RBizz Corporate Accountants - Resources #Superannuation

Alternatives to the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:42:39 +1000

Alternatives to the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House

On 1 July 2026, the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) will close permanently as part of the Payday Super reforms. With only a few months left, employers still using the SBSCH need to find an alternative option, and soon.

Don’t wait until the last minute

If you currently pay your superannuation quarterly, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) recommends that the super payment for the January-March 2026 quarter (due 28 April 2026) be the last payment you make through the SBSCH. That way, you give yourself time to find and adjust to a new provider before you need to pay super for the April-June 2026 quarter.

Remember, the April –June quarter payment (due 28 July 2026) cannot be made using the SBSCH after 30 June 2026.

Choosing a new provider

There are a lot of different options out there to replace the SBSCH:Check your existing payroll software, as it may well already have super functions that you can use to pay your employees’ super guarantee contributions.

Check other payroll software or providers that meet all SuperStream requirements.

Find a commercial clearing house or super fund that provides payment options—that might include your default super fund.

Once you’ve picked your new provider, make sure to trial it out well before 1 July 2026. That way, you can get comfortable with the new platform while also having the chance to troubleshoot any potential errors before Payday Super comes into effect.

As a reminder, Payday Super requires that employers pay their employees’ super at the same time as their salary and wages, with funds to be received into employees’ nominated funds within seven business days of payday.

Closing up your SBSCH account

After 11:59 pm AEST on 30 June 2026, you won’t be able to log in to the SBSCH to submit instructions or view records, so make sure that you’ve finalised any payments and downloaded any reports from the SBSCH before it closes for good.

Make sure you’re Payday Super ready

Need help picking an alternative to the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House, or looking for further advice about Payday Super? Get in touch with a member of our team – we’d be happy to walk you through your options, and put a plan in place to get your business ready ahead of 1 July.

Q3 Super & Easter/Anzac Hours

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:30:24 +1100

Q3 Super & Easter/Anzac Hours

April is a busy month with several public holidays and tax deadlines.

Office Hours: Our office will be closed for the Easter break (3–6 April) and Anzac Day (27 April observation).

Superannuation: Q3 Super payments are due by 28 April. Because of the holiday clusters, we strongly suggest processing these by 20 April to ensure they clear in time.

Quarterly BAS: Your March quarter BAS is also due on 28 April.

If you’re planning to be away over the school holidays, let’s get your numbers sorted early so you can enjoy your break without any compliance worries!

Prepare for Payday Super: Employer Readiness Steps

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:28:26 +1100

Prepare for Payday Super: Employer Readiness Steps

From 1 July 2026, the way you pay your employees’ super is changing. Instead of making quarterly super payments to your employees’ funds, contributions will essentially need to be paid at the same time as salary and wages.

‘Payday Super’ marks a significant change for employers. To make sure your business isn’t caught out, make sure you’ve taken the following readiness steps, in line with ATO guidance.

Understand the new requirements

Under the new regime, super guarantee payments must reach your employees’ super funds within seven business days of payday, though longer deadlines apply in some cases, such as for new employees. The amount of contribution is calculated as 12% of an employee’s ‘qualifying earnings’ – a new term that incorporates and expands on the previous concept of ordinary time earnings.

If contributions are not made on time, in full and to the correct fund, the super guarantee charge (SGC) may apply.

Plan your transition

The ATO recommends that employers do the work now to plan and prepare for Payday Super. This includes:

Deciding when, exactly, your business will move to Payday Super (noting early adoption is perfectly fine).
Reviewing your cash flow position, to make sure your business can cope with a shift away from quarterly to ‘real-time’ super payments.
Checking your current payroll and business processes, such as confirming that super fund details for all eligible employees are up-to-date and complete.

Lock in plans

Once your business has determined when it will start using Payday Super, the next step is to make sure all relevant systems are ready for the change. That includes the payroll software you use, as well as any clearing houses or super fund portals you may use to make super guarantee contributions.

For any businesses that use the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH), remember that it will close permanently from 1 July 2026 as part of the Payday Super reforms.

Finally, take the time to troubleshoot any potential issues that might arise once Payday Super is live. For example, your business may need to implement a process quickly to correct any errors that might arise when paying employees’ super contributions.

Remember, from 1 July 2026…

…Payday Super is mandatory.

Any businesses that do not adapt to the new rules and continue to pay super quarterly run the risk of being on the receiving end of compliance action by the ATO.

If your business needs help preparing for Payday Super, feel free to reach out to a member of our team. We can walk you through the requirements of the new legislation and troubleshoot any potential pitfalls well ahead of 1 July.

5 Tax Planning Tips for Small Business Owners

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 20:38:13 +1100

5 Tax Planning Tips for Small Business Owners

Good tax planning isn’t about avoidance; it’s about smart, proactive decisions that reduce liability while keeping your business compliant. For Australian SMEs in 2025, the tax landscape is shifting with ATO crackdowns, changes to deductions, and new thresholds. Here are five strategies every business owner should consider. Take as a business to bring a real mix of talent into the company.

1. Use the $20,000 Instant Asset Write-Off

Small businesses can immediately deduct eligible asset purchases up to $20,000 until 30 June 2026. Equipment, vehicles, and office upgrades are all potential investments that reduce taxable income.

2. Prepay Expenses

Prepaying rent, insurance, or subscriptions before year-end allows you to bring forward deductions and lower taxable income.

3. Maximise Super Contributions

Employer contributions are compulsory, but additional concessional contributions can reduce personal tax while growing retirement savings.

