Instant Asset Write Off (Up to $150,000)

The instant asset write-off threshold has been increased from $30,000 to $150,000 and expanded access to include businesses with aggregated annual turnover of less than $500 million (up from $50 million).The threshold applies on a per asset basis, so eligible businesses can immediately write‑off multiple assets.This applies from 12 March 2020 until 30 June 2020, for new or second‑hand assets first used or installed ready for use in this timeframe.The IAWO is due to revert to $1,000 for small businesses (turnover less than $10 million) from 1 July 2020.

Examples of how the instant asset write-off can help your business Owen owns a company, ON Point Farms Pty Ltd, through which he operates a farming business in the Central Wheat Belt of Western Australia. ON Point Farms Pty Ltd has an aggregated annual turnover of $25 million for the 2019‑20 income year. On 1 May 2020, Owen purchases a second hand tractor for $140,000, exclusive of GST, for use in his business. Under existing tax arrangements, ON Point Farms Pty Ltd is not able to immediately deduct assets costing more than $30,000 and instead would depreciate the tractor using an effective life of 12 years. Choosing to use the diminishing value method, ON Point Farms Pty Ltd would claim a tax deduction of $3,899 for the 2019‑20 income year. Under the new $150,000 instant asset write‑off, ON Point Farms Pty Ltd would instead claim an immediate deduction of $140,000 for the purchase of the tractor in the 2019‑20 income year, $136,101 more than under existing arrangements. At the company tax rate of 27.5 per cent, Owen will pay $37,427.78 less tax in 2019‑20. This will improve ON Point Farms Pty Ltd’s cash flow and help his business withstand and recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus.