The September episode of Tax Talks sees Andrew Henshaw and Rajan Verma joined by Karen Goodfellow of Goodfellow Tax Advisory to unpack the major Australian tax developments from September 2026.
The discussion begins with the exposure draft package for the proposed 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts. The panel examines which trusts and income streams may fall outside the regime, the proposed broader definition of a fixed trust, the treatment of company beneficiaries and the complexity of adding a minimum tax framework on top of the existing trust tax rules.
The episode then turns to the proposed election allowing existing trusts to avoid the minimum tax by fixing future income and capital distributions. The panel considers the consequences of making an irrevocable election, including changes in family circumstances, corporate beneficiaries, charitable distributions, asset protection, family law and succession planning. They also review the proposed trust restructure rollover, including its all-assets approach, duty concerns and the risks of moving assets into a company.
The panel also examines the proposed innovative business CGT concession, including the holding period, registration process, Australian activity requirements, excluded industries and the challenge of maintaining eligibility through to a future CGT event.
The cases section covers the Hilton Hotels Part IVA decision and what it may mean for restructures undertaken before a sale, contemporaneous documentation and how far the ATO may look back when identifying a broader scheme. The episode concludes with a recent tax residency decision involving an engineer working in Dubai, highlighting the difficulty of severing Australian tax residency, the importance of establishing a permanent place of abode overseas and the potential CGT consequences of leaving Australia.
Across these topics, the panel returns to a practical message for accountants and advisers: understand the proposals, identify affected clients and preserve the evidence supporting important decisions, but avoid taking irreversible steps while the law remains unsettled.

The September episode of Tax Talks sees Andrew Henshaw and Rajan Verma joined by Karen Goodfellow of Goodfellow Tax Advisory to unpack the major Australian tax developments from September 2026. The discussion begins with the exposure draft package for the proposed 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts. The panel examines which trusts and income streams may fall outside the regime, the proposed broader definition of a fixed trust, the treatment of company beneficiaries and the complexity of adding a minimum tax framework on top of the existing trust tax rules. The episode then turns to the proposed election allowing existing trusts to avoid the minimum tax by fixing future income and capital distributions. The panel considers the consequences of making an irrevocable election, including changes in family circumstances, corporate beneficiaries, charitable distributions, asset protection, family law and succession planning. They also review the proposed trust restructure rollover, including its all-assets approach, duty concerns and the risks of moving assets into a company. The panel also examines the proposed innovative business CGT concession, including the holding period, registration process, Australian activity requirements, excluded industries and the challenge of maintaining eligibility through to a future CGT event. The cases section covers the Hilton Hotels Part IVA decision and what it may mean for restructures undertaken before a sale, contemporaneous documentation and how far the ATO may look back when identifying a broader scheme. The episode concludes with a recent tax residency decision involving an engineer working in Dubai, highlighting the difficulty of severing Australian tax residency, the importance of establishing a permanent place of abode overseas and the potential CGT consequences of leaving Australia. Across these topics, the panel returns to a practical message for accountants and advisers: understand the proposals, identify affected clients and preserve the evidence supporting important decisions, but avoid taking irreversible steps while the law remains unsettled.

September Updates

Episode 5 of Tax Talks sees Andrew Henshaw and guest co-host Ani Tuna joined by Vincent Licciardi from HWLE to unpack the major tax developments from August 2026.
The discussion begins with increasing scrutiny from the ATO and Tax Practitioners Board, exploring disclosure obligations, annual registration renewals and fit and proper person requirements. The panel examines the Free decision and the risks practitioners face when outstanding tax obligations or adverse findings remain undisclosed, including where the underlying matters are disputed.
The episode then examines the second tranche of draft CGT and negative gearing measures, analysing valuation challenges, main residence issues, small business concessions and the proposed definition of a new residential dwelling. The discussion also considers foreign resident CGT reforms and changes to SMSF limited recourse borrowing arrangements, including transitional contracts, business real property and refinancing.
The panel reviews recent Victorian and New South Wales state tax cases involving windfall gains tax, property nominations and landholder duty, highlighting how contract dates and transaction sequencing can produce unexpected liabilities. The discussion also explores engagement scope, client expectations and the risks for accountants advising outside their areas of expertise.
The episode concludes with GST credits on legal and litigation costs, developments concerning Bitcoin and draft ATO guidance on crypto transactions, and the Division 293 consequences of receiving employment income in arrears. Across these topics, the panel highlights the importance of precise timing, supporting evidence and identifying risks before transactions proceed.

Episode 5 of Tax Talks sees Andrew Henshaw and guest co-host Ani Tuna joined by Vincent Licciardi from HWLE to unpack the major tax developments from August 2026. The discussion begins with increasing scrutiny from the ATO and Tax Practitioners Board, exploring disclosure obligations, annual registration renewals and fit and proper person requirements. The panel examines the Free decision and the risks practitioners face when outstanding tax obligations or adverse findings remain undisclosed, including where the underlying matters are disputed. The episode then examines the second tranche of draft CGT and negative gearing measures, analysing valuation challenges, main residence issues, small business concessions and the proposed definition of a new residential dwelling. The discussion also considers foreign resident CGT reforms and changes to SMSF limited recourse borrowing arrangements, including transitional contracts, business real property and refinancing. The panel reviews recent Victorian and New South Wales state tax cases involving windfall gains tax, property nominations and landholder duty, highlighting how contract dates and transaction sequencing can produce unexpected liabilities. The discussion also explores engagement scope, client expectations and the risks for accountants advising outside their areas of expertise. The episode concludes with GST credits on legal and litigation costs, developments concerning Bitcoin and draft ATO guidance on crypto transactions, and the Division 293 consequences of receiving employment income in arrears. Across these topics, the panel highlights the importance of precise timing, supporting evidence and identifying risks before transactions proceed.

