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Public and Not-for-profit Hospitals and Salary Packaging
Employees of Public Benevolent Institutions (PBIs) which
are hospitals may gain benefit from exemptions from Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
and from additional Exempt Benefits not available to other employees. This is
because the ATO recognises the value of such organisations, and allows them to
package fringe benefits to their staff without attracting an FBT liability up
to a certain limit. The limit is currently $17,000 grossed up, which means
employees may receive about $8,500 in fringe benefits which are not subject to
tax. These benefits are deducted from the employee’s contract salary, so their
taxable income (and tax) is reduced.
The types of Fringe Benefits available include:
- Mortgage and personal loan repayments
- Line of Credit repayments
- Credit card repayments
- Private expense reimbursements
- Health fund premiums
- Private use of a motor vehicle owned or leased
by the employer
There is also a variety of Exempt Benefits available
to employees of hospital PBIs and other organisations who participate in a
Salary Packaging arrangement. These exempt benefits generally include items
associated with work, and other items generally deemed to be work-related. They
can include:
·
A laptop or notebook
computer (one per employee per year)
·
An item of computer
software for use in the employee’s employment
·
A brief case
·
A calculator
·
An electronic diary or
similar
·
A mobile phone
required for work contact
·
Protective clothing
related to work
·
Tools of trade
Additionally, there is another Exempt Benefit only
available to employees of PBIs. This is Meal Entertainment, which includes
entertainment by way of food or drink to an employee and associates, and travel
and accommodation connected with such entertainment. This can represent a
significant benefit to employees of PBIs over and above the capped threshold of
Fringe Benefits.
All of these benefits can be flexibly tailored to
suit individual employee’s circumstances using the
Mistral Salary Packaging program.
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