What is Personal Services Income?

Not sure if you’re earning personal services income or conducting a personal services business? Special rules apply to PSI.

Personal services income (PSI) is income received as payment for individual personal efforts and skills. It applies to many contractors who provide services as their means of earning an income. PSI rules can apply to individual sole traders and other types of business entities, but not employees. If PSI rules apply, the entity is called a personal services entity (PSE).

The PSI rules ensure the income is attributed to the individual who performed the services and not apportioned across other entities.

There are several tests to work out if your income is PSI or if you are instead conducting a personal services business (PSB). Which means the PSI rules don’t apply. If a personal services entity qualifies as a PSB, the ordinary tax rules apply for that financial year.

At least one of these tests must be satisfied for an entity to be classified as a PSB:

Results test

The individual must be paid to produce a result. He/She is required to supply their own equipment and tools to produce that result. The individual is also liable for the cost of rectifying defects in the work.

Unrelated clients test: the sole trader or entity must be engaged by unrelated clients. In addition, services must be advertised to the public.

Employment test

In general, a sole trader or other entity must engage one or more entities to perform at least 20% of the sole trader’s principal work. Entities other than individuals must not be associated with the sole trader.

Business premises test

The entity must maintain and use business premises to conduct personal services. The business premises must be exclusively used by the PSE and physically separate from private premises and customers.

If more than 80% of income in a financial year is derived from one customer, the PSE must satisfy the results test to be classified as a PSB.

If none of the four tests are met, the income is classified as personal services income, and the PSI taxation rules apply. PSI rules restrict the type of allowable tax deductions made in relation to PSI-earning activities.

If you’d like to know more about PSI, talk to us.

And just in case you wonder how we can assist, check out our list of services here.

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We’ve Helped These Clients Focus Less On Their Finances, And More On Their Purpose

Here’s what they had to say:

We have had an enduring
relationship because Clare goes
beyond being just a “service
provider”.

The team at Purposely are always
invested in my clients and my own
organisations success. They partner
with their customers, accountants
and auditors to deliver tailored
solutions and they are always
proactive in their approach. If you are
looking for dedication and a long-
term partnership, these are the guys
for you.

Varis K.

VLK Accounting

We engaged with Clare and the
team to bring our organisation
into the cloud and we haven’t
looked back since.

It’s now 4 years down the track and
the Purposely team continue to
provide such an invaluable service to
our business. They understand the
complexities of working with remote
organisations and they handle
everything we need with the greatest
sensitivity. From bookkeeping, to
payroll to assisting us with all our
audit queries. They have changed the
way we operate for the better.

Anna and Steve H.

Noonkanbah Aboriginal Corporation

Purposely has looked after my
business for a long time now and
I am very happy with the service.

They are very professional and I know
things are always up to date. Clare
and her staff are great to deal with
and I trust them, that’s important. I
would not be in business today if I did
not find them.

Les R.

Quic Dig (WA) Pty Ltd

Nothing is too much trouble!

I have never felt so supported in
business… Since joining forces with
Purposely, I have become more
financially aware, have a much better
understanding of my own business
and my cash flow has improved
tenfold. [They] really have my
business’s best interests at heart.

Kellie G.

A* Star Cleanings

Purposely have been 
(and remain) invaluable to us in
making sure that this part of our
business is handled efficiently 
and with careful attention
to detail.

Paying our casual workers on time is
critical to the success of our business.
Mistakes and delays are not easy to
absorb in a small business and it’s a
great comfort to us that Purposely 
feel the same way. Timely, accurate
advice to help our business run
smoothly!

Dirima C.

Dortch & Cuthbert Trading Trust

The integrity of the Purposely
team is beyond question and we
know we can always rely on them
to prioritise the best interests of
our organisation.

