How to Spend Less Time on Email: 12 Tips for Keeping Your Inbox Under Control

Clarke McEwan Accountants

Managing your email inbox can feel like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Just when you think you've gotten to inbox zero and start doing your little victory dance ... up pops another email. And another one.

What's worse, the sheer volume of email we get often exceeds the time we can afford to deal with it. This becomes a bigger issue when we let our guilt get the better of us -- the guilt that comes with not responding right away, responding curtly, or not responding at all.

But the fact is, there are more important things on our to-do lists than email. Want to spend less time living in your inbox, and more time doing the stuff that actually matters? Here are 12 tips to get you started.

12 Tips For Better Email Management

1) Unsubscribe. Ruthlessly.

The easiest way to maintain inbox zero? Get less email. The very first step to achieve an emptier inbox is unsubscribing from every single email list that doesn't provide you with value on a regular basis.

In fact, my recommendation is to unsubscribe from everything. Take a few days to let it sink in, and then re-subscribe only to the newsletters you really, truly miss. In this step, you might consider converting any daily digests you used to follow to weekly ones.

While unsubscribing manually from tens -- hundreds? -- of newsletters one by one sounds tedious, there are tools out there that can help you do it in just a few clicks. Unroll.me is my personal favorite: It's a free tool that lets you mass unsubscribe from all the newsletters you don't read. You can either unsubscribe from everything at once (my recommendation), or you can pick and choose. Read this blog post to learn more about how it works.

2) Remove yourself from any internal company and business threads you don't need to be on.

Once you've unsubscribed from external newsletters, it's time to evaluate the internal emails you receive on a regular basis. Do you really need to get email notifications every time the sales team closes or deal, or every time someone on the marketing team reports a bug?

If the answer isn't a definitive "yes," do yourself a favor and remove yourself from whatever alias or list you're on. If that makes you wildly uncomfortable, compromise by creating a folder in your email client and send those emails to that folder automatically. (To set at up, you can create filters in Gmail or rules in Outlook.)

3) Understand -- and embrace -- that you can't respond to everything.

Part of maintaining a manageable inbox -- and your sanity -- is to change the way you think about email a little bit. Only you can decide what deserves your very limited time and attention. When it comes to email, understand that there's simply no way you'll be able to respond to every single email that arrives in your inbox, let alone read them all.

I love the way Merlin Mann puts it : "Stop thinking of emails like precious family heirlooms, and start treating 'em like pints of milk. Perishable, time-stamped milk that becomes a little less fresh every day until it smells kind of funny and just needs to be dumped. Believe me, there will always be more coming."

So if you're looking at an email and know in your heart of hearts you're never going to respond to it, archive it. Better yet, delete it. As Mann says , "Trust your instincts, listen to them, and stop trying to be perfect."

4) Keep your replies brief whenever possible.

When you do have to reply to an email, you'll find that in most cases, you don't need to craft the perfect response. Often, a few sentences will do; in some cases, a few words. If you let an email with an action item sit for a few days, a quick "Do you still need this?" email might end up saving you a lot of time.

Don't feel guilty about sending succinct emails. If you're concerned your brevity will be taken the wrong way, give a heads-up to the folks you exchange emails with the most. Tell them that, in your effort to spend less time on email and more time on your actual work, you plan to cut down word count in your emails.

The better you get at deleting emails you don't need to read or respond to, the more time you'll have to write the emails that warrant those long responses.

5) Use pre-written replies.

Which types of emails do you find yourself typing out over and over, without really needing to customize them?

I, for example, often find myself referring people to HubSpot's guest blogging guidelines page. I used to write one-off emails to folks, meaning I'd have to craft a few sentences, find and copy the link, and so on. Now, I give myself ten minutes back in my day by sending pre-written replies via Gmail's "canned responses" feature.

Gmail, Outlook, and other email clients offer canned responses. Below are instructions for setting up and using them in Gmail.

To Set Up Canned Responses in Gmail:

  1. Click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner and choose "Settings."
  2. Click the "Labs" tab, find Canned Responses at the top, and click "Enable." Scroll down and click "Save Changes."

