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Lbb(Newbie)Newbie
4 June 2026

Hello.


I have authored a piece of software for a niche industry. It is a business not a hobby (intent to make a profit, run in a regular way, all the hallmarks of a business) but would be considered a micro business / side hustle given the small addressable market.


in order to access the market I wish to sell to, I have engaged the services of another sole trader who works for this industry. Our agreement is that I would pay her 50% of all sales (top line revenue) in exchange for access to the market, promotional activities, onboarding etc. in this way she is incentivised to help the product become successful but I am not out of pocket if it doesn’t.


We do not wish this to be a partnership arrangement. I retain a of the intellectual property, all payments are made through my merchant facility paid into my sole trader bank account which she has no access to. She is not responsible for product design decisions or business direction.


what is the correct way to handle this? Have her raise a quarterly invoice for her share of the revenue?


how do I report this on my tax return?


(Choice to use sole trader instead of a company structure is a pragmatic one. Not sure that the idea will even work - so the cost of registration and compliance and complication of accounting doesn’t warrant the creation of a company)

56 views
3 replies
56 views
3 replies

All replies

JayATO(Community Support)Community Support
5 June 2026

Hi @Lbb,


The correct way to handle this arrangement is to have the other sole trader raise an invoice to you for their share of the revenue. This would typically be done on a regular basis, such as quarterly, as you've suggested. The invoice should reflect the service they're providing (market access, promotional activities, onboarding) and show the agreed 50% revenue share amount.


On your tax return, you'll report the full business income you receive through your merchant facility. You'll then claim the payments you make to the other sole trader as a business expense deduction. This would be entered in the business and professional items schedule of your individual tax return, where you show your business income and your business expenses.


This arrangement avoids creating a partnership structure, as you've retained ownership of the intellectual property, control of payments, and business decision-making. The other sole trader is providing a service to your business in exchange for payment.


You'll need to keep accurate records of all transactions, including invoices from the other sole trader, bank statements showing payments made, and records of your sales income. If your annual GST turnover reaches $75,000 or more, you'll need to register for GST.


Check out the information on business structures and sole trader tax obligations on our website to understand all your record-keeping and reporting requirements.

Lbb(Newbie)Newbie
5 June 2026

Thanks so much! I imagined as much but was overthinking it.


In terms of which section to add the expense to I’m still confused - would it be the sub contractors/commission section or all other business expenses manually calculated?

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How Should Revenue‑Sharing Payments Be Invoiced and Reported for Tax? | ATO Community