by Chris Garlick | Dec 25, 2025 | Tax Law
Christmas travel feels benign. Flights are booked, calendars clear, and the trip is mentally filed under family time. But in Australian tax residency disputes, Christmas travel is rarely treated as neutral. For the ATO, December and January movements often operate as...
by Chris Garlick | Dec 18, 2025 | Tax Law
Christmas Travel, Tax Residency & the ATO | Australian Residency Risks For most Australians, Christmas travel means family, rest, and a temporary escape from work. For the ATO, it can mean something very different. December and January travel is routinely examined...
by Chris Garlick | Dec 11, 2025 | Tax Law
Every week, I speak with Australians who haven’t lodged a tax return for five, ten, or even fifteen years. Some were living overseas. Others were bouncing in and out of Australia. A few were deep in cryptocurrency trading through companies or offshore platforms. Many...
by Chris Garlick | Dec 4, 2025 | Tax Law
Inheritance Tax in Australia – What Actually Gets Taxed When Someone Dies When people hear the phrase inheritance tax in Australia, many assume it doesn’t exist at all — and that an inheritance is simply “tax-free money.” That’s partly true, and partly very wrong....
by Chris Garlick | Nov 26, 2025 | Tax Law
Does the Prime Minister Get Special Tax Treatment in Australia? Every few weeks someone leans over a bar or a barbecue, lowers their voice and asks: “So… does the Prime Minister really pay tax like the rest of us?” It’s a fair question. The role comes with motorcades,...
by Chris Garlick | Nov 19, 2025 | Tax Law
Introduction: The Strange Case of the Tax Resident of a Tree Australian taxation law has produced some unforgettable stories, but none stranger than the man who became a tax resident of a tree. It is a real example of how tax residency rules, the permanent place of...
by Chris Garlick | Nov 13, 2025 | Tax Law
Vanuatu Tax Residency: Why Australians May Still Be Taxable in Australia Vanuatu’s appeal is obvious: no personal income tax, no company tax, no capital gains tax, no wealth or inheritance tax. Apart from a 12.5% VAT on goods and services, the country promotes itself...
by Chris Garlick | Oct 28, 2025 | Tax Law
Why You Might Need a Tax Lawyer (Not Just an Accountant) Introduction When tax problems arise, many people think of calling their accountant first. But there are situations where an accountant isn’t enough — and only a tax lawyer has the expertise and legal...
by Chris Garlick | Oct 21, 2025 | Tax Law
What is Bracket Creep—and Why the New Tax Cuts Might Not Feel Like Enough Introduction You may have heard of “bracket creep”, a silent income tax issue that often gets overlooked. Even with tax cuts on the way, inflation and wage growth can push you into higher tax...
by Chris Garlick | Oct 14, 2025 | Tax Law
Is Your Super over $3 Million? What the Proposed ‘Super Tax’ Could Mean for You Introduction If your superannuation balance is above $3 million, you could soon face new tax rules. Division 296 is the proposed “super tax” targeting large super funds. From 1 July 2025,...
