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Solutions. Service. Value.

dbm horizons is a boutique legal, tax and advisory firm. We work as trusted advisers to businesses and their owners, or with their existing advisers, to provide solutions, the best service but most importantly excellent value. We partner with our clients through all stages of the business life-cycle; start-up, expansion, capital raising, tax audits, exits and retirement. We are a highly experienced team using our experience in big Law and Accounting firms as well as in Commerce to provide practical and value adding solutions under our multidisciplinary banners:

dbm horizons is an incorporated legal practice, a chartered accounting firm and also a registered tax agent which makes us uniquely placed to provide the full complement of services to our clients and their advisers. As a boutique and multi-disciplinary firm, we apply a holistic approach to our client’s advisory needs delivering a seamless service while guaranteeing direct access to the principals of the firm.

Practice Areas

Tax Advisory & Structuring

Tax is invariably the biggest cost in any business and an essential consideration when structuring or acquiring a new business, reorganising a current business or when it’s time to exit the business.

Family Succession & Estate Planning

Tax is invariably the biggest cost in any business and an essential consideration when structuring or acquiring a new business, reorganising a current business or when it’s time to exit the business. 

We work as trusted advisers to businesses and their owners or with their existing advisers through all stages of the business life-cycle; start-up, expansion, capital raising and exits on all areas of taxation including income tax, capital gains tax and indirect taxes.

A core focus and area of expertise for dbm horizons is being involved in business structuring having regard to commercial, taxation, asset protection and business issues and drivers. This incorporates:

  • Best operational structure set up including specialist advice on IP ownership issues and ongoing access to IP including “cross border” licensing and use issues
  • Cross border “in bound” and “out bound” investments
    Specialist “start-up” and growth / expansion structuring advisory
  • Restructuring for changing stakeholder and business circumstances
  • Shareholder agreement / business succession documentation
  • Stakeholder and management buy in and exit
  • Tax consolidations – unique “one stop” for legal and tax accounting issues
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Tax Disputes

At some point in the lifecycle of your business, a tax dispute with the ATO or the OSR may occur. Navigating tax disputes can be like sailing in unchartered waters and that’s when you need an expert to guide you through.

Business Succession & Exits

At some point in the lifecycle of your business, a tax dispute with the ATO or the OSR may occur. Navigating tax disputes can be like sailing in unchartered waters and that’s when you need an expert to guide you through. 

We firmly believe that prevention is better than cure. One of our key drivers is to work with our clients and their advisers to mitigate and manage the risk of a dispute arising with the revenue authorities. This includes ensuring appropriate documentation and evidence is prepared at the time of the transaction or event.

However, where a dispute, sometimes inevitably, does arise it is essential that expert legal representation is engaged early in the process to maximise the probability of success. It is critical for success to understand and have a knowledge of:

  • The underlying tax issues
  • The tax positions of both the taxpayer and the revenue authority
  • The information gathering powers of the revenue authorities and the various powers that may be utilised
  • How to deal with formal and informal information requests and interviews
  • How to formulate responses to ATO with consistent, sufficient and factually accurate information to lower the ATO risk assessment and avoid progression from risk review to audit
  • Which course of action to employ in varying circumstances
  • The impact of voluntary disclosure and minimising penalties and interest

Our philosophy to managing tax disputes is all about ensuring the best outcome for the taxpayer by assessing the risks and likelihood of success and deciding on the most appropriate course of action available to the taxpayer to deal with the dispute. Success to us is favourably settling the matter and never reaching court.

We also have a deep understanding and awareness of the impact an audit and related information gathering can have on the taxpayer and the disruption to their business and their lives. Our key focus is to minimise that disruption and work closely with the taxpayer’s other trusted advisers to a successful resolution as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

To the extent that a dispute is not able to be resolved directly with the revenue authorities we continue to work closely with specialist litigators to a final resolution.

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Trust Solutions

Trusts have been and continue to remain a key vehicle for structuring family businesses. However, ever evolving taxation laws, family and succession issues and business conditions and cycles can inadvertently turn this flexible and effective structure into a tax and legal minefield.

