Tax Tales by NTAA

In this episode, Robyn chats with Senior Taxation Manager, Andrew Gardiner, about the High Court’s decision in Commissioner of Taxation v Bendel [2026] HCA 18 and discuss what it means for Division 7A and unpaid present entitlements. They also cover the ATO's Decision Impact Statement, what advisers should be thinking about for existing UPEs and sub-trust arrangements, the other integrity rules still in play and where the law may head next. Tax Tales by NTAA is hosted by Robyn Jacobson, Senior Advocate at NTAA. Robyn has over 30 years’ experience in the tax profession, spanning public practice, training and advocacy. She is NTAA’s key advocacy contact, representing members in consultative forums with government, regulators and industry stakeholders. Robyn is a Fellow of NTAA, CA ANZ and CPA Australia, a Chartered Tax Adviser of The Tax Institute, and holds a BCom. Robyn leads conversations that are insightful, practical and grounded in real-world application. Connect with Robyn: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntax/ Connect with NTAA: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://wwwlinkedin.com/company/national-tax-and-accountant's-association/ 📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ntaa_taxexperts/ NTAA is a prominent not-for-profit association, established in 1992 to support tax agents, accountants and tax advisers. For more than 30 years, we have advocated on behalf of our members and supported them through highly regarded tax seminars, products and our hotline service. We are a major representative voice for the tax community, representing more than 45,000 practitioners. Learn more about NTAA: https://ntaa.com.au/

In Episode 5 of Tax Tales, titled "Tax and Tears: When a relationship breakdown becomes taxing," I engage with Paul Hockridge, a specialist in advising high-wealth families. We explore the complex tax implications that arise from relationship breakdowns, whether through divorce or separation. Paul shares insights on navigating the tax landscape post-court orders, emphasising the importance of understanding asset division and potential tax liabilities. We also discuss the often-overlooked aspects of superannuation, life insurance, and the critical role of tax advice during these challenging times. This episode aims to equip accountants and tax professionals with practical knowledge to support their clients effectively during such transitions. Join us as we uncover the intricacies of tax in the context of personal relationships.

In this month's episode, Robyn talks with the ATO's Tax Time Spokesperson, Anita Challen, to discuss Tax Time 2026. They cover everything from under-declared income and dodgy deductions to the new holiday-home ruling, MyGov scams and the ATO's tougher stance on GIC and penalty remissions. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:08 Tax Time 04:53 The basics 06:17 Income 11:50 Deductions 31:54 What's new this Tax Time 35:50 Legislation changes from 1 July 2026 36:34 New $1,000 standard deduction 40:28 EVs and PHEVs 41:27 Holiday rental PAG 46:30 Don't lodge early! 48:43 ATO app 52:14 Scams, fraud and AI 56:24 Cost of living support is available 01:01:14 Closing comments Tax Tales by NTAA is hosted by Robyn Jacobson, Senior Advocate at NTAA. Robyn has over 30 years’ experience in the tax profession, spanning public practice, training and advocacy. She is NTAA’s key advocacy contact, representing members in consultative forums with government, regulators and industry stakeholders. Robyn is a Fellow of NTAA, CA ANZ and CPA Australia, a Chartered Tax Adviser of The Tax Institute, and holds a BCom. Robyn leads conversations that are insightful, practical and grounded in real-world application. Connect with Robyn: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntax/ Connect with NTAA: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://wwwlinkedin.com/company/national-tax-and-accountant's-association/ 📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ntaa_taxexperts/ NTAA is a prominent not-for-profit association, established in 1992 to support tax agents, accountants and tax advisers. For more than 30 years, we have advocated on behalf of our members and supported them through highly regarded tax seminars, products and our hotline service. We are a major representative voice for the tax community, representing more than 45,000 practitioners. Learn more about NTAA: https://ntaa.com.au/

