October Edit

THE HW EDIT

October 2026 · 3 minute update

The October Edit · about 3 minutes

Three minutes.
Four useful stops.

Check how business is tracking, see where your vehicle might land under the proposed FBT rules, take a quick quiz, then do one useful Xero job.

No email required · No spreadsheets

01 Business check-in 02 FBT car park 03 Quick quiz 04 Xero job

01 · Check in 02 · Park it 03 · Quiz 04 · Do this

01 · First things first

How's business, really?

Six quick questions. One useful result. No spreadsheet required.

Check in on profit, cash, debtors, business changes and tax. Your answers stay on this page unless you choose to email us.

Your October check-in

01 / 06

← Back

“Not sure” is a useful answer too.

Next question →

Free to use. No email required. This is a conversation guide, not a financial or tax assessment.

02 · Tax update, but different

FBT has entered the car park.

The Bill proposes six motor-vehicle categories. Pick the description closest to your vehicle, then see what that category could mean in actual dollars.

Important: these are proposed rules, not current law. The Bill passed its first reading on 15 September 2026 and is now before the Finance and Expenditure Committee. The proposed motor-vehicle changes are intended to apply from 1 April 2027 if enacted.

Park your vehicle

Which description is closest?

This is a simplified guide to the proposed categories. Once you land in a bay, we’ll show an illustrative $20,000 vehicle example. It is not personalised tax advice.

1. What private use is allowed?

Private use can happen pretty much any time. Private use is limited to non-workdays / public holidays / leave, plus commuting. No normal private use. It basically only comes home for work travel. No private use other than incidental use. It is an exclusive business / pool vehicle.

Reset Ask us about my vehicle ↗

See all six proposed categories

Cat 1100%Mainly private use, or where another category does not apply.

Cat 235%Mainly business use; private use limited to rostered days off / annual or statutory leave, plus commuting. Branding generally required.

Cat 335%Qualifying farm or agricultural vehicle used mainly on farmland by a shareholder-employee or trust beneficiary. Specific conditions apply.

Cat 420%Mainly business use, with private use limited to travel between home and the same workplace. Branding generally required.

Cat 50%Mainly business use; home-to-work travel only where work involves multiple worksites or a limited-duration project. Branding generally required.

Cat 60%Pool vehicle used exclusively for business use.

Proposed FBT car park

Where might it land?

Cat 1 · 100%Full / unrestricted private use

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Cat 2 · 35%Limited private use

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Farm · Cat 3 · 35%Qualifying farm use

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Cat 4 · 20%Same-workplace commute

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Tradie · Cat 5 · 0%Multiple worksites / project

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Pool · Cat 6 · 0%Exclusive business use

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Answer the first question.

We'll point to the closest proposed category, then show the main catch to check.

03 · Quick-fire round ⚡

The 20-second Business Owner Quiz.

Three quick questions. Mostly to make sure we haven't lost you in the car park.

0/3

😄 Just for fun. No marks, no report card, and nothing gets sent anywhere.

Question 1 of 3

Your business makes $120,000 profit this year. Does that mean your bank balance has increased by $120,000?

Yep. Profit is cash. Nope. Profit and cash can be very different.

Pick an answer.

Question 2 of 3

You average $60,000 of credit sales a month. If customers pay in 30 days instead of 45, roughly how much cash could be released?

$15,000 $30,000 $45,000 $60,000

Pick an answer.

Question 3 of 3

Under the proposed vehicle FBT categories, does a giant business logo automatically make a vehicle FBT-free?

Obviously. The bigger the logo, the less tax. Nice try. How the vehicle can be used still matters.

Pick an answer.

Results are in

Nice work.

Try again

04 · Two minutes. Do it now.

One useful thing before you leave.

Open your aged receivables report.

Quick Xero shortcut Reporting → Aged Receivables Summary → set the report date → Update

1. In Xero, open Reporting and choose Aged Receivables Summary.
2. Set the report date to today, or the date you want to review, then click Update.
3. Find the three oldest meaningful balances that should already be paid.
4. Follow them up. That's it. No strategy day required.

Done ✓

Want to go a bit deeper?

Know where you are before you decide where you're going.

We can prepare interim management accounts to 30 September and sit down with you to look at the numbers, cash flow, tax position and what needs attention before year end.

Book a year-to-date review ↗ I have one question ↗

General information only. Advice depends on your circumstances. The motor-vehicle FBT content above summarises proposals in the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2026–27, FBT Simplification, Foreign Investment Funds, and Remedial Measures) Bill. These proposals may change as the Bill progresses. Tax references checked 8 October 2026.

Sources: Inland Revenue – Bill status · Inland Revenue – Bill commentary