The best of Tax Forum Season: highlights and insights
Published:
That’s a wrap! We’ve recently closed on one of the most exciting times in our CPD calendar – Tax Forum Season. (Don’t worry, there are plenty more unmissable CPD events coming up.)
With premier events happening in five states around the country, the calibre of insight on offer this year was impressive. Our thanks and congratulations go to the local and interstate speakers leading sessions and making the events what they were. Attendees at each event gave excellent feedback, saying sessions were well-organised, valuable and engaging.
"Not one single highlight.... I thought the whole event was of such quality that I would not like to nominate one particular session."
Attendees had multiple streams to choose from, with sessions focusing on practical insights and skills to plant the seeds of growth. Each event program was tailored to issues facing practitioners in each state, covering off a diverse range of topics, including (but not limited to), professional practices, transfer pricing, ESG and M&A Tax, governance, superannuation, state taxes, and the challenging employment tax issues faced by employers operating a mobile workforce.
‘The whole event was run well and worked perfectly from a virtual point of view. I will be there next year.’
SA Tax Forum highlights
Session 6: Dealing with difficult structures – preparing for the future
Linda Tapiolas, CTA, Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers
In this session, Linda shares with attendees how to guide clients to plan for the future, including a ‘planned end’ of complex structures and flexibility for the unplanned. She takes you through most of the income tax rollovers and concessions that are useful to help restructure value, plus intellectual property, social media and ownership, managing valuation issues involving complex structures and more.
Attendees say:
‘Very useful commercial insights, strong technical knowledge, quite insightful. Thank you.’
‘Linda delivered some highly complex concepts in a digestible and engaging way.’
Session 7: Mental health and our workplace
John Mannion, Mental Health Commissioner, Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation
In a vital reminder for everyone, John used this session to detail the importance of looking out for ourselves, our family, our friends and our work colleagues when it comes to mental health. Covering strategies to help start conversations around mental health, managing your own wellbeing and how to create a mentally healthy environment in your daily life, this session departs from tax technical, to look at the wider ecosystem in which we work.
Attendees say:
‘Is very good to include some non-tax-based sessions such as this.... Allows me to help not only my team, myself, my family, but also clients discuss these issues as well.’
‘Great session and so important to put in the agenda.’
WA Tax Forum highlights
Session 9: Trust me… Trust me not
John Carrello, BRI Ferrier Testimonials
Delving into an insolvency practitioner’s perspective, John uses this session to cover a number of aspects of trusts, including their interaction with asset recovery/voidable dispositions under the bankruptcy and Corporations Act, family law disputes and tax advice vs wealth protection, all with practical tips for attendees to take with them.
Attendees say:
‘Excellent! And always entertaining.’
‘Very interesting sample cases discussed.’
Session 10: 40 years of Part IVA
Graeme Cooper, FTI, Sydney University
Part IVA had two objectives: to introduce an effective anti-avoidance section and to not interfere with ordinary or normal family and commercial dealings. In this midterm review, Graeme examines Part IVA and asks if it has met those goals and if it’s still fit for our future. An unmissable discussion.
Attendees say:
‘Another interesting and vibrant presentation from Dr Cooper.’
‘Graeme was amazing and very engaging as usual!’
QLD Tax Forum highlights
Session 12B: Capital expenditure – seeking simplicity in a complicated concept
Paul Mills, PBM Tax Pty Ltd
Capital expenditure is a topic the tax world continues to come back to time and time again. In this session, Paul looks at recent cases dealing with this unexpectedly complex concept in the context of the general deduction provisions in the tax law, searching for common themes in the rulings. A topic well-worth revisiting for any tax practitioner!
Attendees say:
‘Best presentation at the Conference in my view. Paul is always so engaging and this topic is so interesting.’
‘Paul delivered the most engaging talk of the whole conference. Very well done for a Friday afternoon! I'm not sure I now know what a capital expense is, but I now know why I don't know. Thanks Paul!’
Session 5A: Tax governance for SMEs
Belinda Cheesewright, CTA, KPMG
With transparency becoming a key value for our tax system and our workplaces, small and medium sized business owners are recognising the importance of understanding good tax governance. Are you ready to advise them? Belinda dives into how tax governance fits into various ATO programs, what SMEs should understand in terms of the Commissioner’s expectations and how to meet them.
Attendees say:
‘Belinda spoke with great knowledge and insight on practical matters and how to deal with them when there's resistance or resourcing issues.’
‘Very knowledgeable and have valid points which I will use and look for in the future.’
NSW Tax Forum
Session 2A: Division 7A – Keeping it tidy
Greg Travers, CTA, William Buck
Greg takes a practical, clear-eyed look at another perennial topic in tax: Div 7A. With easily digestible discussion of topics including Unpaid Present Entitlements (UPEs), timing of recording of dividends, dealing with journal entries and old loans, this session was a hit with attendees in NSW – don’t miss out on these insights.
Attendees say:
‘This was the best presentation on Div7A I have ever attended at a TIA conference: clear, easy to follow and practical.’
‘Very clear presentation. Greg’s knowledge and summary within time frame was very educational.’
Session 8C: The Psychology of Client Satisfaction
Dr John Gora, Neural Networks Consulting
So you’ve got tax technical covered – how much thought have you given to how you engage clients in a meaningful, compelling manner? John explains how emotional intelligence can impact your career and client conversations, providing guidance on practically applicable areas, such as how clients make buying-related decisions, unconscious bias that might impact on advisor success and Motivation Style preference.
Attendees say:
‘Informative and very engaging. Great start to the day.’
‘Very engaging and absolutely loved it!’
VIC Tax Forum
Session 6A: Section 100A
Paul Sokolowski, CTA, Arnold Bloch Leibler, Justin Dearness, ATO & Yina Tang, CTA, Pitcher Partners
This lively panel discussion tackles the issue of Section 100A and how it has thrust trust distributions into the spotlight. Covering current developments including the ATO’s 23 February draft guidance package the panel looks at examples covered in the guidance and circumstances perhaps not covered, with key issues including ‘connection’, ‘benefits to another’, ‘tax reduction purpose’ and ‘ordinary family or commercial dealing’.
Attendees say:
‘Very relevant topic and a very engaging discussion and exchange between an ATO expert and legal practitioner.’
‘Highly entertaining and thought provoking.’
Session 1: Current and future trends in a post pandemic world
Bernard Salt AM, The Demographics Group
Our opening session of the forum will discuss the current and future trends of business in Australia and the world post-pandemic
Attendees say:
‘First rate speaker. Very interesting trends. Thank you.’
‘Great first session to start with to wake up all the attendees with an engaging session.’
Publish date: 14 June 2022
Tagged
- Professional development
- Forum
From the Tax Forum events