To create a canned response, compose a new email and click the little arrow in the bottom right-hand corner of the new email. Choose "Canned responses," and then "New canned response." From there, you can name your new canned response, write it, and save it. Anytime you want to use it, simply go back to that little arrow, choose "Canned responses," and click on the one you'd like to use. (Learn more on Google's website.)

To Set Up Canned Responses in Outlook:

In Outlook, the best option I could find was to set up your canned responses as "Signatures." That way, when you reply to an email, you can choose the appropriate "signature" and the whole canned reply will appear. Here's how to do that:

  1. On the Outlook menu, click "Preferences." Under "E-mail," click "Signatures."
  2. Click the plus icon to add a new signature.
  3. A new signature will appear under "Signature name" with the label "Untitled." Double-click "Untitled," and then type in a new name for your canned response.
  4. In the right pane, type the text that you want to include in the signature -- in other words, type in your canned response.

Once you create the canned response as a signature, you can add it to a new email by clicking in the message body, choosing the "Message" tab, clicking "Signatures," and choosing a signature from the list. (Learn more on Outlook's support page.)

6) Employ a one-click rule.

This rule might seem simplistic, but it's a huge time-saver. The "one click" refers to a single click to open an email once. Once it's open, decide exactly what you want to do with it right then and there: Reply, forward, send to a folder, archive, and/or delete.

The point here is to not open an email, read it, and then decide to deal with it later and move on. That's the bad habit that'll guarantee you a clogged inbox and more stress down the road.

7) Triage emails using "special stars" in Gmail.

If you use Gmail and your goal is to get to inbox zero and maintain it, then I'd like to direct you to the email system that's changed the way I do email. Here are the full instructions. This works great in conjunction with the one-click rule we just talked about.

The premise is this: In Gmail, you'll set up multiple inboxes and give each of them a name, like "Needs Action/Reply" and "Awaiting Response." Your general inbox will then appear on the left, and your labeled inboxes (which Gmail calls "panes") will appear on the right, like so:

You'll use what Gmail calls "special stars" -- kind of like Gmail's labels, but better -- to categorize every single email that comes into your inbox.

Every time you get a new email in your inbox, you'll want to:

  • Reply to the ones you can right away.
  • Label the emails you need to deal with later by marking them with the appropriate special star.
  • Archive or delete any emails you don't need to deal with.

In the end, you'll archive everything. Your inbox will stay at zero, and everything else will either be in its designated pane, archived, or deleted.

Use Outlook?

SimplyFile is a free organizational tool that'll help you categorize emails using folders. When an email comes in, all you have to do is drag it into the appropriate folder. You can organize both messages you're receiving in your inbox, as well as messages you're sending -- which you can file as you send them.

Image Credit: SimplyFile

8) Delegate emails to others using a collaboration tool.

Sometimes, you might find that you receive emails that are better handled by someone else. In these cases, you could either forward the email, or you can streamline the process by quickly sharing the email with someone on your team using an email collaboration tool.

There are a number of email collaboration tools out there to choose from. If you use Gmail, Hiver is a great choice: It lets you share Gmail labels (and therefore share folders) with other users, which you can use to assign tasks, delegate emails, and even track their status if you want to. If you need to add a quick note explaining what's going on in an email thread, you can do that right in the tool.

Image Credit: Hiver

9) Use the "yesterbox" approach.

"Yesterbox" is a methodology for managing your inbox created by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh. This approach is kind of like inbox zero, except you're working off all the emails from yesterday and treating them like today's to-do list.

The basic premise is this: Every morning, you have a fixed number of emails to answer instead of an endless flood of new emails coming in. Once you finish dealing with yesterday's emails, you're done with email for the day. Here are the full instructions .

Like Klinger's methodology from #7, you'll categorize incoming emails into folders labeled "Yesterbox," "Today," "Action Required," "Awaiting Response," and so on. As new emails come in, you'll label them accordingly. But as for actually dealing with these emails -- that's left for a specific time on your calendar that you've designated for handling yesterday's emails. In the end, your Yeseterbox is a to-do list with static tasks.

It's that freeing sense of completion that makes this method so appealing -- but be wary that if your job requires you to tackle emails as they come in, this may not be the best method for you.

