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Taxable employers

Last updated 20 March 2016

Business details – items 1 to 13

1 Tax file number (TFN)

Print your TFN in the box provided.

Make sure your TFN matches your FBT registration, particularly if you operate through a trust.

If you do not have a TFN, complete a Tax file number application for companies and other organisations.

If you are a sole trader, you must complete a Tax file number – application or enquiry for individuals.

2 Australian business number (ABN)

Your ABN is a unique 11-digit number issued to your business because you have registered in the Australian Business Register (ABR). It helps identify you for tax purposes.

If you are registered in the ABR, print your ABN in the box provided.

Make sure the ABN you provide is associated with the TFN you quoted at item 1.

3 Name of trustee or senior partner

If your organisation is a trust or partnership, provide the name of your trustee or senior partner – otherwise, leave this item blank.

If the name of your trustee or senior partner has not changed, provide the details exactly as shown on the last FBT return you lodged. If the name of your trustee or senior partner has changed, provide the new details.

4 Name of employer

Provide your name. Only complete the individual or non-individual part, as applicable. If your name has not changed, provide the details exactly as shown on the last FBT return you lodged. If your name has changed, provide the new details.

5 Postal address

Provide your current postal address. If your address has not changed, provide the details exactly as shown on the last FBT return you lodged. If your address has changed, provide the new details.

6 Previous name and/or postal address

If your employer name or postal address has changed, provide the details exactly as shown on the last FBT return you lodged – otherwise, leave this item blank. You must provide evidence of your name change with your return, such as a change of name certificate from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) or Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

7 Current business/trading name and/or address

If this is your first FBT return, provide your business or trading name and the street address of your main business location.

If this is not your first return, but you have changed your business or trading name, or address, since you lodged your last return, provide the new details – otherwise, leave this item blank.

8 Previous name of trustee or senior partner

If your organisation is a trust or partnership and your details have changed, provide the previous name of the trustee or senior partner of your organisation exactly as shown on the last FBT return you lodged – otherwise, leave this item blank.

9 Name of the person to contact

Provide the name, daytime phone number, and email address of a person we can contact, if necessary, about the information in your return.

10 Number of employees receiving fringe benefits during the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016

Show the total number of employees and their associates who received fringe benefits during the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016. Your total must include any former or future employees, or their associates, who received fringe benefits during the FBT year.

11 Hours taken to prepare and complete this form

We are committed to reducing your costs in meeting your tax obligations. Your response to this question is voluntary, but your answers will help us monitor these costs. When completing this question, consider the time (rounded up to the nearest hour) you spent:

  • reading the instructions
  • collecting the information necessary to complete this return
  • making any necessary calculations
  • completing this return and putting your business tax affairs in order so you could give the information to your tax agent.

Do not include the time your tax agent took to prepare and complete this return.

12 Do you expect to lodge FBT return forms for future years?

Tell us if you plan to continue lodging FBT returns. If you have provided taxable fringe benefits after 31 March 2016, they fall into the 2017 FBT year and you may need to lodge a 2017 FBT return.

We will cancel your FBT registration and any future instalments if you answer ‘no’ to this question.

If you don't complete this item, it may result in processing problems.

13 Electronic funds transfer (EFT)

Direct refund

We need your financial institution details to pay any refund owing to you, even if you have provided them to us before. Complete the following:

  • Bank state branch (BSB) number. This six-digit number identifies the financial institution (do not include spaces or hyphens).
  • Account number. This should not have more than nine characters (do not include spaces).
  • Account name. In most cases, your account name should be shown on your bank account records. It should include spaces between each word and between initials. If your account name exceeds 32 characters, provide the first 32 characters only.

Return calculation details – items 14 to 23

14 Calculated fringe benefits taxable amounts

Before you can calculate the taxable value of any benefit, you must identify the category the benefit falls into.

We describe each category in Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers.

GST affects how you work out your FBT liability.