Tax Training

Trusts have been and continue to remain a key vehicle for structuring family businesses. However, ever evolving taxation laws, family and succession issues and business conditions and cycles can inadvertently turn this flexible and effective structure into a tax and legal minefield. 

Trust are highly specialised legal entities and at times they require specialised legal care and attention. We are specialists in:

  • Reviewing and updating trust deeds
  • Preparing specialised resolutions to optimise tax outcomes for business transactions and events in accordance with the trust deed
  • The complexities of the small business CGT concessions applying to trusts
  • Vesting risks and the CGT and income tax implications
  • The specialised duty rules applying to trusts
  • The risks of breaching trustee powers and the potential to invalidate distributions and transactions.

Sometimes trusts outgrow their usefulness. We have significant expertise in:

  • Restructuring and “corporatising” trusts and their business
  • Using CGT rollovers
  • Vesting trusts
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Family Succession & Estate Planning

A sound Family Succession and Estate Plan ensures that your wealth is protected and preserved for the next generation and guards from your family from the impacts of mental health, age and sudden accidents.

Family Succession & Estate Planning

A sound Family Succession and Estate Plan ensures that your wealth is protected and preserved for the next generation and guards from your family from the impacts of mental health, age and sudden accidents.

 

A sound Family Succession and Estate Plan ensures that your wealth is protected and preserved for the next generation and guards from your family from the impacts of mental health, age and sudden accidents.

We work with our clients to prepare a wholistic plan that achieves the outcomes of ensuring your family is taken care off without adverse legal and tax consequences and includes consideration of:

  • Having effective General and Enduring Powers of Attorney in place
  • Dealing with your personal assets in your Will
  • Providing flexibility and protection via Testamentary Trusts
    Dealing with Superannuation assets tax effectively
  • Family trust succession
  • Family Constitutions and Charters
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Business Succession & Exits

Nothing lasts forever. Nor do you want it too. When it is time to move on either through passing the business on to the next generation, involving key employees or selling the business, we will ensure you achieve the best possible outcomes.

Business Succession & Exits

Nothing lasts forever. Nor do you want it too. When it is time to move on either through passing the business on to the next generation, involving key employees or selling the business, we will ensure you achieve the best possible outcomes.

We recognise that for many SME business owners their business value is also their superannuation for retirement which means that maximising the value from a sale or transition is critical to their future quality of life.

Planning for the business exit does not start when you decide to move on – it should be occurring throughout the entire business life-cycle. This includes ensuring everything you do is maximising value on exit.

Specifically we assist with :

  • Establishing the best operating and corporate structure for exit including options for restructuring
  • Consideration of all options for exit
  • Setting up and preparing for a share sale rather than a business sale
  • Early planning and action to “clean out” non-business assets
  • Involving employees through employee share and option scheme arrangements
  • Financial record keeping and reporting
  • Identification of and adjustment for “non-arm’s” length dealings such as below market salaries or “peppercorn” rents and personal use assets
  • Ensuring appropriate legal entitlement to the assets or “rights” that generate the value
  • Preparing for and managing a buyer “due diligence”
  • Family and business succession planning
  • Small business CGT concessions and rollovers
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Tax training

Tax is one of the most certain things in life. The next most certain thing is that tax is constantly changing. As a tax or legal adviser, we can help you and your staff stay up to date.

Tax Training

Tax is one of the most certain things in life. The next most certain thing is that tax is constantly changing. As a tax or legal adviser, we can help you and your staff stay up to date.

We can provide training to all levels of staff. We have a number of suggested topics which are constantly being expanded but are also happy to present on a topic of your choice.

Contact us on info@dbmhorizons.com.au for our latest list of topics and pricing schedule.

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GST & state taxes

Taxes such as GST and stamp duty can make or break a transaction. Getting the right advice during negotiations will ensure the best outcomes and no unexpected surprises.