10) Set up filters when you go on vacation.

Vacations are awesome, but coming back to a jam-packed inbox is ... not so awesome. One way to manage your email workflow while you're gone for long periods of time is to set up filters.

This is an approach HubSpot's Director of Marketing Rebecca Corliss found worked really well for her when she went on her month-long sabbatical. Corliss was working in Gmail, but you can adapt this method for most email clients. In short, here's what she did:

  1. She created a new folder for her vacation ("Spain Sabbatical 2015").
  2. She set up a filter that recognized any emails being sent to *@hubspot.com. By putting the asterisk there instead of her actual email, she was able to capture not only emails that were sent to her work email address, but also emails sent to the company aliases she was on.
  3. She added a second filter that deleted irrelevant emails -- for example, all the daily and weekly digests she expected to receive, like metrics updates.
  4. When she returned, she strategically handled all her unread emails. For example, she searched for emails she wanted to respond to first by conducting key searches for her manager's email address.

Once these more time-sensitive messages are addressed, she blocked time to go through the remaining emails and respond only to the ones that were absolutely necessary. Here are the full instructions .

11) Block time to get back to inbox zero.

Dedicating specific chunks of time to get back to inbox zero isn't just for when you return from vacation. It should be something you tackle in short batches on a daily basis, and in larger chunks every week or so, depending how much new email you receive.

The purpose of batching email? So you aren't handling emails as they arrive. That can be a serious productivity killer, and can pull you away from projects and tasks that are more important than a perfectly clean inbox.

On a daily basis, limit yourself to dealing with new emails during fixed periods each day. For example, HubSpot Demand Generation Manager Amanda Sibley physically blocks off an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening on her calendar for getting her inbox in order. Do what works for you.

12) Use keyboard shortcuts.

To make the process of reading, replying to, archiving, and deleting emails a lot faster (and generally more enjoyable), take advantage of any keyboard shortcuts your email client offers. Here are tips for keyboard shortcuts in Gmail and Outlook. If you use a different email client, do a quick Google search for the name of your email client + "keyboard shortcuts."

Keyboard Shortcuts in Gmail:

First thing's first: You'll need to activate keyboard shortcuts. To do this:

  1. Click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner and choose "Settings."
  2. Click the "General" tab, find "Keyboard shortcuts," and select "Keyboard shortcuts on." Scroll down and click "Save Changes."
  3. Then, go back to "Settings" via that gear icon, click on the "Labs" tab, and find "Custom keyboard shortcuts" (by Alan S). Choose "Enable." Scroll down and click "Save Changes."

Once custom keyboard shortcuts are turned on, a new tab will appear in your Settings called "Keyboard Shortcuts." Head over there to learn the default keyboard shortcuts and customize them if you'd like.

Keyboard Shortcuts in Outlook:

Outlook doesn't let you customize keyboard shortcuts, but they have a heck of a lot to choose from. Here's the full list , and below are some favorites:

  • Create a new message: ? + N (Mac); Ctrl + N (PC)
  • Send an open message: ? + Return (Mac); Ctrl + Return (PC)
  • Save an open message and store it in Drafts: ? + S (Mac); Ctrl + S (PC)
  • Forward a message: ? + J (Mac); Ctrl + J (PC)
  • Display the next message: Control + ]
  • Display the previous message: Control + [
  • Delete the selected message: Delete
  • Mark selected messages as read: ? + T (Mac); Ctrl + T (PC)

Looking for more ideas for gaining and maintaining control of your email? Here are 11 inbox organization tools to try, as well as four solutions to getting "inbox zero" based on your personality.