About aggregate amounts    

Type 1 aggregate amount

A type 1 aggregate applies if you (or a member of the same GST group) are entitled to a GST credit for goods or services you acquired in providing fringe benefits. To work out this amount:

The rate you use for your calculations is higher than the rate for calculating a type 2 aggregate because it recovers the GST credit you are entitled to.

Example

You provide an employee with a DVD player costing $660, including GST. If you are registered for GST, you can claim the GST credits. This is a type 1 fringe benefit that you calculate at the higher rate.

End of example

Type 2 aggregate amount

Type 2 fringe benefits are those that you (or a member of the same GST group) cannot claim GST credits, for either of the following reasons:

  • you (or they) are not entitled to – for example, you are not registered for GST
  • there are no GST credits available because the benefit is either of the following  
    • GST-free, such as school fees
    • input taxed, such as housing other than commercial accommodation.
     

To work out this amount:

The rate you use for your calculations is lower than the rate for calculating a type 1 aggregate because you are not entitled to a GST credit.

Example

You reimburse an employee $700 for their child’s school fees. School fees are GST-free – as a result, you can’t claim a GST credit. This is a type 2 fringe benefit that you calculate at the lower rate.

End of example

Aggregate non-exempt amount (hospitals, ambulances, public benevolent institutions and health promotion charities only)

You must complete only item 14C (and not items 14A and 14B) if you are:

  • an eligible public benevolent institution
  • an eligible health promotion charity
  • a public hospital
  • a non-profit hospital
  • a public ambulance service.

Refer to Non-profit organisations for more information.

Other employers, including rebatable employers, must leave item 14C blank.

14A Type 1 aggregate amount

To calculate your type 1 aggregate amount:

  • work out each employee’s individual fringe benefits amount for fringe benefits that are GST-creditable – that is, where you or a member of the same GST group were entitled to a GST credit
  • add them together
  • add any excluded fringe benefits that are GST-creditable to the total amount.

The formula you use to calculate this amount is:

Type 1 aggregate
fringe benefits amount

x

FBT rate + GST rate
______________________________________________
(1 – FBT rate) x (1 + GST rate) x FBT rate

The higher FBT gross-up formula for the type 1 aggregate fringe benefits amount results in a gross-up rate of 2.1463 where the FBT rate is 49% and the GST rate is 10%.

Grossing up means increasing the taxable value of benefits you provide to reflect the gross salary employees would have to earn at the highest marginal tax rate (including Medicare levy) to buy the benefits after paying tax.

Example: Calculate the type 1 aggregate amount

An employer provides the following benefits to their employees:
  • car fringe benefit calculated using the statutory formula method (GST taxable supply with an entitlement to a GST credit) 
 

$10,000

  • meal entertainment fringe benefits – restaurant meals (excluded fringe benefits, with an entitlement to a GST credit)
 

$1,000

 

 

Type 1 individual fringe benefits amount

$10,000

Type 1 excluded fringe benefits amount

$1,000

Type 1 aggregate amount

$11,000

= $11,000 × 2.1463

 

= $23,609.30

 

 

End of example

14B Type 2 aggregate amount

To calculate your type 2 aggregate amount:

  • work out each employee’s individual fringe benefits amount for those benefits that are not GST-creditable benefits – that is, where the provider or a member of the same GST group did not pay GST, or a GST credit was not allowed when the benefits were acquired
  • add them together
  • add any excluded fringe benefits that are not GST-creditable benefits to the total amount.

The formula you use to calculate this amount is:

Type 2 aggregate
fringe benefits amount

x

1
_______________________
(1 – FBT rate)

The formula for the type 2 aggregate fringe benefits amount results in a gross-up rate of 1.9608 where the FBT rate is 49%.

Example: Calculate the type 2 aggregate amount

An employer provides the following benefits to their employees:
  • expense payment fringe benefits – school fees (GST-free supplies with no GST credit entitlement) 
 

$6,000

  • expense payment fringe benefits – remote area rent (excluded fringe benefit, input taxed with no GST credit entitlement)
 

$3,000

 

 

Type 2 individual fringe benefits amount

$6,000

Type 2 excluded fringe benefits amount

$3,000

Type 2 aggregate amount

$9,000

= $9,000 × 1.9608

 

= $17,647.20

 

 

End of example

14C Aggregate non-exempt amount (hospitals, ambulances, public benevolent institutions and health promotion charities only)

This applies to you only if you are:

  • an eligible public benevolent institution
  • an eligible health promotion charity
  • a public hospital
  • a non-profit hospital
  • a public ambulance service.

