'Real' Impact is the Future of Business Every business wants to grow. More customers. More revenue. More influence. But in today’s world, growth alone is not enough. Customers, employees and even investors are looking for something else — impact. Not just words. Real, measurable change. And businesses that integrate impact into their operations don’t just make a difference. They thrive. Why Impact is a Business Advantage It’s easy to talk about purpose. It’s harder to prove impact. But here’s what’s happening right now: Consumers are choosing companies that deliver impact. ( 77% of people prefer to buy from businesses that make a difference. ) Employees aren’t just working for a paycheck — they want to see the impact of their efforts. ( Companies with strong impact-driven cultures have 40% higher retention rates. ) Investors aren’t just looking at profits — they’re looking at sustainability and long-term impact. ( ESG investments have doubled in the past five years. ) It’s not about charity. It’s about how businesses create value beyond transactions — value that builds trust, drives loyalty, and generates sustainable growth. Impact is Measurable. Purpose is Not. A purpose statement sounds nice. But impact is what actually moves the needle. Purpose says: “We care about education.” Impact says: “Every client payment funds a day of education for a child.” Purpose says: “We support sustainability.” Impact says: “Every product we sell gets plastic waste removed from the ocean.” Purpose says: “We believe in giving back.” Impact says: “We’ve provided 500,000 meals through our business operations.” See the difference? One is abstract. The other is real. And customers, employees and stakeholders respond to what they can see, measure and experience. How Business Owners Can Build Impact into Everyday Operations The best part? You don’t need a massive budget or a full-time CSR team to make an impact. It starts with small, strategic decisions that drive measurable change: Tie impact to transactions. (eg “For every invoice paid, we provide clean water to a family in need.”) Measure and share results. (Show real numbers—customers and employees trust businesses that prove their impact.) Make it visible. (Incorporate impact stories into marketing, team meetings, and investor reports.) Engage your employees. (Let your team be part of the impact—they’ll stay longer and perform better.) Because impact isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a growth strategy. The Businesses That Lead With Impact Will Lead the Future Customers are more informed than ever. They can see through vague promises and generic mission statements. What they want is proof. And businesses that deliver measurable impact (not just words) are the ones that will win. So, the question is: What impact is your business creating today? Because if you can see it, measure it, and share it—it’s not just a feel-good idea. It’s real. It’s business. And it’s the future. Your Next Step: Make Impact Your Competitive Advantage Ready to turn your purpose into measurable impact? Contact Collins Hume to start building a business that truly makes a difference. About Collins Hume's Impact and Legacy At Collins Hume, success means more than financial growth — it means creating meaningful, lasting impact. Through global initiatives like being Climate Neutral, 1% for the Planet and B1G1, every time you work with us you're contributing to real change — from restoring sight and supporting farmers to protecting native habitats. Because when businesses give back, everyone moves forward. Read more here » This article was first published by B1G1 on LinkedIn as Real Impact Is the Future of Business by B1G1 on LinkedIn . (March 2025)

Understanding the Real Cost of Support at Home from July As 1 July rapidly approaches, we are seeing more detail from the Government around the changes to residential and home care – particularly around how aged care will be funded and who pays for it. Let’s take a closer look at home care … or Support at Home as it’s going to be known. Right now, people get assessed and approved for a home care package. The funding is provided by the Government to a client-nominated home care services provider. The provider (typically) charges a 30% to 35% combined administration and case management fee then provides a range of home care services at varying hourly rates. The Government assesses your ability to pay an income tested fee towards the selected services.   Enter the new world … Support at Home The Government will pay the client-nominated service provider 10% of the selected package value towards care management services. So where does the provider make up the funding difference? The services provided to you will be classified into three service groups: clinical care, independence and everyday living. Clinical care will be totally funded by the Government with no co-contribution for you to pay regardless of whether you are on a full- or part-pension or a self-funded retiree. A means test that looks at your assets and income will determine your contributions towards independence and everyday living services. The co-contribution for independence services will range from 5% for full pensioners to 50% for self-funded retirees, and for everyday living it will be between 17.5% for full pensioners and 80% for self-funded retirees. To assist providers with hourly service rates, the Government recently released a report showing “indicative” prices. Some of the rates make for interesting reading. Below is a worked example that I recently came across of what this might look like. Shirley is a self-funded retiree who will receive a Level 5 Support at Home package which provides $40,000 a year of funding. This is what her package might look like: 1 hour a week of nursing and allied health, costing $9,880 – Shirley will pay $0 3 hours a week of independence services at a cost of around $13,000 – Shirley will pay $6,500 a year (50% of $13,000) 3 hours a week of help with everyday living at a cost of $15,600 – Shirley will pay $12,480 a year (80% of $15,600) In summary, for 7 hours of services over the week (less than 1 hour a day), Shirley will need to pay almost $19,000 a year … and the Government will pay the rest ($21,000 a year). Is it worth it?   If Support at Home provides the care and support people need to live independently in their own home for longer … it may very well be a worthwhile investment. It’s going to require people to really think long and hard about what care and support they need now and into the future and where to get that care and support from … either via the Support at Home program or privately somewhere else or a combination of both.  This is where Family Aged Care Advocates can work with you to help you make this assessment and decisions.  How Family Aged Care Advocates (FACA) work Family Aged Care Advocates guide you and your family through this ever-changing aged care maze so you can clearly understand what all these changes exactly mean for your particular situation. Mistakes or misunderstandings can be costly and time-consuming to fix. Feel free to visit FACA at www.familyagedcareadvocates.com.au  or call Shane Hayes on 0411 264 002. Shane Hayes Family Aged Care Advocates

