FBT 2026 – Entertainment Expenses

It’s time to separate the Sustenance from the Entertainment, Unravel and Understand the Entertainment mix and maximise the FBT exemptions – everything you need to know about 2026 FBT reporting of Entertainment and Meals

Getting the Entertainment and Meals analysis correct, is critical for not just 2026 FBT Return preparation but also for determining the amount of GST credits available to claim and the extent to which Income Tax deductions are available.

Particular focus areas will include:

• The practical approach to 2026 FBT Return preparation
• How to avoid getting stuck in detailed General Ledger and Expense Claim analysis
• The Entertainment valuation options – the “key blockers” and the record keeping requirements
• The available Entertainment and Sustenance exemptions and when to claim
• The importance of the distinction between an exempt benefit and an otherwise deductible benefit
• Food & Drink, when does it constitute Entertainment, and the distinction with meals by way of Sustenance
• Why it is necessary to separately identify and value the different categories of entertainment
• What is best practice process and why; and
• The many common errors and long held myths and misunderstandings.

Learning Outcomes:

This session will provide attendees with:

• The key reporting requirements for 2026 FBT Reporting of Meal Entertainment, Tax Exempt Body Entertainment, Entertainment Facility Leasing (EFLE) benefits and Recreational Entertainment
• A practical stepped approach to analysing Entertainment, Meals and related expenses
• How to approach the review of the Trial Balance, strategies for reviewing the General Ledger and what to look for when reviewing employee expense claims, receipts and invoices
• Being able to distinguish between when food & drink (including alcohol) constitutes sustenance and when it constitutes entertainment
• Understanding the spaghetti junction of taxes – The rules applying to Entertainment and Meals in respect of FBT, GST and Income Tax rules
• Common situations where employers either overclaim or underclaim GST on their Entertainment and Meals expenses
• Defining the different types of Entertainment and Meals
• The FBT valuation options available for the different types of Entertainment
• Analysing conference expenses and how to plan future conferences to maximise deductions and minimise FBT
• Common errors and dispelling the many myths associated with Entertainment Expenses

Suited to:

This session is suited to everyone involved in FBT Return Preparation or Review, FBT reporting or managing employee expenses from an operational or policy perspective, including:

• Tax agents and tax advisors
• Accountants in Public Practice
• Tax Accountants
• Accounts Payable
• Finance teams
• Finance Managers
• Financial Accountants
• Management Accountants
• Tax Managers

This On Demand recording Includes: 

• Recording of the Live Webinar, which can be viewed multiple times, for as long as required 
• Presenters contact details for follow up questions 
• CPD Quiz
• CPD Certificate 
• CPD Report – Logged automatically 
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Verbatim Transcript, with Searchability
• Supporting Documentation