# Quick BAS Question



## Ashleysickles (Feb 14, 2017)

Hey everyone! I'm filling out my BAS stuff for this quarter(Jan-Mar), using Airtax instead of an accountant because I've only been driving for 3 weeks. I've looked around at other BAS threads and didn't find what I was looking for.

With the income, obviously this figure is the full pre-Uber commission amount I've technically 'earned', my question is since the uber pay week runs Monday to Sunday, is the Sunday earnings counted in this quarter or the next because it fell on April 1st? Meaning my reported income is everything up until the 31st of March? Or does the whole pay week fall in this quarter regardless of the end date? If that makes sense haha

Any help is greatly appreciated, you guys have been a wealth of knowledge so thought I might see what you had to say


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

Because the payment statement is for the period ending 2017-04-03 AND you use the cash method of accounting the answer is no do not include for the q/e 31/3/17.
PS dont forget to allocate the input credits based on private and business use.


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## Ashleysickles (Feb 14, 2017)

Grand said:


> Uber provides monthly statements via the dashboard. Also Uber issues EOY statements.
> Much easier.


I remember someone saying they did, how long does it usually take for the monthly statements to be posted online?


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## Instyle (Oct 18, 2014)

Ashleysickles said:


> I remember someone saying they did, how long does it usually take for the monthly statements to be posted online?


One time it came 2 days after the BAS due date, I wouldn't wait for it. If it comes in the meantime, great! Otherwise pull out the trusty calculator subtract the earnings that don't apply to that quarter. Just print out one of the weekly statements and make a note on it to include the other days in the next quarter.


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## Ashleysickles (Feb 14, 2017)

Instyle said:


> One time it came 2 days after the BAS due date, I wouldn't wait for it. If it comes in the meantime, great! Otherwise pull out the trusty calculator subtract the earnings that don't apply to that quarter. Just print out one of the weekly statements and make a note on it to include the other days in the next quarter.


Thanks for that! I figured manually calculating it would be the best way to work it out. Just trying to determine how nitpicky they are as well since I worked the night of the 31st and finished about 1am on the 1st. Do I count those last 3-4 fares into the next quarter since they're technically on the 1st? Maybe I'm just paranoid haha..


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## MrM (Jan 18, 2017)

For what it's worth I think it's much easier to align your quarterly BAS return with the weekly statements from UBER - so that every quarterly BAS is for a full 13 weeks. This means you will generally be paying (depending on when you drive) a day or two of the next quarter's GST in the current quarter. Each quarter is then a full 13 weeks.

The advantage is you just grab the info from your UBER statement. I also have developed my own tracking spreadsheet (based on the one shared by Ricdam) where I can see at a glance weekly earnings and statistics, which roll up into quarterly and annual figures).

I hardly think that you are going to be slapped in leg irons and marched off to Manus Island for not being exactly precise to the day.


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## UberDriverAU (Nov 4, 2015)

MrM said:


> I hardly think that you are going to be slapped in leg irons and marched off to Manus Island for not being exactly precise to the day.


The ATO isn't going to care as long as they get their pound of flesh. If they have no issues with a sham employment arrangement like PartnerPeople (where the wrong person is paying the GST!) then they're not going to have an issue with some trips being included in the wrong GST quarter.


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## Instyle (Oct 18, 2014)

UberDriverAU said:


> The ATO isn't going to care as long as they get their pound of flesh. If they have no issues with a sham employment arrangement like PartnerPeople (where the wrong person is paying the GST!) then they're not going to have an issue with some trips being included in the wrong GST quarter.


I concur, considering there is no issue claiming credits in the following quarter that you may have missed. As long as its included accurately within the financial year it's not too much of an issue, just formulate your system and still to it going forward.


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## Ashleysickles (Feb 14, 2017)

Instyle said:


> I concur, considering there is no issue claiming credits in the following quarter that you may have missed. As long as its included accurately within the financial year it's not too much of an issue, just formulate your system and still to it going forward.





UberDriverAU said:


> The ATO isn't going to care as long as they get their pound of flesh. If they have no issues with a sham employment arrangement like PartnerPeople (where the wrong person is paying the GST!) then they're not going to have an issue with some trips being included in the wrong GST quarter.


Thanks for all your input! For ease of headaches I think I'll stick to reporting the full week regardless of the end date since there are other quarters where it evens it out. You've guys have been a great help!


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

No No guys you have to align the BAS to Uber's weekly statements since that is what the ATO use as a crosscheck. So if say the Uber statement differs to your BAS statement you will be potentially flagged for review.