Federal Budget 2026-27 Spotlight - Capital Gains Tax Reform

By Clarke McEwan • May 18, 2026
On Tuesday, 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the 2026-27 Federal Budget. While the Budget was undoubtedly one of the largest in recent years in terms of new tax measures, major reforms to the capital gains tax regime were the talking point of the night, representing the first major shake-up of the regime in over 25 years. What’s changing From 1 July 2027, the 50% CGT discount will be replaced by cost base indexation for assets held for more than 12 months, with a 30% minimum tax to apply on net capital gains. This change applies to all CGT assets held by individuals, trusts and partnerships. Critically, assets acquired before 20 September 1985, which are currently exempt from CGT, are also affected. Transitional arrangements These reforms will only apply to gains accruing after 1 July 2027. Essentially, this means that:The 50% CGT discount continues to apply to assets purchased and sold before 1 July 2027. The new rules (indexation and the 30% minimum tax) apply to gains on CGT assets purchased from 1 July 2027. Transitional arrangements apply to assets purchased prior to 1 July 2027 that are sold post-1 July 2027. For those assets purchased pre-1 July 2027 and sold post-1 July 2027, a valuation of the asset at 1 July 2027 will be necessary. This is because, when the asset is finally sold and a gain realised, the 50% CGT discount will be applied to the difference between the asset’s cost base and its value at 1 July 2027 (reflecting the gain arising before the rule change). Indexation and the minimum tax will then be used to calculate the CGT on gains accruing from 1 July 2027, using the 1 July 2027 value as the asset’s new cost base. How do I get a valuation? An asset’s value as at 1 July 2027 will be determined by taxpayers as part of their tax return in the year the asset is realised. Taxpayers can choose to either obtain a valuation of the asset as at 1 July 2027, or use a specified apportionment formula that estimates the asset’s value on 1 July 2027, based on its growth rate over the asset’s holding period. The ATO will provide tools to estimate this value for taxpayers. What about pre-1985 assets? As part of grandfathering arrangements, any capital gains on pre-1985 assets that accrued before 1 July 2027 will continue to be exempt from CGT. In short, this means that pre-1985 assets will only be subject to CGT on gains accruing post-1 July 2027, with the asset’s value as at 1 July 2027 used as the cost base. The exclusions Main residences will continue to be exempt from CGT – these reforms do nothing to change that. In addition, the four small business CGT concessions remain unchanged, as does the existing 60% CGT discount that applies to qualifying affordable housing. There is also a carve out in the reforms for investors in new residential properties, who will be able to choose either the 50% CGT discount, or cost base indexation and the minimum tax.Recipients of means-tested income support payments, such as the Age Pension or JobSeeker, will be exempt from the minimum tax if they receive any payment in the financial year in which they realise the capital gain. Conclusion  These changes have been touted as a way to help level the playing field for first home buyers, preserve the gains investors have made, and support investment in new housing supply.While grandfathering arrangements have been put in place to soften the blow for both pre-1985 and current asset owners, there’s no denying that these reforms are significant and wide-reaching. If you want to understand more about how these changes will affect your tax position, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Federal Budget 2026-27: Key Announcements

