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The 31 October tax return deadline lands on a Saturday in 2026, so self-lodgers get until Monday 2 November. But the cut-off to get onto a registered tax agent’s client list does not move, and late returns can now cost more than they did a year ago. This guide walks Melbourne business owners through what changed, what a late return costs in penalties and interest, and the checks worth making over the next few weeks, while there is still time.

Family trust tax changes have landed in two waves, and most Melbourne owners have heard about neither. The High Court has ended sixteen years of accepted practice for trusts that distribute profit to a bucket company, and the ATO has confirmed its old determination is going. A proposed 30 per cent minimum tax on discretionary trusts then follows from 1 July 2028. Here is what actually changed, what to leave alone for now, and the exact dates that really matter.

Working out when to change from sole trader to company Melbourne owners often leave far too late, right up until a bad job or a rising tax bill forces the decision. This honest guide explains when staying a sole trader becomes too risky, what a company or trust really changes for your liability, tax and control, and how to move across without triggering an unexpected tax problem. Read on for clear, practical advice built for Melbourne business owners and families.

Sorting your cash flow after EOFY Melbourne owners often leave too late, and it shows by August. This short guide walks tradies and retailers through what is really coming in the first quarter, the three mistakes that catch people out, and a simple twenty minute reset covering BAS timing, Payday Super, and setting money aside so the quiet winter months do not turn into an ATO debt you cannot easily clear later on.

The July BAS due dates are easy to miss when several important deadlines all land at once. This plain guide walks Melbourne business owners through the quarter four BAS, the 28 July super deadline, and STP finalisation by 14 July. It also covers the new Payday Super rules for the 2026 to 2027 financial year, so you know exactly what to lodge and pay this month, understand the mistakes that trigger ATO penalties, and can keep your business fully compliant.