Executive taxation

A good executive is difficult to find and companies constantly need to find ways to attract high quality people. But the taxation implications of employing them can be significant for both the employer and the executive. Any tax saving would increase an employer's ability to attract and retain high quality executives.

We specialise in providing advice on personal income tax and employment taxes for corporate executives, particularly expatriates. We also provide advice to individuals planning immigration and emigration activities, as well as advising companies in relation to salary packaging, fringe benefits tax, other employment taxes and employee share schemes.

How can we help you?

We provide a range of services in the following areas:

• Expatriate taxation
• Salary packaging
• Employee share schemes
• Fringe benefits tax (FBT) compliance
• Employment taxes

Service details

A detailed description of our executive taxation services is provided below.

Expatriate taxation
With a mobile labour force, many companies hire from overseas. In addition, many Australian employees are seconded overseas. Usually as part of the package, the seconding employer is required to fulfill all local tax obligations and, under a tax equalisation contract, required to pay the expatriate's personal taxes. Therefore, any tax saved goes the employer. Our expatriate tax experts provide personal compliance and consulting advice to expatriate employees (usually under contract with the employer), including completing entry and exit interviews and assisting with the preparation of their annual tax returns.

Salary packaging
With the introduction of FBT several years ago, the equalising of its effective rate to the top marginal rate a few years later and the recent changing increase to tax brackets, many consider salary packaging to no longer be a viable strategy to reduce an employee's tax burden. However, there are still concessional tax benefits now more than ever. Salary packages should be reviewed to ensure that they maximise the take home pay of executives. Our executive taxation experts are skilled in reviewing salary packages and advising on what benefits can and should be packaged.

Employee shares schemes
Employee share schemes are simple ways to return value to an employee and to build loyalty. They are also concessionally taxed in that the tax liability can in many cases be deferred to a later date. Our executive taxation experts advise on such schemes, on their suitability and on the tax implications for the employee.

FBT compliance
Our executive taxation experts assist employers with their FBT compliance by reviewing their benefits, sending out questionnaires on benefits and completing and lodging the relevant FBT returns

Employment taxes
Employment taxes include FBT, State pay-roll taxes, the superannuation guarantee charge and workers compensation. Our executive taxation experts advise on employment tax implications in relation to any employment package, and assist clients with any audit defence.