By Clarke McEwan • May 18, 2026
On Tuesday, 12 May 2026, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the ‘most important and ambitious Budget in decades’. Certainly, the 2026-27 Federal Budget was ambitious, announcing significant reforms to capital gains tax and negative gearing in a bid to support home ownership and improve the fairness of the tax system. Outside of those headline changes, targeted cost-of-living support was announced for Australian workers, including a $250 Working Australians Tax Offset, while businesses also received some relief thanks to the $20,000 instant asset write-off being made permanent, alongside loss relief reforms for companies. Key Budget tax announcements Capital gains tax reform From 1 July 2027, the 50% capital gains tax discount (which was introduced back in 1999) will be replaced by cost base indexation for assets held for more than 12 months, with a 30% minimum tax imposed on most net capital gains. All CGT assets – including pre-1985 CGT assets – held by individuals, trusts and partnerships are affected by these changes. However, transitional arrangements mean the reforms only apply to gains accruing on or after 1 July 2027. Gains on pre-1985 assets accrued before 1 July 2027 will remain CGT exempt. Investors in new residential properties will be able to choose either the 50% CGT discount, or cost base indexation and the minimum tax. Negative gearing curbed Under the current system, losses from a rental property can be used to reduce other forms of taxable income (e.g. salary and wages) in a process that’s known as negative gearing. From 1 July 2027, losses related to established residential investment properties purchased from 7.30pm AEST 12 May 2026 will only be deductible against rental income or capital gains from residential property. Excess losses will be carried forward for offset against residential property income in future years. This change applies to individuals, partnerships, companies and most trusts. Superannuation funds, including SMSFs, are excluded from the changes. Investors in established residential properties acquired prior to 7:30pm AEST 12 May 2026 can continue to apply the current negative gearing rules until the property is sold. Properties purchased between announcement and 30 June 2027 may be negatively geared during this period, but not from 1 July 2027. A specific carve out is included for investments in eligible new builds, which can continue to be negatively geared before and after 1 July 2027 (i.e. current negative gearing rules remain in place). Individuals A new, permanent Working Australians Tax Offset of $250 will apply from 1 July 2027, available to those who derive income from work, such as employees and sole traders. Originally announced during the 2025 Federal election and reconfirmed at the Federal Budget, a $1,000 instant tax deduction is to be introduced from 1 July 2026, benefitting Australian tax residents who have low work-related deductions. Importantly, there will be no substantiation requirements to claim the deduction. Individuals with work-related expenses over $1,000, or who earn only business or investment income, can continue to claim their deductions in the usual way. While not a new Federal Budget measure, already-legislated changes in personal tax rates will shortly come into effect. From 1 July 2026, the tax rate that applies to taxable income between $18,201 and $45,000 will reduce from 16% to 15%, falling further to 14% from 1 July 2027. Instant asset write-off now permanent From 1 July 2026, the instant asset write-off is permanently extended to $20,000 for small businesses with turnover up to $10 million. Assets valued at $20,000 or more can continue to be placed into the small business simplified depreciation pool. Loss relief for companies From 1 July 2026, companies with aggregated annual global turnover of less than $1 billion will be able to carry back a tax loss and offset it against tax paid up to two years earlier. This change applies to revenue losses only and will be limited by a company’s franking account balance. Small start-up companies will also be able to access ‘loss refundability’. From 1 July 2028, start‑up companies with aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million that generate a tax loss in their first two years of operation will be able to utilise the loss to generate a refundable tax offset. However, the offset will be limited to the value of fringe benefits tax and withholding tax paid on Australian employee wages in the loss year. Minimum tax on discretionary trusts From 1 July 2028, and subject to certain exceptions, trustees will pay a minimum tax of 30% on the taxable income of discretionary trusts. Beneficiaries, other than corporate beneficiaries, will receive non-refundable credits for the tax payable by the trustee. This change does not apply to other types of trusts (e.g. fixed and widely held trusts (including fixed testamentary trusts), complying superannuation funds, special disability trusts, deceased estates and charitable trusts). Expanded rollover relief will be provided for three years from 1 July 2027 to support small businesses and others that wish to restructure out of discretionary trusts into another entity type, such as a company or a fixed trust. Fringe Benefits Tax and EVs From 1 April 2029, a permanent 25% discount on fringe benefits tax (FBT) will be available for all electric cars valued up to and including the fuel‑efficient luxury car tax threshold. All electric cars valued up to and including $75,000 that are provided before 1 April 2029 continue to be eligible for a 100% discount on FBT. Electric cars valued above $75,000 and up to and including the fuel‑efficient luxury car tax threshold that are provided between 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2029 will be eligible for a 25% discount on FBT. Administration Expansion of the ATO’s pilot of ‘dynamic’ pay as you go (PAYG) instalment calculations, with expanded access to monthly payments. From 1 July 2027, small and medium businesses can opt in to reporting and paying PAYG instalments monthly and to using an ATO-approved calculation embedded in accounting software to calculate and vary their instalments. Taxpayers with a demonstrated history of non‑compliance will also be required to report and pay PAYG instalments monthly. The Government has also confirmed that it will work with the states and territories to harmonise payroll tax administrative arrangements.
Should Contracting Doctors in Private Practice Use a Discretionary Trust or Operate as Sole Traders

Should Contracting Doctors in Private Practice Use a Discretionary Trust or Operate as Sole Traders?

