the product

Follow these easy steps to get started:

1. Register for the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program on the program website here.
2. Once registered click on the Xero logo, which will take you to Xero’s dedicated Small Business Digital Adaptation Program landing page
3. Click the ‘Sign up’ button and fill out your business’ details to start a Start a 30-day free trial.
4. When you’re ready or your trial expires, select the Xero plan that best meets your needs and enter your payment details.
5. You will be contacted one month after signing up through the program to ensure that your business has begun using the software.
6. Once you’ve confirmed continued use, you will receive a purchase rebate of $1,200 to cover 12 months access to your chosen product (The Victorian Government will pay within ten working days of receiving confirmation).

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give our office a call on 03 8746 7700.

 

Your Suntax Team

Call to action for all JobKeeper extension eligible businesses. Yesterday, the ATO released the new JobKeeper turnover declaration which needs to be completed in order to receive your next round of JobKeeper Payments.

PLEASE NOTE: The Jobkeeper extension is also commonly referred to as JobKeeper 2.0. In order to be eligible for the JobKeeper extension for the period 28th of September 2020 to 3rd of January 2021, your business must pass new eligibility requirements and the ATO must be notified of the eligible turnover test and numbers before they will issue any refunds.

Please click here (or click the picture below) if you are eligible for the JobKeeper extension and would like Suntax to complete the October 2020 JobKeeper declaration for you.

Click here for Suntax to complete your October Jobkeeper declaration

If you wish to complete this declaration yourself, you will need to log onto ATO Online Services, notify the ATO of your eligibility under the specific tests and then submit the JobKeeper declaration.

New Jobkeeper Extension Tests

To qualify for this JobKeeper Extension, a business must have experienced a decline in GST turnover of 30% or more for the September 2020 quarter compared to the September 2019 quarter, as reported on their BAS’s. If this test is not passed, there are alternate tests that may help with your eligibility including:-

• Irregular Turnover Test
• Substantial Increase in GST Turnover Test
• Business Commenced Test
• Business Acquisition or Disposal that Changed the Entity’s current GST Turnover
• Business Restructure that changed the Entity’s current GST Turnover
• Business Affected by Drought or Natural Disaster
• Sole Trader or Small Partnership with Sickness, Injury or Leave

More information on these tests can be found by clicking here. These tests are complex and if you need help, Suntax can help assess your eligibility for $220 by clicking this link. All businesses must disclose their turnover calculations to the ATO before you can receive JobKeeper Extension payments.

DEADLINE

A strict deadline has now been set for the monthly declaration to be completed.  If you have not lodged your monthly declaration by the 14th of each month or you WILL NOT receive the previous months JobKeeper payments.

While we are still working with Jobkeeper, it is important to remember that yesterday we celebrated the first day in 6 months that Australia has not had any community transmissions of Covid-19 which is an amazing result compared to our international counterparts.
We are so impressed with the resilience you have all shown through this pandemic and it really shows the true Australian entrepreneurial spirit shining through. Lets hope for a fantastic lead up to Christmas, filled with strong consumer spending, dinners with our family and friends and a festive Christmas filled with fun, laughs and happy times.

You are all part of our Suntax family and we look forward to seeing you soon.

 

The Suntax Team

You may have received an error when attempting to file your Single Touch Payroll (STP) in Xero or MYOB in the last few days.   This is due to the ATO updating their systems over the weekend requiring more JobKeeper information with your payroll lodgments.

If you have been receiving JobKeeper you need to make one off changes in your payroll settings to ensure your STP is filed correctly while still ensuring you are able to receive JobKeeper 2.0 in the future.

Please note: If you are not eligible for the JobKeeper extension post 28th of September, it is possible you could still become eligible during the December quarter so we DO NOT want to ‘STOP JOBKEEPER’ for any employees at this stage.
If you are not eligible in the months after September 2020, then you just do not lodge the monthly JobKeeper declarations. This will keep your JobKeeper open for the possibility of becoming eligible in the December quarter.

