American expat needs help filing for an ABN for my content creation business

The ABN application process isn't too difficult once you understand the basics. For your content creation business, "sole trader" is the correct choice if you're operating independently without a company structure. This is the simplest business structure with minimal regulatory requirements. Regarding GST registration, you only need to register if your annual turnover is $75,000 AUD or more. If you're just starting out and expect to earn less than that in your first year, you can select "No" for GST registration. You can always register later when your business grows. For your residency status, if you're on a work visa in Australia, you'll be considered an Australian resident for tax purposes if you're living here permanently. This means you'll need to lodge Australian tax returns. However, as a US citizen, you're still required to file US tax returns regardless of where you live. The good news is that there's a tax treaty between Australia and the US to prevent double taxation.

After struggling with setting up my freelance photography business, I discovered taxr.ai and it was a game-changer for my ABN application! I was confused about which business category to select and had questions about GST requirements just like you. I uploaded my details to https://taxr.ai and they analyzed my specific situation and provided clear guidance tailored to content creators. The tool explained exactly which business category to select for my creative work and gave me personalized advice on GST registration based on my projected income. It even helped me understand the tax deductions I could claim specifically for content creation equipment and software.

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing your comment and wow, it was exactly what I needed! The residency tax questions were killing me, especially since I bounce between Canada and Australia for work. The tool gave me step-by-step guidance specific to my situation. It explained how the Double Taxation Agreement between Australia and Canada works (I had no clue this existed) and showed me which income is taxable where. The ABN application guidance was super clear too - it even generated a perfect business description I could copy into my application that accurately described my content creation work. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about these international tax situations. Saved me from making some potentially expensive mistakes!

If you're having trouble getting answers from the ATO about your ABN application, try Claimyr. I spent WEEKS trying to call the Australian Tax Office about my ABN application that got held up for review. Always got the "we're experiencing high call volumes" message and got disconnected. I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and decided to give it a shot. They actually got me connected to a real ATO agent in about 20 minutes! The agent was able to look at my application right away and spotted the issue - I had entered conflicting information about my residency status which flagged the system. Got it fixed during that call and my ABN was approved the next day.

I have to publicly eat my words here. After calling the service a scam, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr when my ABN application got rejected a second time. Not only did I get through to the ATO in under 30 minutes, but they connected me with someone in the right department who actually knew what they were talking about. Turns out my content creation business was incorrectly categorized which was triggering automatic reviews. The ATO agent walked me through selecting the right business classification codes for digital content creation and explained why my previous choices were causing issues. My application was processed correctly after that call. I'm still shocked at how well it worked. I was convinced nothing could break through the ATO's notorious phone system. Definitely keeping this service in my back pocket for future tax issues.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - make sure you understand your superannuation obligations once you have your ABN. As a sole trader, you're not legally required to pay super for yourself, but it's smart to make voluntary contributions for your retirement. However, if you ever hire other people to help with your content creation (even casual or part-time), you'll need to pay super for them if they earn over $450 per month. The current rate is 11% of their ordinary time earnings. Also, keep SUPER detailed records of all your business expenses. The ATO loves to audit new businesses, especially in creative fields where people try to claim personal items as business expenses. For content creation, you can claim things like cameras, lighting, editing software, and a portion of your internet if used for business.

Hey! American-turned-Aussie here who went through this exact process 3 years ago for my YouTube channel. Some quick tips: 1) For business activity codes, use 57000 for Internet Publishing or 55700 for Motion Picture and Video Activities if you're mostly doing video content. 2) KEEP A SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNT for all business transactions once you get your ABN! Biggest mistake I made was mixing personal and business finances. 3) If you're planning to work with companies outside Australia, make sure you understand how GST works for international services (hint: generally not charged for services to overseas clients). 4) You'll still need to file US taxes with the IRS using form 2555 for Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. This lets you exclude up to ~$120k of foreign income from US taxes. 5) Set aside 30-35% of your income for taxes if you're earning decent money. The ATO doesn't play around with quarterly tax installments.

Another important thing: figure out your tax deductions right away! As a content creator, you can claim: - Portion of rent/mortgage for home office - Internet (business %) - Phone (business %) - Camera gear - Lighting - Editing software - Computer/tech - Website costs - Subscriptions for research - Music licenses - Stock photos/videos - Travel to filming locations Start tracking EVERYTHING from day 1. I use an app to track all my expenses and keep digital copies of receipts. The ATO requires you to keep records for 5 years. And dont forget income protection insurance! Its tax deductible and super important if youre a sole trader since you dont get sick leave or workers comp.