Blackwell Accounting Solutions

20/10/2026

🏡 Rental Property Deductions: What If Your Property Is Also a Holiday Home?

The ATO has updated its guidance on rental property income and expenses from 1 July 2026, including properties that are also used privately as holiday homes.

📌 What does this mean for property owners?

If your property is considered a leisure facility, such as a holiday home, it must be used mainly to generate rental income for you to claim expenses associated with owning and maintaining it.

If this requirement isn’t met, expenses such as the following may not be deductible:

🏠Interest expenses
🏠Council and water rates
🏠Body corporate fees
🏠Repairs and maintenance
Some expenses may still be deductible, including advertising, cleaning after guest stays, and booking fees or commissions.

If your property is mainly rented out but you occasionally use it privately, certain expenses may still be deductible under the usual rules. However, you’ll need to apportion your expenses to exclude periods of private use.

💡 Thinking of claiming holiday home expenses? Make sure you understand the rules before lodging your tax return.

20/10/2026

Seeing feedback like this makes my day! 💛 Thank you so much to Maddy for taking the time to share your experience.

Want to see if your current home loan is competitive?
Give me a call today for a 10 minute home loan review!

📞 0412 148 390

20/10/2026

15/10/2026

💳 Important Update: Changes to ATO Credit Card Payments

The ATO is preparing to phase out direct credit card payments for tax liabilities, with changes that may affect individuals and businesses.

The Government has confirmed that credit card payments will continue to be accepted until 30 June 2027, giving taxpayers additional time to prepare.

📌 What do you need to know?

From 1 July 2027, the ATO plans to stop accepting credit card payments directly. However, payments through third-party providers will still be available.

If you regularly use a credit card to pay your tax bills, it’s worth reviewing your payment arrangements and considering alternatives such as direct debit or bank transfer.

Taking the time to plan ahead can help you manage your cash flow and avoid any unexpected disruptions.

🌐 For more information, visit the Treasury website: https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/anne-aly-2025/media-releases/ato-continue-accepting-credit-cards-until-30-june-2027

14/10/2026

🍒 CHERRIES FOR CHRISTMAS! 🎄❤️
Want to add some fresh cherries to your Christmas celebrations? Get your order in!
Lyle from Riverland Fresh Naracoorte is now taking pre-orders for delicious cherries, just in time for Christmas! 🎅🍒

✨ $45 for 2kg ✨

📞 To place your order:
Contact Lyle at Riverland Fresh Naracoorte
Or call our office on 8752 1117

📦 Please note:
Orders will be delivered to the Blackwell Accounting Solutions office for collection.
Delivery date is yet to be confirmed, but we will keep you updated!
Get your orders in and look forward to enjoying some delicious cherries this Christmas! 🍒🎄

14/10/2026

🚗 Claiming car expenses? Avoid these common mistakes!

The ATO has highlighted several common misconceptions about the cents per kilometre method that could lead to incorrect tax claims.

Here are some key things to watch out for:

✅ Claiming travel between home and work, which is generally considered private travel.
✅ Automatically claiming 5,000 kilometres without the required supporting evidence.
✅ Claiming car expenses for a vehicle provided under a novated lease through a salary sacrifice arrangement.
✅ Claiming car depreciation and other vehicle expenses separately when using the cents per kilometre method.
✅ Using both the cents per kilometre and logbook methods for different periods in the same income year.

📱 Need help tracking your trips? The myDeductions tool in the ATO app lets you record your travel using point-to-point, GPS or odometer tracking and share the details with your tax agent.

Keeping accurate records and understanding the rules can help you get your claims right!

13/10/2026

Local author Kylie Tull - Author has her books for sale at our office. Great birthday or Christmas present 🎁 🎁🥳🤩

Need some gift ideas for the little ones in your life? I got you covered. Happy to write a special message and sign books by request ❤️

09/10/2026

07/10/2026

Your home loan shouldn't be “set and forget”. The loan that suited you two years ago… may not be the loan that suits you today.

And here's the important bit: A review doesn't automatically mean refinancing. Sometimes staying exactly where you are makes sense.

Reach out today, and I can check to see whether your existing loan is still doing its job!

📞 0412 148 390

07/10/2026

Some people might have good intentions but aren’t always right.

Just because you trust them doesn’t mean you can trust their advice. Protect yourself by going to the right source.