ISA welcome ATO clamp-down on early release misuse

ATO ISA early access to super super covid-19

22 June 2020
| By Mike |
image
image
expand image

Industry Super Australia (ISA) is encouraging the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to follow through on beefing up enforcement to ensure people do not make inappropriate use of the Government hardship early access to superannuation scheme.

Reacting to a statement from the ATO that it has caught people doing the wrong thing and that it will be looking to catch people trying to exploit the scheme to minimise their end of financial year tax bill, ISA said that while it had consistently supported the policy intent of the early release scheme it had consistently warned there was a risk of it being misused.

“Unfortunately, those concerns have been realised with troubling reports of bank data showing money from super was being spent on discretionary items like alcohol, furniture or gambling,” the ISA said while noting that the ATO had also confirmed it has caught people doing the wrong thing.

“We welcome the ATO’s renewed focus on compliance and its warning to applicants that it will use all available tools to find dodgy claims,” the ISA said. “The ATO has also warned they are on the look-out for those seeking to exploit the scheme to minimise their tax bill at the end of the financial year.”

“Members should carefully check the requirements before applying for access to their super, if the claim is found to be ineligible, they could be lumped with a far higher tax bill. Applicants found to have made a deliberately misleading claim could also be slapped with a $12,000 fine.”

ISA chief executive, Bernie Dean said that ineligible applicants were undermining the credibility of the emergency scheme and could actually be holding up payments for those who desperately needed the money now.

“The Australian Tax Office has a clear warning to those wanting to make a dodgy application – don’t - you will be caught, made to pay more tax and fined.”

Read more about:

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest news and developments in wealth management industry

MARKET INSIGHTS

This verdict highlights something deeply wrong and rotten at the heart of the FSCP. We are witnessing a heavy-handed, op...

1 day 16 hours ago

Interesting. Would be good to know the details of the StrategyOne deal....

5 days 22 hours ago

It’s astonishing to see the FAAA now pushing for more advisers by courting "career changers" and international recruits,...

3 weeks 3 days ago

Insignia Financial has made four appointments, including three who have joined from TAL, to lead strategy and innovation in its retirement solutions for the MLC brand....

2 weeks 5 days ago

A former Brisbane financial adviser has been charged with 26 counts of dishonest conduct regarding a failure to disclose he would receive substantial commission payments ...

4 days 20 hours ago

Pinnacle Investment Management has announced it will acquire strategic interests in two international fund managers for $142 million....

3 days 23 hours ago