Again since we all apply the cash system of accounting the week ending 3rd of April is NOT included in the BAS ending 31/3/17 (since not cash settled to you until after 31/3.) Keep it simple but correct folks (i am an accountant and have been doing this stuff for too long now  

.


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## Ashleysickles (Feb 14, 2017)

lui6155 said:


> No No guys you have to align the BAS to Uber's weekly statements since that is what the ATO use as a crosscheck. So if say the Uber statement differs to your BAS statement you will be potentially flagged for review.
> 
> Again since we all apply the cash system of accounting the week ending 3rd of April is NOT included in the BAS ending 31/3/17 (since not cash settled to you until after 31/3.) Keep it simple but correct folks (i am an accountant and have been doing this stuff for too long now
> 
> .


So are you saying the whole week isn't included in the quarter?


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

Yes Ash exclude the WHOLE week for the current BAS due.
Think about it, you didnt receive the cash on or before 31/3 so no requirement to remit until the next quarter the GST on the sales.
In terms of claiming GST on the PURCHASES or input credits, same principle. Assuming you transact through a uber specific bank account then can claim the ITC for anything purchased/transacted up to 31/3 (business portion only)


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## Instyle (Oct 18, 2014)

lui6155 said:


> Yes Ash exclude the WHOLE week for the current BAS due.
> Think about it, you didnt receive the cash on or before 31/3 so no requirement to remit until the next quarter the GST on the sales.
> In terms of claiming GST on the PURCHASES or input credits, same principle. Assuming you transact through a uber specific bank account then can claim the ITC for anything purchased/transacted up to 31/3 (business portion only)


In the real world, it doesn't matter when you receive the cash but in fact the invoice date which is the day of travel in the case of Uber. As I said earlier, as long as all is accounted for within the financial year correctly a week either side does not matter just keep it consistent going forward.


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## bulli-2516 (Mar 20, 2017)

UberDriverAU said:


> The ATO isn't going to care as long as they get their pound of flesh. If they have no issues with a sham employment arrangement like PartnerPeople (where the wrong person is paying the GST!) then they're not going to have an issue with some trips being included in the wrong GST quarter.


The perfect response!


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## MrM (Jan 18, 2017)

lui6155 said:


> So if say the Uber statement differs to your BAS statement you will be potentially flagged for review.
> .


So:
1 - Do Uber send to the ATO every quarter an electronic summary of your weekly or quarterly earnings - otherwise how would they match those numbers.
2 - If your BAS submitted line G1 (Total Sales) is greater than that supplied by Uber - why would they question that as you may have other forms of income which do not come through Uber.

Really for the tens of dollars possible difference do you think the ATO are going to jump on you for a single instance of difference without casting their eyes over prior returns and coming to the conclusion - not much to see here!


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

MrM said:


> So:
> 1 - Do Uber send to the ATO every quarter an electronic summary of your weekly or quarterly earnings - otherwise how would they match those numbers.
> 2 - If your BAS submitted line G1 (Total Sales) is greater than that supplied by Uber - why would they question that as you may have other forms of income which do not come through Uber.
> 
> Really for the tens of dollars possible difference do you think the ATO are going to jump on you for a single instance of difference without casting their eyes over prior returns and coming to the conclusion - not much to see here!


Good questions MrM and in response:
1) dont underestimate the data capturing abilities of the ATO
2) its under declaring of income thats the issue.
Look at the end of the day you need to follow a consistent approach in preparing your BAS and I am advising of one such approach.

Note its the same consistent approach to preparing your income tax return ie the 30th of June 17 falls on a Friday and pay week ends Sunday 2/7/17. The correct approach is to ignore ALL of the income for the w/e 2/7/17 in your 16/17 income tax return (AND BAS for q/e 6/17) but pickup any expenses cash settled up to 30 June. Apologies if that's too logical.


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## MrM (Jan 18, 2017)

lui6155 said:


> Good questions MrM and in response:
> 
> Look at the end of the day you need to follow a consistent approach in preparing your BAS and I am advising of one such approach.


Hi lui6155

Thanks for replying and also for replying in such an even handed fashion (much much better than some of the abuse which seems to be hurled around in other threads on this forum).

