# Australian Uber drivers: GST / BAS Deadline 28th April



## BabyBoomer (Feb 28, 2017)

Just a reminder to all Australian Uber drivers -the deadline approacheth!










https://www.ato.gov.au/business/bus...as/due-dates-for-lodging-and-paying-your-bas/
We should also keep in mind that the GST we collect isn't ours and needs to be paid, but there is a good opportunity to offset this GST with business related purchases (including GST component of: fuel costs; price of a new vehicle; or lease payments) essentially any Uber expense that has a GST component.

For those thinking that they will be an anarchist (doesn't like rules so much) and not worry about GST payments ...I think you would be well advised to think again as you may incur interest and penalties.

Eventually, it will end badly 

Dates from the ATO website: ...have a bit longer if you lodge electronically or if you use an accountant.

Cheers,

BB


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## Anson1231 (Nov 6, 2016)

Thanks for sharing.....


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## Rynax (Dec 29, 2016)

Thanks mate.


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## UberBLACKtown (Mar 11, 2017)

I only drive part time now, but do I need to change my rego and green slip to "business purpose" instead of private?


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## SydneyUber Chick (Feb 12, 2017)

UberBLACKtown said:


> I only drive part time now, but do I need to change my rego and green slip to "business purpose" instead of private?


yes


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## Bandy (Jul 26, 2016)

Or 15th May through accountant...


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## BabyBoomer (Feb 28, 2017)

Bandy said:


> Or 15th May through accountant...


Cheers Bandy. ATO told me by phone that there was a later date for (self) electronic lodgement. (Two weeks I think).

Accountants apparently get a bit longer again (according to Drive Tax):










Cheers,

BB


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## Bandy (Jul 26, 2016)




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## SydneyUber Chick (Feb 12, 2017)

To clear things up.
If you lodge your BAS through an agent (e an accountant) due date is May 26th. Source: https://www.ato.gov.au/tax-professionals/prepare-and-lodge/bas-agent-lodgment-program/
If you lodge your BAS yourself via post / paper lodgement your due date was April 28. Source: https://www.ato.gov.au/business/bus...as/due-dates-for-lodging-and-paying-your-bas/
If you lodge your BAS online yourself your due date is 2 weeks after April 28 (so May 12). Source: https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Onli...rms-and-conditions---two-week-deferral-offer/


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

Can you in practice still lodge a paper BAS by post or has that option in practice been removed?

Last year, the option of lodging a paper income tax return by taxpayers carrying on a business was removed. I was advised I would need to lodge electronically or via a tax agent.

I was also advised I would need to do the same for the quarterly BASs.

I have been doing just that.

So is anyone here still lodging paper BASs or does your experience accord with mine?


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## MrM (Jan 18, 2017)

Not for this BAS return but the next one. 

I'll be overseas from 1 June to 2 September. Does anyone know if I can submit & pay my BAS return for this quarter at the end of May?


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

MrM said:


> Not for this BAS return but the next one.
> 
> I'll be overseas from 1 June to 2 September. Does anyone know if I can submit & pay my BAS return for this quarter at the end of May?


I suggest you phone the Tax Office on 13 28 66 and discuss what you should do.


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## MrM (Jan 18, 2017)

Jack Malarkey said:


> I suggest you phone the Tax Office on 13 28 66 and discuss what you should do.


Enquired via Live Chat - should be able to do it - LC even automatically generated a PDF of the chat - so I have a record if anything goes amiss.


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## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

MrM said:


> Enquired via Live Chat - should be able to do it - LC even automatically generated a PDF of the chat - so I have a record if anything goes amiss.


Great news, MrM. I just wish Uber took a similar approach to our enquiries.