Marrugeku engaged with Purposely in
2017 to handle all our bookkeeping
and payroll requirements. They
consistently show up, week in week
out with efficiency and good humour.
Even during the challenging times
faced by the entertainment industry
due to COVID-19, Purposely supported
us all the way. The Purposely team
work hard to manage the complexities 
of payroll for staff in Live
Performance. And each year they
strive to achieve a smooth audit, 
showing their dedication.

Guy B.

Marrugeku Inc.

The team at Purposely has been
a crucial resource to our
business. When we first started
working with them our books
needed dedicated attention.

Purposely did an amazing job at
bringing them up to date, making
things tidy and accurate. The team is
always reliable and consistently get
the work done. While their persistent
reminders may sometimes feel like
hounding, we recognise that it is
precisely what our business needs.
We highly recommend them for their
professionalism and commitment to
delivering results.

Holly G.

Cameron Herbert Constructions Pty Ltd

I have been working with
Purposely for a couple of years
now and in this time the team
has shown significant support to
me and my business.

Their technical expertise has helped me get my business in order leaving me to focus on what I do best. They communicate on a weekly basis so I know where things are at and what is yet to be done. Everything is completed and lodged on time and in full. I trust that they handle my data confidentially and would recommend them to anyone who is seeking the “next level” in terms of a bookkeeper.

Luke D.V.

Swat Suspension Wheel & Tyre Pty Ltd

I’m an exercise physiologist,
extremely busy and very
successful and wouldn’t be
where I am today without the
help of Purposely.

They have saved me a lot of time and
money helping my business to become
more streamlined and efficient, which
has saved me a lot of stress. I would
highly recommend Purposely as they
are very professional and very easy to
deal with.

Chris A.

Chris Anastasios Exercise Physiology

We have been working with Clare
and her team for the last 6 years.

Our initial contact with them came
from the difficulties we faced in
integrating our point of sale system
with our accounting software. We
required someone with technical
expertise to fix this issue, and Clare
immediately got on with the job. Since
then, Clare and her team have shown
commitment to adapt to our evolving
needs and implement effective
systems and processes, all of which
have contributed to enhancing our
overall operations.

Vanessa A.

Think Water Broome

We had no second thoughts on choosing Purposely.

My biggest pain point was not having clarity on the business financials from the previous bookkeepers. It was frustrating to try to communicate with them regarding anything. That’s when we found Purposely (Clare), our first impression was she was very professional and knowledgeable on what she does. We now have clarity, trust and good communication whether it comes to processing the payroll or bookkeeping or even sorting out the invoices. Clare and her team are always there to support and help and simplify things for us.

Bikram P.

Dragonfly Cafe

We have been dealing with Clare and Purposely for over 4 years because they handle the bookkeeping for one of our clients.

We can thoroughly recommend them to anyone that needs an efficient, accurate and easy to work with bookkeeper. We have always found their work to be of the highest quality.

Peter W.

Accounting on Tap Pty Ltd

I have nothing but praise for Clare & the team, they have always bent over backwards to help.

Myself & my business have been involved with Purposely for many years now after our internal Book-keeper decided to retire & suggested I look into what was/is Purposely. Purposely are Kimberley locals & understand how difficult it can be working remotely to run a business in this part of Australia. The team adapted to my requests & business style very quickly and I have to admit I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with due to the remote nature of our work & my lack of computer skills. GND will continue to use Purposely for the foreseeable future of our business.

Sam C.

Great Northern Demolition Pty Ltd

Since we started working with Purposely in 2018, we’ve witnessed their unique approach to bookkeeping which sets them apart.

Their commitment to due diligence and technical expertise exceeds the standards of traditional bookkeeping models. Their thoroughness extends beyond skilful application and experience, encompassing excellent communication with both clients and their accountants/auditors. With an experienced staff member always at hand, they provide a reliable asset to any organization fortunate enough to collaborate with them. Purposely offers an outstanding solution for organizations seeking outsourced financial management, whether it be for partial or comprehensive support.

Desiree M.

Male & Co

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