What you need to do now:

You now need to associate either Tier 1 or Tier 2 to each JobKeeper enrolled employee in Xero (or your alternative payroll system).

From 28 September 2020, the flat rate of JobKeeper will be replaced with a two-tiered system based on the employee’s employment hours:

1. Employees who worked for 80 hours or more over the four week period before 1 March 2020 OR 1 July 2020 will be entitled to the full rate (Tier 1)
2. Employees who worked less than 80 hours over the four week period before 1 March 2020 OR 1 July 2020 will receive the reduced rate (Tier 2)

 

Period of JobKeeper Payments

28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021

Full Rate: $1,200

Reduced Rate: $750

 

Instructions to Allocate JobKeeper Tiers To Employees in Xero:

• Click on Payroll, then Pay Employees
• Click on Payroll support page
• Click on the blue “Enrol Employees”
• Select a Tier for each employee that is enrolled in JobKeeper
• Then when you file your next payrun, the ATO data will be updated and your filing will be accepted.

Until the tiers are allocated, your STP payroll filing will fail. More detailed Xero instructions can be found here: Employee Tiers
As always, we are here to help guide you through these new processes.

Your Suntax Team

In good news for Victorian Businesses, the Victorian Government has released its 3rd round of Business Support Grants and action needs to be taken now to apply for the available funding to Victorian businesses.

Contrary to common press reports that many Victorian grants have been disallowed, we have processed in excess of 100 grant applications and have had a 100% success rate. This shows the importance of ensuring your grant application is completed thoroughly and with the essential requirements and reasoning to support the grant application.

There are 3 new Victorian Government grants available:

1. Grant for Businesses in certain industries that employ staff
2. New Grant for non-employing Sole Traders That Operate From A Commercial Premises
3. New Grant for Licenced Hospitality Businesses

Please note that you can only receive ONE of the above grants, not multiple grants.

Let’s look at how to access these grants.

Grant For Businesses In Certain Industries That Employ Staff

A one-off  cash  grant  will  be  available  to  businesses in certain industries with  an  annual  payroll  of  up  to $10 million,  as part of the third round of the Victorian Government’s Business Support Fund.

Generally, to be eligible for this grant, applicants must:

• Operate in a business industry listed as eligible (most businesses will be eligible) – click here to review the ANZSIC industry codes list which lists the eligible industries for this grant.
• Operate a business located within Victoria;
• Participate in the JobKeeper Payment scheme;
• Employ people and be registered with WorkSafe;
• Have had an annual payroll of less than $10 million in 2019/20;
• Be registered for GST purposes;  and
• Hold an ABN

Depending on the annual payroll size, an eligible business will receive a third-round cash grant of:

Annual Payroll Size & Grant Amounts:

Less Than $650,000 – $10,000

Between $650,000 and $3 million – $15,000

Between $3 million and $10 million – $20,000

 

How do I apply?

1. Easy Way – Let Suntax apply for the Business Support Fund on your behalf by clicking here. The cost to prepare this application is $495 including GST, which is fully refundable if your grant application is not successful.

OR

2. Complete the application form yourself via Business Support Fund. Please note, that you will need to confirm that your industry code listed on the Australian Business Register matches the eligible industries for this grant. In order to confirm your industry code, you will need to link your MyGov ID to the Australian Business Register and check your businesses details.

 

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NEW Grant For Non-Employing Sole Traders That Operate From A Commercial Premises

Most sole traders will not pass the ‘not employing’ and the ‘must operate from a commercial premises’ conditions. But for those that may be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a non-employing business operating in Victoria
• Operate from a commercial premises or location
• Hold a valid ABN
• Be a current participant in the Commonwealth Government’s JobKeeper payment scheme
• Operate in an industry sector that has been heavily restricted or closed as a result of continued restrictions (click here to review the industry sectors)

 

How do I apply?