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## OverTheBarrell (May 7, 2017)

We should also keep in mind that the GST we collect isn't ours and needs to be paid

"We don't collect GST, and therefore it could be argued Back from the ATO"


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## imacie (Apr 28, 2017)

Yeah, in relation to the last post


OverTheBarrell said:


> "We don't collect GST, and therefore it could be argued Back from the ATO"


I thought i read somewhere that Uber was originally fighting the decision that drivers had to pay GST, now they have lost that and i thought they said they will have to raise their prices to reflect the additional cost. Now correct me if I'm wrong but the fare prices have not been raised since the decision was reached. Why is GST not included in the price of the fare yet we are required to pay GST? Is this something Uber is going to have to recompense to drivers for loss of income at some later date? Are they going to add a GST component to their billing so this cost is not borne by the driver partners and is borne by the passenger? Also on the subject of GST, I was talking to an accountant again today and they clearly stated that even though UberEATS income does not need to be registered for GST, UberX does and if it is registered under the same ABN then all income derived from that ABN must apply GST, so it seems if you do uberEATS and UberX you will be liable for GST on all the income, but if you just did UberEATS you would not need to register for GST at all. Surely as independant contractors we have the right to bill Uber for GST?


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## BabyBoomer (Feb 28, 2017)

imacie said:


> Yeah, in relation to the last post
> 
> I thought i read somewhere that Uber was originally fighting the decision that drivers had to pay GST, now they have lost that and i thought they said they will have to raise their prices to reflect the additional cost. Now correct me if I'm wrong but the fare prices have not been raised since the decision was reached. Why is GST not included in the price of the fare yet we are required to pay GST? Is this something Uber is going to have to recompense to drivers for loss of income at some later date? Are they going to add a GST component to their billing so this cost is not borne by the driver partners and is borne by the passenger? Also on the subject of GST, I was talking to an accountant again today and they clearly stated that even though UberEATS income does not need to be registered for GST, UberX does and if it is registered under the same ABN then all income derived from that ABN must apply GST, so it seems if you do uberEATS and UberX you will be liable for GST on all the income, but if you just did UberEATS you would not need to register for GST at all. Surely as independant contractors we have the right to bill Uber for GST?


I think you have a good point. I'm sure that GST must be referred to in the invoice ...and clarly Uber do not refer to any GST (either separately or even stating GST included).

It's pretty clear that if the prices didn't change, then Uber are not charging GST. So that means we are paying the GST out of our own pocket ...as well as paying them 25% commission on the imaginary GST component. These guys have serious game.

Maybe we need to speak to some lawyers to consider a Class action lawsuit. ???

BB


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## imacie (Apr 28, 2017)

BabyBoomer said:


> I think you have a good point. I'm sure that GST must be referred to in the invoice ...and clarly Uber do not refer to any GST (either separately or even stating GST included).
> 
> It's pretty clear that if the prices didn't change, then Uber are not charging GST. So that means we are paying the GST out of our own pocket ...as well as paying them 25% commission on the imaginary GST component. These guys have serious game.
> 
> ...


yes that will maybe be what has to happen if there is no way around it


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## SydneyUber Chick (Feb 12, 2017)

imacie said:


> Yeah, in relation to the last post
> 
> I thought i read somewhere that Uber was originally fighting the decision that drivers had to pay GST, now they have lost that and i thought they said they will have to raise their prices to reflect the additional cost. Now correct me if I'm wrong but the fare prices have not been raised since the decision was reached. Why is GST not included in the price of the fare yet we are required to pay GST? Is this something Uber is going to have to recompense to drivers for loss of income at some later date? Are they going to add a GST component to their billing so this cost is not borne by the driver partners and is borne by the passenger? Also on the subject of GST, I was talking to an accountant again today and they clearly stated that even though UberEATS income does not need to be registered for GST, UberX does and if it is registered under the same ABN then all income derived from that ABN must apply GST, so it seems if you do uberEATS and UberX you will be liable for GST on all the income, but if you just did UberEATS you would not need to register for GST at all. Surely as independant contractors we have the right to bill Uber for GST?


Fares were raised to cover GST in August 2015 - source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/busi...t/news-story/3511483b53368f8967c7b05559db16da As independent contractors you would be able to claim a GST credit IF you had to pay Uber GST as part of their commission. At the moment, Uber doesnt have to pay GST (due to being an offshore company or some such crap) so there is no GST to claim from Uber. You can claim their commission as a deduction on income tax though. Basically its looked at as follows
Pax pays a fare which includes GST.
Uber collects the fare on your behalf an then takes out their commission and passes you on the rest (to save the step of passing it all on to you and then you paying the commission separately)
You pay all your other outgoings.
You then pay the govt the GST you collected from the pax less the amount you can claim in credit from your outgoings.

