this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2025
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Does anyone here have tips about doing side gigs on an ABN? I created one for shits and giggles a couple of years ago but never used it. Now an opportunity might have come up where an org wants me to do a sort of training/workshop thing for a few employees. I intend for it to be a once off (maybe a second session at best) - set scope, hours, lump sum - but idk how I should be reporting all of this in terms of tax and what documents to generate and keep.
I guess my ABN should be on the quote and invoice... GST?! and do I issue a receipt... I will Google things after dinner but if anyone has any personal tips (esp anything that's easy to overlook) I'd be very grateful.
E: now I'm getting truly lost in the weeds with personal services income and whatever. Geez. I'm glad most of my income is from a job at a company
Check your employment agreement - it might say you need need your employer's permission to have a side gig.
You have to issue invoices with your ABN on them. I use Xero for my invoicing, but my side gig is my whole gig so it's worth paying for proper accounting software. There's probably a cheaper (or free) option out there for creating invoices.
If you're not registered for GST as well, then I think you don't need to charge any GST for your services (do a check on this). GST reg is needed if you'll earn over $75k in a year.
You declare the income for your side gigs in your tax return and pay tax to ATO at that point.
Thanks heaps for the advice. Yes I've already run this one past my employers and they're good (actually shockingly good considering the details).
Really don't intend to do this more than as isolated one offs so I think I'll find something free. Won't earn 75k+ a year from it either but I'll have a look into what services attract GST etc.
So the tax only gets paid at tax time, not progressively... That's good, I might keep this extra income as a buffer and when it comes to June 2026 I'll probably throw it into super to reduce marginal tax on it. If it works like that.
Thanks once again, personal experience is really helpful!
This is correct re GST. If you start getting towards breaching 75k in a year you have to register for gst. Before that you just write clearly on the invoice that no GST is charged (so they know how to put it through for their BAS). https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/gst-excise-and-indirect-taxes/gst/registering-for-gst
That's great. The client is definitely going to want an invoice that complies with all their business... accounting... thingos so I was worried I'd have to charge GST, but it looks like I don't and just stating that will make it work nicely. Thanks!