The ATO is committed to delivering a better client experience for small business. Helping you to improve your skills and knowledge to be successful in your small business venture is an important part of this commitment.
The ATO offers free webinars on a variety of topics. There are general topics that suit all small businesses and others that are specific to particular industries or circumstances. Some are also offered in Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese.
When registering for a webinar the times listed will be in:
- Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)
- from October to March, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).
ATO webinars are interactive online seminars presented by experienced tax officers. They are live and you can ask questions to help you apply the information to your situation. If you register for a webinar, make sure you’re online by the start time as the session will be locked 10 minutes after the webinar begins.
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Considering your small business viability | Are you at a business crossroads? Unsure whether you should continue trading? In this 45-minute session you will learn how to use our Business Viability Assessment Tool. This tool provides information about your business viability to help you and your advisers in your decision-making. You will receive the details of professional services offering free or low-cost advice to help inform your business decisions. |
| Running a home-based business | Running your small business from your home may cost you more in expenses such as electricity, gas, phone, furniture, and cars. In this 60-minute session find out what expenses you can claim for tax deductions and how to calculate the amounts you can claim. |
| Digital options for your small business | There are many online services and digital systems that can help you perform your business activities such as marketing, sales, accounting and reporting. Come along to this 60-minute session to find out benefits of digital systems and what systems are available for each area of your business operations. Note: If you need information on how to use Online services for business or ATO online services, please attend our ‘Connecting online with the ATO’ sessions that explain how to register, lodge and pay online to the ATO. |
| Connecting online with the ATO: Sole traders | This session is for sole traders who want to know how to manage their tax and super commitments online. In this 60- minute session you will learn how to register, lodge and pay online for commitments such as your goods and services tax (GST), pay as you go withholding, pay as you go instalments, your tax return and more. Note: This session explains how to use ATO online services for individuals and sole traders. We recommend partnerships, companies and trusts use Online services for business and attend the ‘Connecting online with the ATO: Businesses’ session. |
| Connecting online with the ATO: Businesses | This session is for companies, partnerships and trusts who want to know how to manage their tax and super commitments online. In this 60-minute session you will learn how to register, lodge and pay online for GST, pay as you go withholding, pay as you go instalments and more using Online services for business which is replacing the Business Portal. Note: This session explains how to use Online services for business. We recommend sole traders use ATO online services for individuals and sole traders and attend the “Connecting online with the ATO: Sole traders’ session. |
| myGovID: your digital identity | Are you using myGovID? The myGovID app is an easy and secure way to prove who you are when using government online services. This 60-minute webinar shows you the step-by-step process to create a myGovID. |
| Closing your small business | If you have decided to close your business this session is for you. The closing process can take time depending on your business size and complexity. This 60-minute session explains what you need to do to close your business. |
| Introduction to business records | Are you starting a new small business? In this introductory 60-minute session you’ll learn about which business records to keep, the legal requirements and how long to keep your records. This basic session also introduces you to the benefits of developing good record keeping habits as well as tools to help you manage your records. |
| Cash flow for small business success | Cash flow is the life blood for small business. Come along to this 60-minute session to learn critical cash flow management skills. This session demonstrates how to use specific tools to manage your cash flow.
You will learn how to map your cash flow cycle and use online tools to:
On completion of this session we recommend you sign up for the webinar Strategies for improving your cash flow. |
| Strategies for improving your cash flow | Cash flow management is critical to the success of any business, but it’s not always easy to find ways to improve your cash flow. This 60-minute session explores seven key strategies that may improve the cash flow of your business.
We also recommend you sign up for our webinar ‘Cash Flow for small business success’ which demonstrates free online tools you can use for cash flow management. |
| Budgeting for your commitments | In this 60-minute session you’ll learn a straightforward five-step process to stay on top of your regular financial commitments. Find out how to identify business activities that trigger financial responsibilities as get practical help to plan for and meet your future commitments. |
| Recording income (GST) | Is your business registered for goods and services tax (GST)? How do you record your business income? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. In this 60-minute session where you’ll record the monthly income of an imaginary small business and learn how to apply that to your own business success. |
| Electrician: Recording Income (GST) | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business income? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. In this 60-minute session you will record the monthly income of an example electrician small business and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
| Hospitality: Recording Income (GST)External Link | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business income? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. In this 60-minute session you’ll record the monthly income of an example hospitality small business and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
| Recording expenses (GST) | Is your business registered GST? How do you record your business expenses? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. Recording all of your expenses correctly will help you claim all your entitled deductions, making sure you pay only your fair share of tax. In this 60-minute session you’ll record the monthly expenses of an imaginary small business and learn how to apply that to your own business success. |
| Electrician: Recording expenses (GST) | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business expenses? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. Recording all of your expenses correctly will help you claim all your entitled deductions, making sure you pay only your fair share of tax. In this 60-minute session you’ll record the monthly expenses of an example electrician small business and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
| Hospitality: Recording expenses (GST) | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business expenses? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. Recording all of your expenses correctly will help you claim all your entitled deductions, making sure you pay only your fair share of tax. In this 60-minute session you’ll record the monthly expenses of an example hospitality small business and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
| Starting a small business | Are you thinking of starting a small business? Maybe you have a hobby that’s becoming a business?