Uber fees are considered as any other expense



BabyBoomer said:


> I think you have a good point. I'm sure that GST must be referred to in the invoice ...and clarly Uber do not refer to any GST (either separately or even stating GST included).
> 
> It's pretty clear that if the prices didn't change, then Uber are not charging GST. So that means we are paying the GST out of our own pocket ...as well as paying them 25% commission on the imaginary GST component. These guys have serious game.
> 
> ...


A customer can request an invoice with the GST on it if the fare is over $82.50. If they do that its up to the driver to provide it and include the driver's ABN as it is the driver who collects the GST


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## imacie (Apr 28, 2017)

SydneyUber Chick said:


> Fares were raised to cover GST in August 2015 - source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/busi...t/news-story/3511483b53368f8967c7b05559db16da As independent contractors you would be able to claim a GST credit IF you had to pay Uber GST as part of their commission. At the moment, Uber doesnt have to pay GST (due to being an offshore company or some such crap) so there is no GST to claim from Uber. You can claim their commission as a deduction on income tax though. Basically its looked at as follows
> Pax pays a fare which includes GST.
> Uber collects the fare on your behalf an then takes out their commission and passes you on the rest (to save the step of passing it all on to you and then you paying the commission separately)
> You pay all your other outgoings.
> ...


Well if you look at melbourne for example they increased the fare price on 10/8/15 for example but it wasnt enough to cover GST costs and then according to this website http://uberestimate.com/prices/Melbourne/all/they actually decreased the fare back to what it was pre GST only last year. I think its weird how every city in Australia has different pay rates.


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## SydneyUber Chick (Feb 12, 2017)

imacie said:


> Well if you look at melbourne for example they increased the fare price on 10/8/15 for example but it wasnt enough to cover GST costs and then according to this website http://uberestimate.com/prices/Melbourne/all/they actually decreased the fare back to what it was pre GST only last year. I think its weird how every city in Australia has different pay rates.


Its logical that each city in Aus has different pay rates as the taxi rates are different in each city and thats what Uber is trying to compete with. As well as that the costs of providing the service vary from state to state which is part of why taxi fares vary. I thought Melbourne increase was the same as the other cities increase - 10% in August 2015 so that was enough to cover GSThttp://www.theage.com.au/victoria/uber-hikes-prices-by-10-per-cent-20150807-giubko.html Why rates were reduced in Melbourne later I'm not sure other than maybe Uber isnt as successful in attracting riders in Melbourne compared to other cities and they thought decreasing fares might boost rider numbers


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## BabyBoomer (Feb 28, 2017)

SydneyUber Chick said:


> Fares were raised to cover GST in August 2015 - source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/busi...t/news-story/3511483b53368f8967c7b05559db16da As independent contractors you would be able to claim a GST credit IF you had to pay Uber GST as part of their commission. At the moment, Uber doesnt have to pay GST (due to being an offshore company or some such crap) so there is no GST to claim from Uber. You can claim their commission as a deduction on income tax though. Basically its looked at as follows
> Pax pays a fare which includes GST.
> Uber collects the fare on your behalf an then takes out their commission and passes you on the rest (to save the step of passing it all on to you and then you paying the commission separately)
> You pay all your other outgoings.
> ...


Cheers SydneyUberChick. Good point about the price increase although Uber provided no reference as to what it relates to. I also note that prices fluctuate -further confusing the issue.

When I mentioned invoice, I was actually referring to the invoice that Uber provides the rider.

It doesn't pass the pub test that we must provide the rider with an invoice when we don't set the pricing and we don't even know the amount of the invoice at the point of purchase. After the fact legal obligation.

All other invoices I receive show GST as an itemised amount. Even if the original amount includes GST, the component of GST is shown separately at some point in the invoice.

It is ridiculously inefficient having thousands of Uber drivers lodging separate BAS statements, and the laws need to be amended for efficiency.

Only thing that will save drivers is some genuine competition emerging in addition to an increase in demand. With the exception of a few isolated days from rain etc, the last 3 weeks have been very quiet in Brisbane -partly seasonal I guess.

Cheers,

BB


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## pajala (Apr 24, 2016)

And finally I get a win. Bought a new car and I get a GST Credit of $470 bucks thank you Mr ATO


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