Adrian Raftery, aka Mr Taxman, has over 20 years? experience in providing accounting services and financial advice to businesses and individuals. Visit Mr Taxman at www.mrtaxman.com.au.

About the author xi How to use this book xiii Introduction xv Part I You and your family 1 Tip 1 Marriage 2 Tip 2 Income splitting 5 Tip 3 Dependants 7 Tip 4 Children 9 Tip 5 Paid parental leave and the baby bonus 12 Tip 6 Child care 14 Tip 7 Low-income earners 16 Tip 8 Senior Australians 18 Tip 9 Other government benefi ts 20 Tip 10 Family breakdown 23 Tip 11 Death 25 Tip 12 Trusts 28 Part II Your employment 33 Tip 13 Car usage 35 Tip 14 Methods to claim car travel 37 Tip 15 Travel 40 Tip 16 Uniform 42 Tip 17 Home offi ce 44 Tip 18 Other work-related deductions 47 Tip 19 Overseas employment 49 Tip 20 Keep those receipts 51 Tip 21 ATO hit lists 54 Tip 22 Redundancy 56 Tip 23 Working a second job 59 Tip 24 Salary sacrifi ce 61 Tip 25 Fringe benefi ts 64 Tip 26 Living-away-from-home allowance 67 Part III Your education 71 Tip 27 Claiming self-education expenses 72 Tip 28 The $250 threshold 75 Tip 29 Self-development courses 77 Tip 30 Higher Education Loan Program 80 Tip 31 Student Financial Supplement Scheme 83 Tip 32 Youth Allowance 85 Tip 33 Austudy and ABSTUDY 87 Tip 34 Other government assistance 90 Tip 35 Scholarships 92 Tip 36 Children's education 95 Tip 37 School building funds 98 Tip 38 Education savings plans 100 Part IV Your investment property 105 Tip 39 Negative gearing 107 Tip 40 Interest 110 Tip 41 Depreciation 112 Tip 42 Low-value pooling 115 Tip 43 Repairs and maintenance 118 Tip 44 Travel to see your investment property 121 Tip 45 Borrowing expenses 123 Tip 46 Legal expenses 126 Tip 47 Other rental property deductions 127 Tip 48 Foreign investment properties 130 Tip 49 Capital gains tax 132 Tip 50 PAYG withholding variation 134 Tip 51 Genuinely available for rent 137 Part V Your shares 141 Tip 52 Dividends 143 Tip 53 Franking credits 146 Tip 54 Dividend reinvestment plans 149 Tip 55 Lower income earners 150 Tip 56 Borrowing to buy shares 153 Tip 57 Other allowable deductions 155 Tip 58 Shares and capital gains tax 157 Tip 59 Realise capital losses 159 Tip 60 Inheriting share portfolios 162 Tip 61 Share trader versus share investor 164 Tip 62 Rights and options 167 Tip 63 Employee share schemes 168 Tip 64 Share portfolios within self managed superannuation funds 171 Part VI Your superannuation 175 Tip 65 Contribution limits 177 Tip 66 Compulsory employer contributions 180 Tip 67 Salary sacrifi ce 182 Tip 68 Super co-contribution 185 Tip 69 Transferring foreign super 188 Tip 70 Self managed superannuation funds 190 Tip 71 Buying property within SMSFs 193 Tip 72 Gearing through a super fund 195 Tip 73 Accessing your super 198 Tip 74 Transition to retirement 200 Tip 75 Allocated pensions 202 Tip 76 Death benefi ts 204 Tip 77 Lost or unclaimed super 206 Part VII Your business 211 Tip 78 Choosing the right business structure 213 Tip 79 Tax obligations 216 Tip 80 Record keeping 219 Tip 81 Deferring tax 222 Tip 82 Trading stock 224 Tip 83 Bad debts 226 Tip 84 Home-based businesses 228 Tip 85 Employing people 231 Tip 86 Tax concessions and offsets 234 Tip 87 Selling or closing down 236 Tip 88 Personal services income 238 Tip 89 Non-commercial losses 240 Tip 90 Franchising 242 Part VIII Miscellaneous 245 Tip 91 Overseas income 246 Tip 92 Get a great accountant 249 Tip 93 Lodging your tax return 251 Tip 94 ATO data matching 253 Tip 95 Problems paying your tax 256 Tip 96 Medical expenses tax offset 258 Tip 97 Levies 261 Tip 98 Zone and overseas forces tax offsets 265 Tip 99 Tax-effective investments 267 Tip 100 Tax planning is a 365-day process 269 Tip 101 Just do it! 271 Glossary 275 Bibliography 293 Index 295