With many businesses looking at Christmas parties, celebrations and gifts, now is a good time to look at what is tax deductible and what isn’t.
- Are the costs of client gifts deductible?
- What about gifts for your staff?
- Those client lunches or drinks, they’re a deductible expense right?
Let’s see if we can answer some of these questions for you.
While we focus on Christmas here, this is really relevant all year round so bookmark this article for future reference.
Are the costs of client gifts deductible?
It depends on the gift and why you’re giving it. If you send a client a gift, the gift is tax deductible if you have an expectation that the business will benefit; it’s marketing. While this seems like a mercenary way to look at Christmas giving, it is the business giving the gift, not you personally. This assumes that the gift is not a gift of entertainment like golf, or restaurants, which would not be deductible.
What about gifts for staff? Are they tax deductible?
The key to Christmas presents for your team is to keep the gift spontaneous, ad hoc, and from a tax perspective, below the $300 FBT minor benefit limit. So, no ongoing gym memberships or giving the same person several of the same gift that adds up to $300 or more unless you want to give a gift to the ATO at the same time. But, you can give gifts at different times throughout the year without triggering FBT as these are counted separately for the minor benefit limit.
A cash bonus will be treated as income in much the same way as salary and wages.
I like to catch up with clients for lunch or a drink (or two) at Christmas. These expenses are deductible, right?
Regardless of whether it’s for Christmas or at any other time of the year, the cost of entertaining your clients – food, drink or other entertainment – is not deductible. The ATO is keen to ensure that taxpayers are not picking up part of the cost of your long lunches or special events while you’re bonding with clients.
Note: The material and contents provided in this publication are informative in nature only. It is not intended to be advice and you should not act specifically on the basis of this information alone. If expert assistance is required, professional advice should be obtained.
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