This 40-minute session will help you understand:
Getting it right is important, so come along and ask questions to give your business the best chance of success. |
| Becoming an employer | Are you a new employer or thinking of becoming an employer? In this 60-minute introductory session you’ll learn about hiring workers, paying employees, paying contractors and providing benefits to workers. |
| Employer: Hiring Workers | Come along to this 60-minute session if you are thinking about hiring workers for your business. You’ll learn about things to consider before hiring workers and your obligations as an employer when hiring workers. This session does not cover how to pay your workers. |
| Employer: Paying Workers | Come along to this 60-minute session to learn about how to set up systems and pay your workers. You’ll learn about your payment obligations to your workers and your reporting obligations to the ATO. This session does not cover your payment obligations when hiring workers. |
| Employer: Introduction to car fringe benefits | Fuel your knowledge on car fringe benefits. If your employees use a business car for private use, you may be providing a car fringe benefit. In 60 minutes, this introductory session will help you work out whether you are providing a car fringe benefit. You will also learn what records to keep. You can attend a different session to learn how to work out your fringe benefits tax amount.
Note: Salary packaged cars and fleet car situations are not covered in this session. |
| Ride-sourcing and tax (sole traders) | Do you provide ride-sourcing services for a fare or work through a facilitator such as Uber, SheSafe, Shebah or GoCatch?
Do you know how income tax and GST applies to your earnings? Ride-sourcing is taxi travel for GST purposes. If you have a ride-sourcing enterprise, you need:
You can then claim GST credits for expenses associated with your ride-sourcing enterprise. In this 60-minute session we’ll help you understand how to get it right. Note: If you already have a business structure, this session is designed for sole traders. |
| Ride-sourcing: Income, expenses and GST | Do you provide ride-sourcing services for a fare; working through a platform such as Didi, GoCatch, Ola, Shebah, or Uber?
Information is provided to help you gather the figures from your platform statements, work out your ride-sourcing deductions, calculate your GST and know where to put all that information in your business activity statement. This session will help you understand how to:
This 60-minute session will help you understand how to get it right. This session is the second in the ride-sourcing series and follows on from what you learned in Ride-sourcing and tax (sole traders). |
| Courier services – TPAR: Introduction | Do you provide courier services and pay contractors to carry out those services? Did you know that you may be required to report payments to contractors?
In this 50-minute session find out how this affects you. |
| Courier services – TPAR: How to report | This is a follow-up to the Courier services – TPAR: IntroductionExternal Link session.
If you provide courier services and need to report payments you make to contractors, this 45–60-minute session gives you practical help on how to report. |
| Cleaning services – TPAR: Introduction | Do you provide cleaning services and pay contractors to carry out those services? Did you know you may be required to report your payments to contractors? In this 50-minute session find out how this affects you. |
| Cleaning services – TPAR: How to report | This is a follow-up to the Cleaning services – TPAR: Introduction session.
If you provide cleaning services and need to report payments you make to contractors, this 45–60-minute session gives you practical guidance on how to report. |
| Building and construction services – TPAR | Do you run a business in the building and construction industry and pay contractors to carry out building and construction services? Did you know that you may be required to report your payments to contractors?
In this 60-minute session to find out how this affects you. |
| Builder: Recording income (GST) | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business income? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions.
In this 60-minute session you’ll record the monthly income of an example small business builder and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
| Builder: Recording expenses (GST) | Is your business registered for GST? How do you record your business expenses? A good record keeping system will give you information about your business operations to help you with your business decisions. Recording all your expenses correctly will help you claim all your entitled deductions, making sure you pay only your fair share of tax.
In this 60-minute session you will record the monthly expenses of an example small business builder and learn how to apply that to your business success. |
