FBT 2026 – ATO Audits, Coming to an Accounting Firm Near You!

Accounting Firms are in the ATO’s line of sight for FBT Audits. Targeting multiple clients in one hit or many over a period of time. FBT is no longer, and truthfully has never been, a “we’ll look at FBT later/next year” option. When the ATO knock on the door, the FBT pain, penalties and interest hit hard.

The ATO focus on FBT is continuing in 2026 with audits and reviews. This session will discuss how to avoid ATO scrutiny

In this session Paul Mather will analyse the FBT rules on Utes, and in particular the strict requirements for claiming exemption. It’s not, and has never been a given, that Utes are exempt from FBT.

Paul will illustrate the significant tax implications on various Ute types with real life and ATO case studies and calculations.

Learning Outcomes:

Key learning outcomes include:

• Background to the ATO FBT compliance activity
• A brief history and recent trends on ATO FBT audits and review
• The current FBT compliance activity with a focus on who the ATO are targeting and why
• Why accounting firms are in the ATO’s FBT compliance sights
• The risks for accountants in practice and for employers
• Walking through a number of FBT Audits and Reviews, the compliance issues and the outcomes
• How FBT Audits and Reviews can be avoided or mitigated
• The various knock-on effects from an FBT Audit or Review including:

• The FBT financial cost
• Managing tax deductibility of FBT payments
• The GST impact on luxury vehicles and entertainment
• The Income Tax impact on luxury vehicles and entertainment
• The Payroll Tax and Workcover impact
• The reportable fringe benefits requirements for current employees and past employees
• The disruption factor
• The reputational cost

• Strategies for managing and minimising FBT
• The record-keeping requirements
• The importance of policies

Suited to:

This session is suited to Accounting Firms and all Employers including Corporates, SME’s, Charities, Not for Profits and Local, State and Federal Government.

Suitable for everyone involved in FBT Management and Reporting, from FBT Return preparers and reviewers, including Accountants, Tax Accountants, Financial Accountants, Finance Managers, Payroll Managers, Salary Packaging Managers, Tax Agents, Tax Practitioners and their teams.

You will also be provided with: 

• Access to watch the Live Webinar 
• Opportunities to ask real time questions to the presenter/s
• Poll questions to test your knowledge 
• Access to On Demand recording, which can be viewed multiple times, for as long as required 
• Presenters contact details for follow up questions 
• CPD Quiz (for On Demand recordings)
• CPD Certificate 
• CPD Report – Logged automatically 
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Verbatim Transcript, with Searchability
• Supporting Documentation