Towards the end of the fringe benefits tax (FBT) year, our Customer Care team are busy helping our customers prepare for 31 March when salary packaging cards must have a zero balance. We receive a huge volume of calls and emails during this period, so we thought it might be helpful to share some of the most commonly asked questions right here.
I don’t have any CBB cards as my salary packaging funds are paid to a regular payment. Do I need to have a zero balance by the end of the FBT year?
If your salary packaging funds are reimbursed to your bank account or paid to a home loan, personal loan, credit card, rent, etc., your salary packaging account is regarded as having a zero balance at the end of FBT already.
When do I need to spend all of the funds on my salary packaging accounts/cards?
ATO guidelines state that your salary packaging account and any cards (CBB Salary Packaging Card and/or CBB Meal Entertainment and Holiday Accommodation Card) should have a zero balance before 31 March each year. To be safe, you should plan to spend it a few days before so that the funds can fully clear.
Why do I need a zero balance on my salary packaging account/cards by 31 March? What happens if I don’t spend it in time?
If you do not have a zero balance by 31 March, the amount you can salary package in the following FBT year may be reduced because any money left on the card will be carried over. For example, if at 31 March you have a balance of $650 on your CBB Meal Entertainment and Holiday Accommodation Card, the amount you can package onto your card in the following FBT year is $2,000, rather than the maximum benefit amount of $2,650.
Plus, this could affect any regular payments (rent, mortgage, bills, etc) that are paid from your salary packaging funds. Basically, having a zero balance on your salary packaging account/cards by 31 March will enable you to continue packaging the maximum benefit available to you.
How can I check my balance?
To check your Salary Packaging Card and/or your Meal Entertainment and Holiday Accommodation Card:
If you still have questions about FBT (or other salary packaging matters), you can find more FAQs on our website.