In this episode of Tax Tales, Robyn sits down with Tax Ombudsman Ruth Owen CBE to unpack the real pressure points in Australia's tax system. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 07:22 ATO–Profession relationship 09:27 Review: ATO's management of GIC remission requests 13:50 Review: Registered agent phone line 16:50 Current reviews 27:07 Family trust elections 30:52 Complaints 36:38 Updates to website 38:16 Closing comments Tax Tales by NTAA is hosted by Robyn Jacobson, Senior Advocate at NTAA. Robyn has over 30 years’ experience in the tax profession, spanning public practice, training and advocacy. She is NTAA’s key advocacy contact, representing members in consultative forums with government, regulators and industry stakeholders. Robyn is a Fellow of NTAA, CA ANZ and CPA Australia, a Chartered Tax Adviser of The Tax Institute, and holds a BCom. Robyn leads conversations that are insightful, practical and grounded in real-world application. Connect with Robyn: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntax/ Connect with NTAA: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-tax-and-accountant's-association/ 📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ntaa_taxexperts/ NTAA is a prominent not-for-profit association, established in 1992 to support tax agents, accountants and tax advisers. For more than 30 years, we have advocated on behalf of our members and supported them through highly regarded tax seminars, products and our hotline service. We are a major representative voice for the tax community, representing more than 45,000 practitioners. Learn more about NTAA: https://ntaa.com.au/

In this episode of Tax Tales, Robyn sits down with Senior Taxation Manager at NTAA, Andrew Gardiner to unpack what’s new in FBT and what you need to know to ensure your clients comply with their obligations. Including the implications of the Toowoomba decision on car parking benefits. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Does FBT Still Have a Role in 2026? 07:06 Is It Time to Modernise? 09:19 Increased ATO Data-Matching and Profiling Capabilities 10:50 Case: SFT Trust 14:03 Case: Toowoomba 25:21 Myth: If You Forego the Tax Deduction for the Cost of Providing the Benefit, You Don’t Have to Pay FBT on It 26:47 Myth: Anything Under $300 Is Exempt from FBT 29:14 Myth: Dual-Cab Utes Are Exempt from FBT 33:10 Reform Ideas 33:55 FBT Grouping 41:10 Car Parking Benefits 45:07 Meal Entertainment 56:35 FBT Online Seminar Tax Tales by NTAA is hosted by Robyn Jacobson, Senior Advocate at NTAA. Robyn has over 30 years’ experience in the tax profession, spanning public practice, training and advocacy. She is NTAA’s key advocacy contact, representing members in consultative forums with government, regulators and industry stakeholders. Robyn is a Fellow of NTAA, CA ANZ and CPA Australia, a Chartered Tax Adviser of The Tax Institute, and holds a BCom. Robyn leads conversations that are insightful, practical and grounded in real-world application. Connect with Robyn: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyntax/ Connect with NTAA: 🤝 LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-tax-and-accountant's-association/ 📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ntaa_taxexperts/ NTAA is a prominent not-for-profit association, established in 1992 to support tax agents, accountants and tax advisers. For more than 30 years, we have advocated on behalf of our members and supported them through highly regarded tax seminars, products and our hotline service. We are a major representative voice for the tax community, representing more than 45,000 practitioners. Learn more about NTAA: https://ntaa.com.au/

In this first episode of Tax Tales, Robyn Jacobson chats with Dr Julianne Jaques KC about the general anti-avoidance rule in the tax law, Part IVA. Together, they unpack Part IVA, how practitioners can spot a potential problem and why it remains one of the ATO’s most powerful anti-avoidance tools. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:56 Overview 02:36 Tax avoidance v tax evasion 03:30 What is Part IVA? 27:11 Relevant recent cases 31:20 How to spot an arrangement on which Part IVA may apply? 37:10 Mum and dad partnerships 42:34 How to manage the risk of Part IVA? 51:03 Closing comments Tax Tales by NTAA is hosted by Robyn Jacobson, Senior Advocate at NTAA. Robyn has over 30 years’ experience in the tax profession, spanning public practice, training and advocacy. She is NTAA’s key advocacy contact, representing members in consultative forums with government, regulators and industry stakeholders. Robyn is a Fellow of NTAA, CA ANZ and CPA Australia, a Chartered Tax Adviser of The Tax Institute, and holds a BCom. Robyn leads conversations that are insightful, practical and grounded in real-world application. Connect with Robyn: 🤝 LinkedIn – Robyn Jacobson Connect with NTAA: 🤝 LinkedIn – National Tax and Accountants'​ Association - NTAA 📸 Instagram – @ntaa_taxexperts NTAA is a prominent not-for-profit association, established in 1992 to support tax agents, accountants and tax advisers. For more than 30 years, we have advocated on behalf of our members and supported them through highly regarded tax seminars, products and our hotline service. We are a major representative voice for the tax community, representing more than 45,000 practitioners. Learn more about NTAA: https://ntaa.com.au/