By Clarke McEwan • May 12, 2026
Structures for Doctors in Private Practice by Clarke McEwan Chartered Accountants - Qld's Medical Tax Experts

The ATO Targets FBT on Work Vehicles: Don’t Let Assumptions Cost You

By Clarke McEwan • April 23, 2026
The ATO is turning up the heat on employers who provide work vehicles for private use. Sophisticated data-matching means assumptions and shortcuts can quickly lead to audits, penalties, interest charges—and even reputational damage. You can see the latest ATO FBT audit warning here: Misreporting FBT on personal use of work vehicles | Australian Taxation Office If you provide vehicles to your team, whether to support fieldwork, boost morale, or offer a valuable perk, now is the time to ensure your FBT reporting is watertight. Here’s what the ATO is focusing on—and how to protect your business. Don’t Assume Dual-Cab Utes Are Automatically Exempt Dual-cab utes are popular in trades and construction, but despite popular opinion, they’re not automatically FBT-free. Whether an FBT exemption applies can depend on the vehicle’s design and also how it is used across the FBT year. Even if a ute is designed to carry a load of at least 1 tonne (ie, it is not classified as a car for FBT purposes) or it isn’t designed mainly to carry passengers (there is a specific formula used for this purpose) FBT could still be triggered if there is some private use of the ute. The ATO has identified many cases where employers wrongly claimed full FBT exemptions, leading to back taxes plus interest. The best way to handle ATO enquiries around the FBT exemption for commercial vehicles is to ensure that appropriate evidence is already in place to support the application of that exemption. While the FBT rules don’t specifically require formal logbooks when looking at this exemption, failing to keep records that are similar to a logbook can make it difficult to navigate ATO review or audit activities. Accurately Apportion Private vs Business Use If a full FBT exemption doesn’t apply then FBT is typically calculated on private use of work vehicles. You need to determine what portion of running costs—fuel, maintenance, depreciation—relates to personal trips. Ignoring this step can seem harmless but can quickly escalate during an audit. Thorough record-keeping and proper apportioning can sometimes reduce your FBT liability even if the vehicle is used mainly for business purposes. Remember that if a FBT liability is triggered it is the employer’s problem. Lodging FBT Returns Even if you think the FBT liability for the year might be small or immaterial, you might find that there is still an obligation to lodge an FBT return. The ATO’s analytics flag non-lodgers automatically. Penalties can reach up to 200% of the tax owed, plus interest. Tip: Mark your calendar—FBT returns are due May 21 each year. Timely filing keeps your business compliant and avoids cash flow shocks. Keep Reliable Logbooks and Records A valid logbook tracks odometer readings, trip purposes, and business-use percentages over a 12-week period (renewable every five years). While not every scenario involving a motor vehicle specifically requires a valid logbook, failing to keep logbooks can sometimes lead to significant FBT liabilities that could otherwise have been avoided. Efficiency tip: Digital logbook apps simplify tracking, save time, and reduce errors. Good records can also support deductions. Why it Matters Commercially Non-compliance isn’t just a numbers game. ATO audits divert time and energy from running your business, and ATO attention can affect your reputation with clients, partners, or lenders. Conversely, getting FBT right ensures you pay only what’s required, protects cash flow, and may even reveal tax efficiencies. Next steps: Review your vehicle policies, update records, and ask us if you need help. We help businesses manage FBT with confidence—making compliance straightforward and stress-free. Remember: assumptions can be costly, but a proactive approach protects your business, your people, and your peace of mind.

Key Lessons from the Kilgour Case: Smarter Valuations in Business Sale Transactions