Episode 5 of Tax Talks sees Andrew Henshaw and guest co-host Ani Tuna joined by Vincent Licciardi from HWLE to unpack the major tax developments from August 2026.
The discussion begins with increasing scrutiny from the ATO and Tax Practitioners Board, exploring disclosure obligations, annual registration renewals and fit and proper person requirements. The panel examines the Free decision and the risks practitioners face when outstanding tax obligations or adverse findings remain undisclosed, including where the underlying matters are disputed.
The episode then examines the second tranche of draft CGT and negative gearing measures, analysing valuation challenges, main residence issues, small business concessions and the proposed definition of a new residential dwelling. The discussion also considers foreign resident CGT reforms and changes to SMSF limited recourse borrowing arrangements, including transitional contracts, business real property and refinancing.
The panel reviews recent Victorian and New South Wales state tax cases involving windfall gains tax, property nominations and landholder duty, highlighting how contract dates and transaction sequencing can produce unexpected liabilities. The discussion also explores engagement scope, client expectations and the risks for accountants advising outside their areas of expertise.
The episode concludes with GST credits on legal and litigation costs, developments concerning Bitcoin and draft ATO guidance on crypto transactions, and the Division 293 consequences of receiving employment income in arrears. Across these topics, the panel highlights the importance of precise timing, supporting evidence and identifying risks before transactions proceed.

August Updates

Child support lump sum payments are often favoured by mothers and might improve the relationship between parents.

Child support lump sum payments are often favoured by mothers and might improve the relationship between parents.

391 | Child Support Lump Sum Payments

Child support non-agency payments are payments to third parties credited to a child support liability.

Child support non-agency payments are payments to third parties credited to a child support liability.

390 | Child Support Non Agency Payments

In some ways CATS Accountants is just a normal practice with a turnover of $1m. But in other ways they are quite unique and unusual.

282 | CATS Accountants

SMSF Adviser May 2018 Update is a quick walk through the top trending updates in May 2018. Miranda Brownlee writes for SMSF Adviser and covers over 20 stories a week, all about SMSF. We asked Miranda what happened in May. Here is what we learned.

SMSF Adviser May 2018 Update is a quick walk through the top trending updates in May 2018. Miranda Brownlee writes for SMSF Adviser and covers over 20 stories a week, all about SMSF. We asked Miranda what happened in May. Here is what we learned.

SMSF Adviser May 2018 Update is a quick walk through the top trending updates in May 2018.&nbsp;Miranda Brownlee writes for SMSF Adviser and covers over 20 stories a week, all about SMSF. We asked Miranda what happened in May. Here is what we learned.

60 | SMSF Adviser May 2018 Update

The story of McLowd starts like many other successful start-ups. McLowd was born out of an attempt to "scratch its own itch". Ashley Porter was there.

58 | The Story Of McLowd

If you have SMSFs as clients, you probably have done some event-based reporting over the last few weeks, where you reported the transfer balances as of 30 June 2018. How did you go? We found it much easier than we had expected.

57 | Event-Based Reporting

When do you need an acknowledgement of trust in an SMSF? Heide Robson will talk you through different scenarios re compliance with s52(2)(g) of the SIS Act.

56 | Acknowledgement Of Trust

Do you know what the TPB actually does, how it is structured and financed? We didn't. So we asked Ian Taylor, Chair of the TPB. Here is his answer.

55 | Tax Practitioners Board

Property depreciation can save our clients a lot of money. But the rules around property depreciation are confusing at the best of times. So, we asked BMT Tax Depreciation to help us out. BMT prepares around 70,000 property depreciation schedules a year. So, you would think that they know a thing or two about property depreciation. Here is what we learned from them.

Property depreciation can save our clients a lot of money. But the rules around property depreciation are confusing at the best of times. So, we asked BMT Tax Depreciation to help us out. BMT prepares around 70,000 property depreciation schedules a year. So, you would think that they know a thing or two about property depreciation. Here is what we learned from them.

Property depreciation can save our clients a lot of money. But the rules around property depreciation are confusing at the best of times. So,&nbsp;we asked BMT&nbsp;Tax Depreciation&nbsp;to help us out. BMT prepares around 70,000 property depreciation schedules a year. So,&nbsp;you would think that they know a thing or two about property depreciation. Here is what we learned from them.

61 | Property Depreciation

The Story of Class is not just about Class. It is also a story about the SMSF industry and us. Kevin Bungard of Class will tell you how it all started.

54 | The Story Of Class

The super reform is done and dusted, but some issues still raise their head. Daniel Mikhail of Partners Wealth Group will discuss those with you.

53 | SMSF Update

Div 7A debt forgiveness is less common than Div 7A loans and payments, but still important to get right. Peter Adams of Augmentors will discuss the details with you.

52 | Div 7A Debt Forgiveness

The Story of Class is not just a story about Class. It is also a story about the SMSF industry and how it changed. How our tax practice changed. And how we changed. 
 
To hear more behind the scene details, please join us talking to Kevin Bungard, the CEO of Class.

The Story of Class is not just a story about Class. It is also a story about the SMSF industry and how it changed. How our tax practice changed. And how we changed. To hear more behind the scene details, please join us talking to Kevin Bungard, the CEO of Class.

The Story of Class is not just a story about Class. It is also a story about the SMSF industry and how it changed. How our tax practice changed. And how we changed. 
 
To hear more behind the scene details, please join us talking to Kevin Bungard, the CEO of Class.

Share Tax Talks

Sign up to save your podcasts

Tax Talks

Tax Talks episodes

About Tax Talks

Best of Tax Talks

More shows like Tax Talks

How Do They Afford That?