The ATO plans to visit almost 10,000 businesses this financial year in all States and Territories, across a variety of industries, as part of their strategy to deal with the black economy (they visited nearly 9,000 businesses in the 2018/19 financial year).
According to Assistant Commissioner Peter Holt, there are a number of businesses in some areas not registered for GST or PAYG withholding, which can be a sign of the black economy, as well as a number of businesses with overdue tax returns.
Other black economy signs that the ATO looks out for are things like lifestyle and assets far exceeding reported business income, sham contracting, a failure to provide pay slips, reports that employers are paying their workers cash in hand and keeping them off the books, or a lack of merchant payment facilities like EFTPOS.
Some businesses are more likely than others to get a visit from the ATO, including:
- Residential building construction;
- Building completion and installation services, and other construction services;
- Building cleaning, pest control, and gardening services;
- Accommodation;
- Pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing;
- Automotive repair and maintenance;
- Cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services;
- Personal care services;
- Legal and accounting services;
- Computer system design and related services; and
- Adult, community and other education services
Contact us if you have specific questions about your business circumstances.
Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.