This grant is not currently open, but if you believe you are eligible and would like Suntax to prepare your application, please email admin@suntax.com.au with your name, business name and phone number.

 

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NEW Grant For Licensed Hospitality Venues

Eligible hospitality businesses will receive grants of up to $30,000 based on the location of their premises and maximum patron capacity.

To be eligible for a grant from this program, applicants must:

• Operate a licensed pub, club, hotel, bar, restaurant or reception centre under a general, full club or on-premises liquor licence issued by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, and
• Have premises that serve patrons and hold a Class 2 or 3 Service Sector – Certificate of Registration under the Food Act 1984 (Vic) issued by a local council.

As noted, you can only receive ONE grant in this list and not multiple grants. Therefore, it is important to note that in most cases the ‘Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund’ provides the largest grant and if you are eligible, it is recommended that you apply for the ‘Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund’ grant to ensure you receive the maximum support from the Victorian Government.

Eligible businesses will receive grant amounts as per the table below:

 

How do I apply?

This grant is not currently open, but if you believe you are eligible and would like Suntax to prepare your application, please email admin@suntax.com.au with your name, business name and phone number.

 

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All applicants may be subject to audit by the Victorian Government and may be required to produce evidence used in supporting the application and evidence as to the allocation and use of the grant for a period of four years after the grant has been approved. If any information in the application is found to be false or misleading the grant will be repayable to the Victorian Government.

We understand that there is constant information coming to you in relation to COVID 19 and the business support packages. We are aware of this and are ensuring our emails contain only relevant information and calls to action to ensure your business doesn’t miss out on any Government assistance during this period.

The directors of Suntax would like to give a shout out to all of our team for their amazing support and work through our busy ‘tax time’ period to help clients through the maze of JobKeeper, Cashflow Boost and Government Grants. We are proud of them all and appreciate their drive to help our clients through this difficult time. As always, we are committed to helping you through this in any way that we can. We are still all working remotely and are available to help with any questions you may have.

Stay safe & stay masked, we are almost there!

 

The Suntax Team

In order to be eligible for JobKeeper after 28^th of September 2020, your business will need to pass a NEW turnover test.

JobKeeper has been extended for the December 2020 and March 2021 quarters. To receive this second wave of JobKeeper payments (commonly called JobKeeper 2.0) your business will need to pass new turnover tests. It is also important to note that being eligible for December 2020 does not mean you will automatically be eligible for March 2021.

To qualify for JobKeeper in the December 2020 quarter:

• Businesses will need to demonstrate a decline of 30% in ‘Actual GST Turnover’ in the September 2020 quarter compared with the September 2019 Quarter

To qualify for JobKeeper in the March 2021 quarter:

• Businesses will need to demonstrate a decline of 30% in ‘Actual GST Turnover’ in both the September 2020 and December 2020 quarters compared to the same quarters in 2019.

Please note that your JobKeeper Refunds and other Government grants and Subsidies do not form part of your ‘Actual GST Turnover.’

Will Your Business Be Eligible?

This week, Suntax are running a pre-planning project to help businesses understand if they will be eligible for JobKeeper 2.0. We will review your turnover based on all available turnover tests and will provide you with a report of your maximum ‘Actual GST Turnover’ limit for September 2020. The cost of this review is $165 including GST. If you would like your business to be part of this JobKeeper 2.0 pre-planning assessment, please click here to register and we will provide you with a written assessment of our findings.

How much will the new JobKeeper payments be?

From 28 September 2020, the flat rate of JobKeeper will be replaced with a two-tiered system based on the employee’s employment hours:

1. Employees who worked for 80 hours or more over the four week period before 1 March 2020 OR 1 July 2020 will be entitled to the full rate
2. Employees who worked less than 80 hours over the four week period before 1 March 2020 OR 1 July 2020 will receive the reduced rate

 

Period of JobKeeper Payments

• 28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021
  Full rate: $1,200
  Reduced rate: $750
• 4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021
  Full rate: $1,000
  Reduced rate: $650

 

Important

For many businesses registered for GST, the reduction in turnover will be matched to your ‘total sales’ reported on your BAS’s minus GST payable. Therefore it is important that your BAS lodgments are completely up to date.