GST & State Taxes

Taxes such as GST and stamp duty can make or break a transaction. Getting the right advice during negotiations will ensure the best outcomes and no unexpected surprises.

Our areas of expertise include:

  • Stamp duty specifically for trust transactions, business sales, corporate reconstruction exemption and landholder duty issues
  • Payroll tax
  • GST on transactions
  • Specific GST rules relating to property transactions, including characterisation of property for GST purposes and eligibility for margin scheme
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Legal Documentation

Whether it is part of a transaction or a restructure, legal documents are an essential part of the process.

Legal Documentation

Whether it is part of a transaction or a restructure, legal documents are an essential part of the process.

Contact us at info@dbmhorizons.com.au to obtain a detailed schedule and pricing document

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Employment taxes &
employee equity

The most valuable asset of any successful business are people – they can also be the most challenging to manage.

Employment Taxes

The most valuable asset of any successful business are people – they can also be the most challenging to manage.

We can assist you and your advisers to successfully manage the compliance risks and costs of employing people. Our expertise covers the tax and compliance issues associated with:

  • International mobility
  • Fringe benefits
  • Salary packaging
  • Contractor obligations
  • Employee equity and other forms remuneration

We have extensive experience in working with businesses to develop employee equity and executive remuneration schemes including working with boards and management to draft all relevant documentation and ensuring the most tax effective outcomes for both the employer and the employee. This includes:

  • Face to face meetings and workshops with management
  • Comprehensive tax structuring (including start up concessions) and corporations law advice
  • Drafting full plan rules
  • Drafting offer and acceptance documentation
  • Preparing employee information packs and advice documents
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Professional services business advisory

While you are focussing on providing the best services and solutions to your client’s business, who is looking after yours?

Professional Services

While you are focussing on providing the best services and solutions to your client’s business, who is looking after yours?

Professional advisers have so many demands on their time – clients, staff, technical skills, marketing, compliance – let alone running a business.

We know first hand the demands of running a successful professional practice in small, medium and large firms both in client facing roles or as head of finance and operations.

We can help you by:

  • Reviewing, process mapping and re-engineering the processes and procedures from the operational and “back office” to matter and job management to improve efficiencies and service delivery
  • Effectively managing key business risks and implementing appropriate governance and regulatory compliance
  • Developing procedure and policy documentation and workflows
  • Finding efficiencies and cost savings in your business operations
    Measuring profitability and developing and analysing business drivers and KPIs
  • General business reporting
  • Setting and tracking budgets
  • Overseeing critical business improvement projects such as implementing offshoring or a paperless office
  • Project managing the implementation of a new practice management system in coordination with the vendor
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M&A Transaction Support

Another key focus and area of expertise for dbm horizons is being involved in M&A Transactions.

M&A Transaction Support

Another key focus and area of expertise for dbm horizons is being involved in M&A Transactions.

As a multi-disciplinary practice we provide a full range of services and a single point of contact, incorporating:

  • Pre-transaction structuring having regard to the tax and duty outcomes
  • Undertake “fit for purpose” and agreed scope due diligence including
    - Tax due diligence
    - Legal due diligence (business and company acquisition)
  • “Running” the transactions and deals acting for both purchasers and sellers
  • “Project management” for IPO and trade sale scenarios
  • Deal / transaction structuring ensuring the most tax effective for parties including access to tax concessions and CGT rollover
  • Preparation of “fit for purpose” Reporting and Board advisory relating to the above by reference to agreed risk and scope
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Outsourced CFO

Not all businesses need a full time Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Knowing you have access to expertise when you really need it can provide peace of mind.

Outsourced CFO

Not all businesses need a full time Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Knowing you have access to expertise when you really need it can provide peace of mind.

We can assist your existing finance staff or liaise directly with management on any finance operational and strategic issues.

  • Assisting with ad-hoc finance team projects
  • Reviewing controls and procedures and developing job descriptions for finance team roles
  • Documenting processes and policies
  • Business reporting
  • Budgeting
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