4. Review Business Structure

The right structure — sole trader, company, trust, or partnership — can save thousands. For instance, companies benefit from capped tax rates, while trusts provide flexibility in income distribution.

5. Stay Compliant

With the ATO issuing record Director Penalty Notices and ramping up audits, compliance is more critical than ever. Avoid penalties by lodging on time, keeping records, and seeking advice before making changes.

Tax planning is about taking control year-round, not just in June. With the right strategies, you can free up cash, reduce liabilities, and create opportunities for growth.

RBizz Corporate Accountants can help you build a proactive tax strategy tailored to your business goals.

Payday Super update: draft legislation and closure of SBSCH

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:59:48 +1000

Payday Super update: draft legislation and closure of SBSCH

As part of the 2023-24 Federal Budget, the federal government announced "Payday Super", which will require you to make superannuation guarantee payments for your employees on the same time as their salary and wages.

Many businesses end up falling behind on their superannuation guarantee (SG) payments, and this measure essentially becomes a compliance check for the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). It will also help your employees achieve a better retirement.

Proposed to come into effect from 1 July 2026, the Treasurer has released the draft legislation providing more details about the changes.

Changes to be introduced by Payday Super

Employers will be required to make SG contributions to an employee’s nominated superannuation fund within 7 calendar days of the employee’s regular wages being paid.
SG contributions and SG shortfalls will be calculated using a new base called qualifying earnings (QE). This will align with Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE) and will also include salary sacrifice amounts.
The maximum contributions base will shift from a quarterly basis to an annual basis. SG contributions will continue to accrue with each payday until the annual maximum contributions base threshold is reached.
Employers will no longer need to lodge SG statements. The ATO will issue SG shortfall assessments automatically using the data from Single Touch Payroll and super fund reporting.
Under the new regime, late contributions and SG charge will be tax deductible. However, GIC and late payment penalty will remain non-deductible.

Impact for your business

As Payday Super will not commence until 1 July 2026, your payroll service providers will have enough time to change their products and systems.

More frequent super payments will make your payroll management smoother with fewer liabilities building up on your books.

You will also have a considerably large window to adjust your cash flow practices and plan ahead for any changes that may be necessary.

Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) closing.

As part of the proposed Payday Super reform, the ATO has announced that the SBSCH will permanently close on 1 July 2026. New registrations will also cease from 1 October 2025. These changes are designed to reduce the unpaid super risk, however, by doing so updates to payroll processes and super payments are required.

If you have been using the free ATO SBSCH, it is time to take steps to transition to alternative options. Some alternatives could include:

clearing service offered by your default fund
commercial clearing houses
reviewing your existing software to see if they include super functions, or
seeking an alternative payroll software or provider.

Contact us

With this measure due to commence next year, you should reflect on your current cash flow practices and plan ahead for the increased frequency of super payments for a smooth transition.

We can help you with this business planning and help determine the best course of action based on your business needs, including any potential issues you have with pricing.

Please feel free to contact our office to discuss this further.

Government to pay super on paid parental leave

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:55:21 +1000

Government to pay super on paid parental leave

From 1 July 2025, parents will receive 12% superannuation on government-funded paid parental leave (PPL) on top of the minimum weekly wage of $915.90 per week.If enacted, this measure will provide parents who access the PPL government scheme with super contributions paid into their nominated super account equivalent to 12% of their leave pay.

Current eligibility for PPL

Residency test

A person must meet the residency requirements from the day they become the child’s primary carer until the end of the PPL period.The parent must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or an eligible temporary visa holder.

Work test

To meet the paid parental leave work test, an individual must have:

worked for at least 10 of the 13 months (295 days in a 392-day period) prior to the birth or adoption of the child
worked for at least 330 hours in the 10-month period (at least 7.6 hours a week on average), and
had no more than an 8-week gap between 2 consecutive working days.

Income test

Eligibility for the government scheme is limited by taxable income measured in the year prior to having the child. For the 2023–24 year, the income threshold is $175,788 or $364,350 for a 2-parent family.

In a 2-parent family, parents may share the current 22-week PPL between them (increasing progressively to 26 weeks from 1 July 2026).

Introduction of super payments by the government

From 1 July 2025, parents accessing the government scheme would also receive government-funded superannuation contributions into their nominated super account, at 12% of the leave pay.

The current minimum weekly wage of $915.90 per week.

Under the proposed legislation, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will make an annual payment of superannuation to the parent. Included in this payment will be a nominal interest amount to cover any forgone income not received as a result of an annual payment being made.

The ATO will make the payment in the same way they make a Government Co-Contribution payment.

Other matters

From 1 July 2024, 2 additional weeks of PPL will be added each year. Currently, parents may take up to 22 weeks PPL, which will increase each year until it reaches a total of 26 weeks by July 2026.

Also, each parent will be provided a reserved leave of 4 weeks from July 2026 intended to encourage shared care. The concurrent leave available from July 2026 means that both parents can take 4 weeks of PPL at the same time if they wish to do so.

Next steps

This measure will have implications for both employees and employers.

Employees

If enacted, the benefit a single parent may receive for 2 children would amount to $4,836 (based on the current 22-week PPL period). Compounded annually for an average of 30 years, this will result in a more than $20,000 increase in superannuation balances upon retirement.

Employers

This measure does not change how employer-run PPL programs are conducted. Although some employers choose to pay super, the introduction of this measure does not mandate employers to make superannuation contributions for any PPL they may pay to their employees.

Please feel free to contact our office if you have any queries in relation to this matter.