With Christmas just around the corner, now is the time to show your appreciation to your current high-value clients to help retain them and also encourage referrals or future work, with Christmas gifts.
Many businesses choose to take some clients out for lunches, but this isn’t actually the wisest choice, since it isn’t tax-deductible. The ATO applies certain rules to gift-giving, which allows for some to be claimed as a tax deduction for your business.
Gifts given to former or current clients must be given with the intention of generating future income to be claimable. They cannot be given for a personal reason, such as because they are a friend. Find out which gifts are and are not deductible today and start writing up that Christmas list!
Gifts That Are Tax-Deductible
Gifts that are not entertainment related, and have been gifted with the intention of generating future income are deductible in the ATO’s eyes.
Let’s say you are a builder and you want to gift a hamper to your highest value clients that completed a project with you in 2021, to encourage referrals. This gift is tax-deductible as it is not ‘personal’ and it has the intention to generate future income.
Gifts That Are Not Tax-Deductible
Any gifts that are considered entertainment or are personal, with no intention of generating future income, are not tax-deductible.
For example, if you have a client that is a good friend of yours and you decided to send them a bottle of wine, that is not tax-deductible as it is considered a personal gift.
What are some good client Christmas Gift ideas, we hear you ask?
It is often a good idea to send gifts that have some sort of branding material attached so that it resonates with your client who the gift is from. However, these take time to plan ahead! Here are some ideas that will be appreciated by your clients:
- Customised cookies
- Christmas hamper
- Wine
- Champagne
- Branded keep cups
- Office plant
- Branded candles
- Customised wine glasses
- Cocktail kit
Want to check if your gift is going to be tax-deductible before you commit to purchasing them for your clients? Contact our team at support@walkerhill.com.au or give us a call on 1300 941 458.