By Clarke McEwan • April 23, 2026
When selling a business—or even a slice of one—how you value the assets involved can have a major impact on the tax bill. A recent Full Federal Court decision, Kilgour v Commissioner of Taxation [2025] FCAFC 183, offers timely guidance on how “market value” is really determined for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes. When preparing for transactions, restructures or potential exit events, the case is a useful reminder: valuations must reflect real commercial conditions, not just theoretical models. What Happened? In 2016, three family trusts sold 100% of the shares in Punters Paradise Pty Ltd, an online wagering business, to News Corp for approximately $31 million. The ownership split was: Pettett Trust – 60% Kilgour Family Trust – 20% Reuhl Family Trust – 20% The sale was negotiated at arm’s length, involved extensive due diligence, and included a working-capital adjustment after completion. The minority beneficiaries (20% holders) sought to use the small business CGT concessions, which in this case required the seller’s net assets to be below $6 million. To fall below the threshold, they argued their 20% minority interests should be heavily discounted in value—because a small holding is usually worth less on a standalone basis. The ATO disagreed, saying each 20% parcel formed part of a coordinated 100% sale and should simply be valued as 20% of the final $31 million deal price. The Court agreed with the ATO. How the Court Approached Market Value The Court applied the long-standing “willing buyer/willing seller” principles from Spencer v Commonwealth—but with a modern, commercial twist. Two practical messages emerge: 1. Real-world expectations matter more than rigid valuation dates Although the tax rules in this area require looking at value “just before” signing the sale contract, the Court said you cannot ignore things that were reasonably predictable at that point. Here, the sale was essentially locked in through negotiations, so the final agreed price was the best evidence of market value. Practical takeaway: If a purchaser is clearly willing to pay a premium—for control, synergies, strategic value or expansion opportunities—those factors will likely shape the valuation for tax purposes. 2. Actual deal terms beat theoretical discounts The taxpayers tried to argue for a typical “minority discount”. However, the Court said the real commercial context matters more: All shareholders intended to sell together The buyer wanted all the shares, not bits and pieces. A coordinated, 100% sale typically lifts the value of each parcel. Because of that, the hypothetical buyer would not insist on a discount. The minority interests effectively rode on the value of the full-stake sale. Practical takeaway: When shareholders act collectively, the tax valuation of each interest can increase—sometimes significantly. What This Means for Business Owners Don’t undervalue your stake - If the buyer is pursuing synergies or control, your interest might be worth more than a textbook minority valuation suggests. Make sure your advisers consider the wider commercial picture. Evidence is everything - Keep thorough records such as negotiations, emails, valuations, buyer motivations. These can be powerful in supporting your tax position and accessing concessions. Plan CGT concession eligibility early - If you’re relying on the small business concessions, test different deal scenarios before signing any contracts or other paperwork, including a heads of agreement. Sometimes restructuring ownership or staging a sale can make a material difference, but integrity and anti-avoidance rules in the tax system still need to be considered carefully. Align shareholder expectations - In family groups and private companies, minority owners often assume their shares will be valued as a standalone piece. Kilgour shows that courts will often look at the transaction as a whole—not each slice in isolation. The Bottom Line  Kilgour reinforces that valuations for tax purposes work best when they reflect the real commercial world, not theoretical models. Before you sell, restructure or negotiate with a potential buyer, involve your accountant early. A well-supported valuation can mean the difference between accessing valuable CGT concessions—or missing out.