I wasn't doubting the correctness of the approach you outlined (I was an accountant in a distant past life), but my experience and thoughts are that in general when people are not particularly experienced in something they tend to either ignore the rules completely or follow them down to the n'th degree (for a degree of extra effort without the end result being much different). I my case I started by using the spreadsheet developed by Ricdam - where he splits the end week of a quarter between the true days of that quarter and the next - so in other words the GST on the spreadsheet for BAS purposes is the GST earned for the actual days travelled - not the cash received by the driver). Being lazy I thought that was unnecessary so I adjusted his spreadsheet so that I now will have daily totals which rolls up to weekly totals which rolls up to quarterly totals (13 x weeks) and this is what I used for my last BAS.

That's not to say I won't use your method on the next BAS statement.


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## Sainteyad (Dec 9, 2016)

lui6155 said:


> Good questions MrM and in response:
> 1) dont underestimate the data capturing abilities of the ATO
> 2) its under declaring of income thats the issue.
> Look at the end of the day you need to follow a consistent approach in preparing your BAS and I am advising of one such approach.
> ...


I am really not good in these things , I will see an accountant next week to do this for me , I have to do the BAS , And i do fill ( profit&lose form for the centerlink) and they have to be 100% match. I cant take the risk of making mistakes


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## Kain93 (Feb 15, 2017)

MrM said:


> So:
> 1 - Do Uber send to the ATO every quarter an electronic summary of your weekly or quarterly earnings - otherwise how would they match those numbers.
> 2 - If your BAS submitted line G1 (Total Sales) is greater than that supplied by Uber - why would they question that as you may have other forms of income which do not come through Uber.
> 
> Really for the tens of dollars possible difference do you think the ATO are going to jump on you for a single instance of difference without casting their eyes over prior returns and coming to the conclusion - not much to see here!


The only way the ATO can see your uber income is from your bank account, I use to work for the ATO, a lot of people will tell you uber report our income to the ATO they don't, they aren't withholding our tax it would be a different story if they where.

The only way they can see any uber income is from your bank transactions they used keywords run on bank accounts every so often and uber is one of them and from their you will get the letter if you aren't registered for GST or have a ABN


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

Kain a few points:
1) yes they use data matching. I started on the Uber journey this time last year and received a letter from the ATO that ACCURATELY assessed the earnings I should be declaring on my first BAS -refer link below.

2) their data matching algorithms have improved exponentially so ignorance is no excuse and a recipe for a large fine.

3) mate were you a cleaner at the ATO...apologies but your grammar is shoddy.

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/...ging-uber-drivers-and-airbnb-landlords-2017-1


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## Kain93 (Feb 15, 2017)

lui6155 said:


> Kain a few points:
> 1) yes they use data matching. I started on the Uber journey this time last year and received a letter from the ATO that ACCURATELY assessed the earnings I should be declaring on my first BAS -refer link below.
> 
> 2) their data matching algorithms have improved exponentially so ignorance is no excuse and a recipe for a large fine.
> ...


no lol not a cleaner lol
any fine you receive from the ATO can be waved very easily, especially FTL penalties


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## lui6155 (Apr 21, 2016)

Kain93 said:


> no lol not a cleaner lol
> any fine you receive from the ATO can be waved very easily, especially FTL penalties


Yep agreed re the failed to lodge ...*if late *by a few weeks. 
I picked up an ex cabbie recently and he mentioned that he declared a pittance which was the practice a few years back esp with the poor metering systems in place at that time.

Uber is very different folks, all electronic so again ignore at your own peril and correct me if I am wrong but the fines for clear tax avoidance is 100% of the tax avoided!


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## Kain93 (Feb 15, 2017)

lui6155 said:


> Yep agreed re the failed to lodge ...*if late *by a few weeks.
> I picked up an ex cabbie recently and he mentioned that he declared a pittance which was the practice a few years back esp with the poor metering systems in place at that time.
> 
> Uber is very different folks, all electronic so again ignore at your own peril and correct me if I am wrong but the fines for clear tax avoidance is 100% of the tax avoided!


Yes and no if it happens once or twice you may be able to object to it, at the end of the day the ATO don't want your fines or late fees they just want the tax that should of been paid so they are fairly good at remitting most penalties and fines for tax evasion


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## SydneyUber Chick (Feb 12, 2017)

Kain93 said:


> Yes and no if it happens once or twice you may be able to object to it, at the end of the day the ATO don't want your fines or late fees they just want the tax that should of been paid so they are fairly good at remitting most penalties and fines for tax evasion


except when they have publicly stated they are aiming for a particular group. Then it can be harder to get out of penalties because they want to make an example and get the word out that they are serious


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