Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
Powered by momentum media
Powered by momentum media
nestegg logo

Save

Disaster relief payments receive tax-exempt status

  • February 07 2020
  • Share

Save

Disaster relief payments receive tax-exempt status

By Grace Ormsby
February 07 2020

The Australian government has made disaster relief payments to bushfire-affected individuals and businesses tax-exempt while extending tax-free financial support to NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers.

Disaster relief payments receive tax-exempt status

author image
  • February 07 2020
  • Share

The Australian government has made disaster relief payments to bushfire-affected individuals and businesses tax-exempt while extending tax-free financial support to NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers.

Disaster relief payments receive tax exempt status

A statement from Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said, “The new laws ensure that every dollar that is paid out to affected individuals, businesses and primary producers goes to supporting them during these difficult times and to rebuilding their livelihoods.”

The exemptions covered by the legislation include for disaster recovery allowance payments for individuals and payments otherwise taxable under disaster recovery funding arrangements, such as grants for small businesses and primary producers.

The support for NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers gives effect to a previous government announcement by the federal government that it would cooperate with the NSW government to provide tax-free financial support to volunteers who are employed by small or medium businesses and had volunteered for an extended period to assist in combating fires.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The new legislation also allows taxpayers to claim income tax deductions for donations to two organisations established in response to the bushfires:

Disaster relief payments receive tax exempt status
  • The Australian Volunteers Trust – which provides support to volunteers and their immediate families where the volunteer has died or become seriously injured during their service in responding to a disaster in Australia.
  • The Community Rebuilding Trust – set up to receive, manage and mobilise donations to help rebuild and re-establish communities affected by disasters in Australia.
Forward this article to a friend. Follow us on Linkedin. Join us on Facebook. Find us on X for the latest updates
Rate the article

About the author

author image

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

About the author

author image
Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

more on this topic

more on this topic

More articles