A Wake-Up Call for Family Businesses on Fringe Benefits Tax

By Clarke McEwan • April 23, 2026
As Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) lodgement season approaches, family businesses should carefully review the perks they provide to working directors and family members. A high-profile case involving luxury vehicles provided to three brothers who run a large business empire through a discretionary trust highlights the complexities — and potential risks — of informal arrangements. While the case initially appeared to expand FBT exposure, the latest decision handed down by the Full Federal Court offers reassurance that not all benefits provided to working owners will automatically trigger FBT. What may seem like harmless "owner entitlements" or beneficiary perks can still attract scrutiny from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). However, the courts have emphasised the importance of substance, documentation, and the capacity in which benefits are provided. The Background Three brothers operate a substantial business involving petrol stations, convenience stores, fast food, tobacco outlets, and gift shops. They serve as shareholders, directors, and key decision-makers (with powers as appointors under the trust deed), working long hours in executive-style roles without drawing formal cash salaries or wages. Profits and benefits flow through the family discretionary trust (SFT Trust), of which their corporate trustee (SEPL Pty Ltd) is the trustee. The brothers and family members are beneficiaries. The business provided them with exclusive access to over 40 luxury and high-performance vehicles (including Bentleys and Ferraris) for both business and personal use. Costs associated with personal use were debited to the matriarch’s beneficiary account and later cleared by trust distributions — a mechanism consistent with beneficiary entitlements rather than employment remuneration. The ATO assessed FBT on the private use component of these car benefits, arguing they were fringe benefits provided to the brothers as "employees" in respect of their employment. What the Court Decided The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) initially ruled in favour of the taxpayer ( Re BQKD and Commissioner of Taxation [2024] AATA 1796). It found that the brothers were not "employees" for FBT purposes and that, even on a hypothetical basis, the vehicle benefits were not provided "in respect of" any employment. The benefits were instead linked to their capacities as beneficiaries, proprietors, and controlling family members. The Commissioner appealed to a single judge of the Federal Court, who in June 2025 ( Commissioner of Taxation v SEPL Pty Ltd as trustee of the SFT Trust [2025] FCA 581) allowed the appeal. Justice O'Sullivan held that the brothers were employees under the broad FBT definitions (including via the hypothetical deeming rule in s 137 of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 (Cth) — FBTAA) and that the benefits were provided in respect of their employment. The taxpayer then appealed to the Full Federal Court. On 27 March 2026, in SEPL Pty Ltd as trustee of the SFT Trust v Commissioner of Taxation [2026] FCAFC 36 (Perry, O’Callaghan and Thawley JJ), the Full Court unanimously allowed the appeal. The Full Federal Court basically restored the AAT's decision. Key findings: Employee status: It was open to the AAT to conclude the brothers were not "employees" for FBT purposes. The definitions of "employee" and "salary or wages" ultimately draw on common law concepts of employment. The AAT properly considered factors such as the absence of employment contracts, no wages or leave entitlements, the presence of employed managers for operational roles, and the brothers' control being referable to their proprietorial and governance roles rather than traditional employment. "In respect of" employment: Even assuming (hypothetically) that the brothers were employees, it was open to the AAT to find there was no sufficient material connection between the benefits and any employment relationship. Here, access to the vehicles was not a substitute for salary or wages. The AAT correctly weighed competing explanations and found the benefits arose primarily from family/trust relationships, not employment. Why This Matters for Your Business The case underscores the ATO's ongoing focus on dual-capacity individuals (e.g., directors who are also beneficiaries and active workers in trust structures). However, the Full Court's reasoning provides important boundaries:  Informal perks for working family members in discretionary trusts are not automatically subject to FBT. Substance and documentation matter: How benefits are provided, funded, and recorded (e.g., via trust distributions vs. remuneration) can help in determining the outcome. Common law employment concepts remain relevant in interpreting FBT definitions. Blending roles does not inevitably trigger FBT if the dominant characterisation is beneficiary-based. Family businesses should still exercise caution. The ATO may continue to scrutinise similar arrangements, particularly where benefits appear to represent a substitute for remuneration or lack clear documentation. Superannuation contributions or executive titles can sometimes support employee characterisation, though they were not decisive here. Practical Steps to Protect Your Business Don't wait for an audit—review your arrangements now: Document clearly: If a benefit is a trust distribution to a beneficiary, record it via trustee resolutions. If it's tied to work duties, treat it as a fringe benefit and calculate FBT accordingly. Or confirm why they fall outside the regime. Consider FBT properly: Apply statutory formulas or operating cost methods for cars. Employee contributions (e.g., reimbursing personal use) can reduce or eliminate liability. Consider exemptions/concessions: Minor benefits under $300, or salary packaging for EVs, might help. Audit overlaps: We also need to check for Division 7A loan issues or deemed dividends if benefits flow through private companies. Plan proactively: With ATO focus intensifying (as highlighted in recent compliance updates), model scenarios to minimise tax without losing commercial perks. Remember that if the ATO discovers some unreported FBT liabilities then the business can also be exposed to penalties and interest. The SEPL case ultimately favours the taxpayer and reinforces that FBT does not capture every benefit provided to working owners in family trust structures. However, every arrangement turns on its specific facts and evidence. If your business provides vehicles, phones, travel, or other perks to family members actively involved in operations — especially without formal salaries — now is a good time to review. Our team can help analyse your structures, run FBT calculations or risk assessments, and implement practical fixes to protect profits while maintaining flexibility. The law in this area is fact-sensitive and continues to evolve. Professional advice tailored to your circumstances is essential.
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