See also:

Other employers, including rebatable employers, must leave item 14C blank.

You would show the figures from the two examples above at item 14 as:

14 Calculated fringe benefits taxable amounts

15 Fringe benefits taxable amount

Add the amounts at items 14A and 14B and place the total at item 15, even if the amount is nil.

You must complete this item because it (and item 16) forms the basis of self assessing any FBT liability.

16 Amount of tax payable

This is 49% of the amount you wrote at item 15 (the FBT rate multiplied by the fringe benefits taxable amount).

Show the amount of tax payable at item 16, even if the amount is nil.

You must complete this item because it (and item 15) forms the basis of self assessing any FBT liability.

17 Aggregate non-rebatable amount

This item applies to you only if you are a rebatable employer – a certain kind of non-government, non-profit organisation eligible for a rebate of 49% of the amount of FBT payable. Rebatable employers that are charities must be registered with the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission (ACNC) from 3 December 2012 and endorsed by us to access the rebate.

If you are not a rebatable employer, leave this item blank and go to item 19.

18 Amount of rebate

This item applies to you only if you are a rebatable employer. Rebatable employers that are charities must be registered with the ACNC from 3 December 2012 and endorsed by us to access the rebate.

If you are not a rebatable employer, leave this item blank.

The amount you write at this item is 49% of the difference between items 16 and 17.

19 Sub-total

Subtract the amount at item 18 (if any) from item 16 and show the total amount at item 19.

If you are not a rebatable employer, this amount is the same as the amount you wrote at item 16.

Make sure you provide the sub-total at item 19 and not at items 17 or 18.

20 Less instalment amounts reported on activity statements

Add together the FBT instalment amounts you reported on your four activity statements for the 2016 FBT year, and show the total amount at item 20. We will credit this amount against your 2016 FBT liability. Do not include any amount you paid for:

  • penalties
  • any other year’s liability.

If you pay your FBT by instalments, you must lodge all of your activity statements for the FBT year ending 31 March 2016, including the March 2016 quarter, before lodging your FBT return – we can then update your FBT account. If all activity statements are not lodged before lodging your FBT return, your return will not be actioned until all instalments are paid.

If you do not pay your FBT by instalments, leave this item blank.

Example: Amounts reported on activity statements

An employer has paid the following instalments on their activity statements during the 2016 FBT year:

Quarter ending 30 June 2015

$4,000

Quarter ending 30 September 2015

$4,000

Quarter ending 31 December 2015

$4,000

Quarter ending 31 March 2016

$4,000

Total instalments for the 2016 FBT year

$16,000

The employer would show ‘$16,000’ at item 20.

 

End of example

21 Payment due

If the amount at item 20 is:

  • more than the amount at item 19, go to item 22
  • less than the amount at item 19, show at item 21 the exact difference between the amounts.

The amount at item 21 is the difference between the following:

  • the amount you have paid throughout 2016
  • the amount you must pay by 23 May 2016 (unless you have made other arrangements with us).

You may round down this amount to the nearest multiple of five cents.

Refer to How to pay for more information.

22 Credit due to you

If the amount at item 20 is more than the amount at item 19, show at item 22 the exact difference between the amounts. We will credit this amount to you. However, if you owe us money for other taxes, we may reduce the amount of the credit you show at item 22.

23 Details of fringe benefits provided

There are specific valuation rules for each category of fringe benefit. You must identify the category of the benefit provided and do the appropriate calculations for that category before you can:

  • work out the taxable value of any benefit
  • complete the details in the 'Taxable value of benefits' column.

Do not include the gross-up calculation in the amounts you show at this item.

Refer to Fringe benefits tax – a guide for employers for more information.

