Numbers, numbers, numbers – it’s safe to say I LOVE numbers!

As a business owner or taxpayer, you have your own numbers you have to remember and deal with…think Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN) and Tax File Number (TFN) to name a few.

Add to that bank account and credit card numbers, registration, membership and subscription numbers, account numbers for gas, electricity, telephone, internet and every invoice it is possible to receive…It’s enough to drive you nuts!

But today I want to focus on the Australian Business Number or ABN (not to be confused with ABN Number…some of my friends will get that reference!)

The ABN is a unique identifier issued by the Australian Business Register (ABR) which is maintained by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

While the rules are quite specific, in essence, an entity carrying on an enterprise in Australia is required to have an ABN.

As a business or a consumer, you can check the ABN details, as well as GST (Goods and Services Tax) and DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) status of a business or entity, by using the ABN Lookup tool.

Unsure if you need an ABN? Read about ABN Entitlement here, or contact Our Partner for a consultation.

Regards

I couldn’t possibly let the letter “M” go by without talking about my Mum, or in the case of today’s post…losing my Mum…

Never a day goes by that I don’t think of my Mum…some days it’s a fleeting thought, on other days it’s more at the forefront of my mind – but everyday, it’s a feeling I have inside, that something is missing.

I was 25 years old when my Mum passed away, she’d been unwell for many years, and found herself on the waiting list for a double lung transplant for 20 months before she died.  I do wonder how our lives might have turned out if that beeper had in fact gone off in our favour…a bit like a movie or a book where the characters get to see their alternate lives based on a split second decision.

However, there is no alternate life for us, this is how it is…and we do the best we can – after all, that’s all anyone can ask, right?

At a recent family function, where I took on my usual role of “event co-ordinator and chief catering officer”…I was surprised, but also flattered, at the number of our family and friends who remarked that I was “just like my Mum”.

I think it’s quite remarkable that you can learn your mannerisms and even life traits from someone who left your life so soon…and I take it as a compliment that I’m able to carry on her legacy as best I can.

I miss my Mum terribly, especially as we approach the traditional “Mothers’ Day” here is Australia – what do I miss the most? Mum hugs, you simply can’t beat them!

To everyone out there who has also lost their Mum, you are in my thoughts and I’m sending you the strength you need to make it through the day…I hope that helps.

Regards

How many of you have ever changed job?  How many of you have ever moved house?  How many of you have ever changed superannuation funds?  Do you know where your superannuation is?

In the words of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) – “It is important to keep track of your super. If you’ve ever changed your name, address or job, you may have lost track of some of your super. Having several super accounts could mean that fees and charges are reducing your overall super investment.”

It’s part of life that people move on from jobs and homes…and sometimes things like “superannuation” get pushed to the bottom of the “to do list”…here is your chance to move it to the top of that list!

When a superannuation fund is unable to find a member after repeated attempts, they can lodge the details on the Lost Members Register with the ATO, and the ATO have a fabulous tool called “SuperSeeker” which enables individual taxpayers to search for lost or unclaimed superannuation.

To complete a quick search of SuperSeeker, all you need is your name, date of birth and tax file number – how easy is that?

When SuperSeeker finds a match, it will provide you with the details as recorded in the Lost Members Register – then you can take action to get your super back!

I conducted one of these searches for myself a few years back and found a sizable superannuation amount!  I thought this amount had previously been consolidated into another fund, but for whatever reason it hadn’t happened, and since I had moved house, the super fund had been unable find me – so it’s definitely worth taking a look – you never know what you might find.

Follow this link to find the ATO SuperSeeker tool – Good luck!

Regards

For most people who are familiar with business acronyms, KPI stands for Key Performance Indicators.  Key Performance Indicators are a way of measuring performance on the basis of what an organisation or business deems to be important.  And of course they can be used in personal pursuits as well.

But KPI now has a new meaning to me – Key Person of Influence.

Earlier this year I was looking for some motivation to take the next step with my business, so I attended a KPI Brand Accelerator event – I’m not big on sales pitches…in fact I get really turned off a product or organisation who try to wear you down…so I was pleasantly surprised to come away from the day not feeling like they’d been on a “hard sell” campaign.

Instead, I had been given the opportunity to hear from some fantastic speakers, all with a unique take on their subject matter, and I’d been provided with good food for thought – in fact, I was armed with more motivation than you could poke a stick at!

This is the day “The Tax Chic” was born!

Whether it’s an area of business or a personal mission, never be afraid to seek information or advice from others – you don’t have to follow it word for word – but it might just light a fire in your belly!

Regards