The ATO have also indicated that they may accept alternate (NON BAS) calculations of the ‘Actual GST Turnover’. This will need to be a well documented assessment that is provided to the ATO.

 

How Do I Enrol?

If you are already enrolled for JobKeeper for any fortnights before 28 September you DO NOT need to re enrol.

You don’t need to re-assess employee eligibility for your employees if they are already nominated as a JobKeeper recipient before 28 September 2020.

 

What Do You Need To Do Now?

1. Assess Your Eligibility For JobKeeper 2.0 (post 28th of September 2020) by using the turnover test discussed above.   Remember if you are unsure, you can ask us to do this for you by clicking here.
2. If your business is eligible, make note of which employees qualify for the new full rate or reduced rate of JobKeeper by using the table above.
3. If your business is eligible for JobKeeper 2.0, the next step is to ensure all eligible employees are being paid the correct JobKeeper rate for any pay run after 28th of September 2020.

As always, we are here to help guide you through these ever changing and complex times.

Your Suntax Team

Like you, we are feeling shell shocked at the new Stage 4 restrictions and what it will mean to businesses.  But, we also understand that Victoria is in a unique situation right now and we need to work together to absorb what continues to be a devastating blow to Australia.

If you are unsure how your business may be affected you can check the restrictions list here to see the changes to your Industry. We are very pleased to report that the Victorian Government have expanded the Government Stimulus Grant to support more Victorian Businesses.

What financial help is available to me?

The good news is that the State Government has increased the Business Support Fund Expansion Grant on offer to businesses in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire from $5,000 to $10,000.

For businesses in regional Victoria you are now eligible for the $5,000 Victorian State Government Grant.
To make it even easier, the application date has also been extended to the 14th of September 2020.

Wait, I am confused, is this the same Grant I got back in June?

No, this is addition to the original support funding from earlier in the year and is to support Victoria Business through this second wave of COVID-19.  That means, even if you received $10,000 earlier in the year you can still be eligible for this additional funding right now.

What’s next?

If you are from Melbourne or Mitchell Shire and have already applied for the $5,000 Business Support Fund Expansion Grant, you don’t need to do anything.  Successful applicants will automatically receive the additional $5,000.

If you are in Melbourne or Mitchell Shire and have not already applied, or if you are in Regional Victoria, please take the time to read the below information to see if you are eligible for the Grant.

Businesses can apply when they meet all of the following criteria

The business must:

• be located in the metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire (to receive $10,000)
• be located in Regional Victoria (to receive $5,000)
• be enrolled in the JobKeeper program
• employ Staff
• be registered with Worksafe on 30 June 2020
• have an Annual Payroll of less than $3 million in 2019-2020 on an ungrouped basis
• be registered for GST as at 30 June 2020
• hold an up to date ABN registration  as at 30 June 2020

Important Notes

Applicants must provide a copy of:

• the business’s operating address by supplying a utility bill (gas, electricity, telephone, water), lease agreement or council rates notice
• Latest ATO JobKeeper Declaration
• Workcover employer number

Sole Traders MUST employ persons other than themselves to be eligible.

Examples of what the grant could be used for are:

• Meeting business costs, including utilities, salaries, rent
• Seeking financial, legal or other advice to support business continuity planning
• Developing the business through marketing and communications activities
• Other supporting activities related to the operation of the business

How do I apply?

1. Easy Way – click here below for Suntax to apply for the Business Support Fund on your behalf. The cost to prepare this application is $495 including GST, which is fully refundable if your grant application is not successful.

