What’s new?

Australian companies can now manage their entire equity compensation lifecycle - from issuing grants to generating reports directly within Carta that you may file with the ATO. This release introduces ESS stock options that replace generic "international" securities, ensuring your cap table reflects real Australian equity structures.

What’s important about this change?

Historically, Australian startups have been forced to juggle multiple platforms, manual spreadsheets, and expensive third-party filers to manage Employee Share Schemes (ESS). This manual process often led to weeks of reconciliation and compliance uncertainty.

How this makes life better:

• For Founders: You can now issue tax-advantaged options (including startup concessions and non-concessional types) using the same familiar workflows on the platform.
• For Employees: Your team receives clear, pre-filled tax statements directly from Carta, making it easier for them to understand their ownership and file their personal tax returns.
• For Accountants & Tax Advisors: Instead of hunting for data, you can be invited as an admin to access real-time, ATO-ready reports, shifting your focus from data entry to strategic advice.

How does it work?

The entire filing workflow is now consolidated into a single source of truth.

1. Issue & Track: Issue ESS options directly from the grants flow. Every transaction - grants, exercises, and vesting - automatically syncs to your cap table.
2. Generate Reports: With one click, generate ATO-format ESS Annual Reports (Excel/CSV) that include all mandatory fields and automated tax calculations for you to submit to ATO.
3. Distribute Statements: Automatically generate and send ATO format summary statements to your employees.
4. Collaborate: Invite your external accountant or tax advisor to access the data directly, reducing back-and-forth and lowering accounting fees.

How do I learn more?

For more information on how it works, check out this guide.

• Existing Customers: Our team will reach out directly via email to assist with migrating your current securities to ESS types.
• New to ESS? Check your plan - ESS statement and ATO support features are included in Grow & Scale plans.
• Need an upgrade? If you are on a Build plan, reach out to us here.