Number

Show the number of cars, loans or houses (or other units of accommodation) you use to provide car, loan or housing fringe benefits at items:

A

Cars using the statutory formula

B

Cars using the operating cost method

C

Loans granted

F

Housing – units of accommodation provided

For item G, show the number of employees who received a living-away-from-home allowance.

Gross taxable value (a)

This is the sum of the taxable values of fringe benefits for that particular benefit category before any reductions (for example, employee contributions).

If there are no employee contributions or reductions, include this figure also in the 'Taxable value of benefits (a) – (b) – (c)' column.

Employee contribution (b)

This is the total of employee contributions made for that benefit category.

If you reduce the taxable value of a benefit by the amount of an employee contribution, the employee must make the contribution before you lodge your return. Special arrangements apply where the contribution is made by a journal entry in your accounts.

Refer to Miscellaneous Taxation Ruling MT 2050 for more information.

You cannot use any excess employee contribution for one benefit to offset the taxable value of other benefits you provided to that employee or other employees.

Excess contribution can either be refunded to the employee or deferred to the following FBT year against the same fringe benefit.

Employee contributions you receive:

  • are generally assessable for income tax purposes
  • must be included in your income tax return.

If you lodge a company, trust or partnership return, you must also show the amount of employee contributions you received on that return.

The law treats employee contributions (other than a contribution of services as an employee) as consideration for a taxable supply for GST purposes – accordingly, you must pay GST on the supply. The GST-inclusive employee contribution reduces the taxable value of the fringe benefit.

GST does not form part of an employee’s contribution where the:

  • benefit is either GST-free or input taxed
  • GST was paid to a third party – for example, for fuel
  • benefit provider is not registered or required to be registered for GST
  • benefit is not a taxable supply.

Value of reductions (c)

This is the total amount where benefits of that category have been reduced:

  • under the ‘otherwise deductible’ rule
  • by other means – for example, in relation to in-house fringe benefits.

The ‘otherwise deductible’ rule only applies if both of the following apply:

  • the recipients of the benefits are current employees
  • you obtain from them any necessary supporting documents, such as    
    • declarations
    • receipts
    • invoices.
     

You should obtain these before you lodge your return – however, you may lodge your return before obtaining the receipts or invoices if you have good reason to expect them within a reasonable time.

Taxable value of benefits (a) – (b) – (c)

This is the sum of the taxable values of fringe benefits of that particular benefit category, after taking into account any employee contributions and/or other reductions for each fringe benefit.

If the employee contributions or reductions are greater than the benefit you provided, show zero on the FBT return, not a negative amount.

When completing this column, make sure you also complete the 'Gross taxable value (a)' column – see Fringe benefit categories.

 Declarations – items 24 and 25

24 Tax agent’s declaration

Any person who has charged, or will charge, a fee for preparing this return – either directly or indirectly – must sign this declaration.

Tax agents do not need to have clients sign the return at item 25. However, tax agents must obtain a declaration from clients stating that:

  • the information they provided is true and correct
  • they have authorised the agent to lodge the return.

25 Employer’s declaration

You must complete this item if you lodge your own return. Before signing, make sure you:

  • have provided all necessary information
  • are satisfied the information is correct.

It is especially important that you complete items 15 and 16. These items form the basis of self-assessing any FBT liability.

We are authorised by the Taxation Administration Act 1953 to request the provision of tax file numbers (TFNs). We will use the TFN to identify the entity in our records. It is not an offence not to provide the TFN. However if you do not provide the TFN, the processing of this form may be delayed.

Taxation law authorises the ATO to collect information and to disclose it to other government agencies. For information about your privacy go to Privacy.

We do not consider incomplete or unsigned returns to be lodged.

Example: A completed form

This is an example of the return calculations of a completed 2016 FBT return. The figures are from the examples at items 14A, 14B and 20 of this section of the instructions.

You must show the exact amount of cents on the return – however, you may round down your payments to the nearest multiple of five cents.

14 Calculated fringe benefits taxable amounts

End of example

QC48361