Professions

• If you account for income tax on a cash/receipts basis, you can also account for GST on a cash basis.
   
• Specified health services are GST-free if they are provided by recognised professional practitioners.
   
• Professional advice of lawyers, accountants, etc, is taxable.
   
• Professional or trade qualification courses are GST-free.
   
• The $200 certificates granted to small and medium enterprises may be used in obtaining financial, legal, IT, accounting or training services.
   
• Heavy penalties for committing price exploitation also apply to persons who are "knowingly" concerned in the offence, or who "aid and abet" it, for example business advisers.
   
• GST is not expected to apply to genuine pro bono work.
   
• A professional practice may form a GST group with its service entity.
   
• Branch offices may be registered separately.
   
• Retainers entered into before 1 July 2000 will need to take GST into account if they extend beyond that date.
   
• If you purchase something as agent for a client, the input tax credit is attributed to the client.
   
• The Commissioner's information-gathering powers are limited by the doctrine of legal professional privilege.