Leases and balloons: your questions answered

Lenders publish maximum residual or balloon percentages that fall as the term lengthens, because the asset is worth less at the end of a longer term. For a vehicle, a common pattern is up to roughly 50% on a two-year term, reducing to around 20% to 30% on a five-year term. The ATO also sets minimum residual values for finance leases. A larger balloon lowers monthly repayments but increases total interest and leaves a lump sum to deal with at the end.

You generally have three practical choices: pay the residual and take ownership, refinance the residual over a further term, or return or sell the asset and settle the residual from the proceeds. Under a finance lease the financier owns the asset during the term, so the documentation sets out exactly what the options are. Check the agreement early rather than in the final month, and speak to your accountant about the tax effect of each choice.

An operating lease suits assets you want to use but not own — typically technology that dates quickly, or equipment you replace on a fixed cycle. The financier retains ownership and residual risk, you pay for use over the term and hand the asset back at the end, often with fair wear and tear and usage conditions attached. It keeps replacement predictable, but you build no equity, and exceeding the agreed usage can trigger additional charges.

It is far less common than it once was. Under hire purchase the financier owns the asset and you hire it, with ownership transferring automatically after the final instalment. Since the GST changes that made chattel mortgage more attractive for businesses accounting on a cash basis, most equipment lending is written as a chattel mortgage or lease instead. Some lenders still offer commercial hire purchase, and your accountant can advise whether it suits your circumstances.