As the urban sprawl continues in most major Australian cities, we are often asked to advise on the tax treatment of subdivision projects. Before jumping in and committing to anything, it is important to understand the tax liabilities that might arise from these projects. Unfortunately, many people make incorrect assumptions about the way that subdivision projects will be taxed, often believing that any tax exposure will be minimal. However, the reality is that there are a number of important issues that need to be considered and that could have a significant impact on the overall profitability of the project. For example, when someone buys a property with the intention of subdividing it into smaller lots and selling them at a profit in the short term this will normally mean that any profit is taxed as ordinary income, rather than being taxed under the CGT rules. This means that the general CGT discount would not be available to reduce the tax liability, even if the property has been held for more than 12 months and it would not be possible to apply capital losses to reduce the taxable amount. Also, in situations like this the sale of the subdivided lots will often trigger a GST liability, further reducing any after-tax profits generated from the project. Many people fail to properly estimate the income tax and GST liabilities that will arise from property projects and can end up with a nasty shock when they realise the impact this has on the economic viability of the project. The ATO has recently updated its guidance in this area, adding a number of new and practical examples to demonstrate how the tax rules will typically apply. The ATO’s examples cover the income tax and GST consequences of common property transactions such as property flipping, subdivision projects and property development activities. For example, in one of the examples the ATO looks at a scenario where the taxpayer repeatedly buys, renovates and sells properties. They engage in market research, seeking professional advice, taking out business loans, and then carrying out renovations in a business-like manner. The ATO takes the view that the taxpayer is running a business, since the taxpayer’s primary intention is to make a profit from the renovations and reselling of the property. The profits are treated as ordinary income and taxed on revenue account. The CGT provisions don’t apply here since the property is held as trading stock. However, GST doesn’t apply on this particular situation as long as the properties have not undergone “substantial renovations”, which needs to be considered carefully. On the other hand, in another example the ATO deals with a taxpayer who subdivides the vacant land from their main residence because of ill health and growing debt levels. Since they didn’t initially intend to profit from the subdivision and sale of the vacant land, the sale is viewed as the mere realisation of a capital asset rather than a business venture. The activities related to the subdivision are limited to necessary actions for council approval, reflecting a low level of complexity and small scale. The sale of the subdivided lot is taxed on capital account under the CGT rules, qualifying for the general CGT discount if the land has been held for more than 12 months. However, the main residence exemption cannot apply because the land is not being sold together with the dwelling that has been used as the taxpayer’s main residence. You can find the ATO’s guide and examples here » Need tax support or have property questions? Talk with Collins Hume in Ballina on 02 6686 3000 about maximising your outcomes and reducing your risk.

Collins Hume | We have one focus — YOU —with us, you'll be looking way beyond the traditional horizons most accountants are restricted to. MISSION. Well, in case you missed it, it’s just a 3-letter word: YOU And we do that in a way that makes us and the people in our team (and you) feel great, too. We give our clients something great to belong to - something they feel great about . Let's Talk

Collins Hume | YOU. That’s all we focus on. You, your family, your wealth and the legacy you (and we) leave. That’s it. Join us on this amazing journey. YOU. That’s all we focus on. You, your family, your wealth, your business and the legacy you (and we) leave. That’s it. Join us on this amazing journey. Let's Begin NEWS. 1 2 3 4 5 Our purpose is to inspire business owners to achieve success in powerful and meaningful ways. Giving. Always give more than we receive. Inspiring. Today and every day, we will inspire others to achieve their best. Caring. We care for our team, clients and everyone we connect with. Lifestyle. We work to live, not live to work. Make it enjoyable and meaningful in every way.

Collins Hume | We have one focus — YOU —with us, you'll be looking way beyond the traditional horizons most accountants are restricted to. Let's TALK Ballina Location