Christmas Business Expenses
3932POSTED:
GRA Blogs
Articles by Anthony Strevens
It’s that time of year again and even for those who have been locked up for the last three months, the ability to get out and about for Christmas parties and lunches is back on the menu. But as a business owner, can you claim all of those Christmas expenses?
The answer is that the majority will fall under the “entertainment” expenditure banner and therefore will either be 50% deductible or 100% deductible.
Here are some common examples:
Christmas Party
Whether your party is on-site or off-site, expenses associated with your staff Christmas Party including the food, drink and all other related costs like bringing in the latest DJ and hiring bouncy castles will only be 50% deductible. This will also apply to lunches and dinners that you take colleagues out for.
Gifts to Staff
Gifts of food and drinks, including vouchers for suppliers of food and drinks (e.g. liquor shops and supermarkets) will only be 50% deductible.
Other gifts should be 100% deductible. However, if the gifts are over $300 in total for the October to December quarter, then fringe benefit tax (FBT) will be payable. This shouldn’t be a big problem if you are already registered for FBT and filing returns, but you are unlikely to want to register for FBT just for this purpose.
Christmas Bonuses
A bonus payment of money to staff should simply be treated as wages and declared in your PAYE return. So therefore it will be 100% deductible.
Gifts to Clients
Gifts to clients will be 100% deductible. However if the gifts are food or beverages then they will only be 50% deductible.
If in doubt about claiming Christmas expenses, get in touch with your Client Services Manager at GRA to clarify. Or if you are not already a client, request a meeting to see how we can help.
Merry Christmas!
Anthony Strevens
Business Advisory Director
© Gilligan Rowe & Associates LP
Did you like this article? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive tips, updates and useful information to help you protect your assets and grow your net worth. We're expert accountants providing expert advice to clients in NZ and around the world.
Did you like this article? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive tips, updates and useful information to help you protect your assets and grow your net worth. We're expert accountants providing expert advice to clients in NZ and around the world.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide only a summary of the issues associated with the topics covered. It does not purport to be comprehensive nor to provide specific advice. No person should act in reliance on any statement contained within this article without first obtaining specific professional advice. If you require any further information or advice on any matter covered within this article, please contact the author.
Comments
Testimonials
We want to thank you and your team for preparing these accounts for us. We have never been given such a detailed and extensive set of accounts in our lives! We’re very grateful and impressed with the amount of data you and your team have captured, deciphered and presented in such a professional manner. Thanks!
- Al & Michelle, September 2021
Gilligan Rowe and Associates is a chartered accounting firm specialising in property, asset planning, legal structures, taxation and compliance.
We help new, small and medium property investors become long-term successful investors through our education programmes and property portfolio planning advice. With our deep knowledge and experience, we have assisted hundreds of clients build wealth through property investment.
Learn More
Free Resources, Tools & Downloads