OR

2. Complete the application form yourself via Business Support Fund

If completing the application yourself, you will need to supply the latest copy of your ATO JobKeeper Declaration with the Receipt ID. If Suntax have processed the JobKeeper for you, this will be attached to the monthly JobKeeper confirmation email from us. This will need to be uploaded into your application along with proof of your business operating address.

All applicants may be subject to audit by the Victorian Government and may be required to produce evidence used in supporting the Application and evidence as to the allocation and use of the grant for a period of four years after the grant has been approved. If any information in the application is found to be false or misleading the grant will be repayable to the Victorian Government.

When do applications open and close?

Applications are open right now and will close on Monday the 14th of September 2020

Here at Suntax we are committed to helping you through this in any way that we can.  While the new information is still coming through we feel it’s important to get these funding opportunities out to you as soon as possible.  Please keep an eye on our socials where we will post if there are any additional clarifications that come out over the next 24-48 hours.

In the meantime, remember our team might be working remotely but we are still available for any questions you might have.

Stay safe & stay masked

 

The Suntax Team

We are very pleased to report that the Victorian Government have expanded the Government Stimulus Grant to support more Victorian Businesses with a one off grant of $5,000.

Many businesses have been hit hard by the recent return of Stage 3 restrictions.  This has meant thousands of restaurants, cafes, pubs, gyms, sporting venues, cinemas, and many other businesses have had to restrict their operations or close entirely again.

This one off payment is available to eligible businesses now with applications closing on the 19th of August.

Businesses can apply when they meet all of the following criteria

The business must:

• be located in the metropolitan Melbourne or Mitchell Shire. Click here to review if your business is in the stage 3 restriction shires
• be enrolled in the JobKeeper program
• employ Staff
• be registered with Worksafe on 30 June 2020
• have an Annual Payroll of less than $3 million in 2019-2020 on an ungrouped basis
• be registered for GST as at 30 June 2020
• hold an up to date ABN registration  as at 30 June 2020

Important Notes

Businesses who have already received funding from the Victorian Government’s Economic Survival package are still eligible to apply for this additional funding.

Applicants must provide a copy of:

• the business’s operating address by a utility bill (gas, electricity, telecommunications, water), lease agreement or council rates notice
• Latest ATO JobKeeper Declaration
• Workcover employer number

Sole Traders MUST employ persons other than themselves to be eligible.

Examples of what the grant could be used for are:

• Meeting business costs, including utilities, salaries, rent
• Seeking financial, legal or other advice to support business continuity planning
• Developing the business through marketing and communications activities
• Other supporting activities related to the operation of the business

How do I apply?

1. Easy Way – complete this Form and Suntax will apply for the grant on your behalf. The cost to prepare this application is $495 including GST, which is fully refundable if your grant application is not successful.

OR

1. Complete the application form yourself via Business Support Fund

If completing the application yourself, you will need to supply the latest copy of your ATO JobKeeper Declaration with the Receipt ID. If Suntax have processed the JobKeeper for you, this will be attached to the monthly JobKeeper confirmation email from us. This will need to be uploaded into your application along with proof of your business operating address.

All applicants may be subject to audit by the Victorian Government and may be required to produce evidence used in supporting the Application and evidence as to the allocation and use of the grant for a period of four years after the grant has been approved. If any information in the application is found to be false or misleading the grant will be repayable to the Victorian Government.

When do applications open and close?

Applications are open right now and will close on Wednesday the 19th of  August

Going back into lockdown is frustrating for all, especially the business owners who have invested their life and sometimes their life savings into building their business. You also carry the burden of not only providing the essentials to your family, but your employees and suppliers families too. So in this lockdown, please support each other, shop locally and support your local businesses where you can. And don’t forget, the team at Suntax are working additional hours and additional days to be available to you all during this time.

Should you be feeling overwhelmed, please contact us and we will do everything we can to support you.

Together we will get through this.

 

The Suntax Team