Primary production land tax exemption knocked back – the Annat case
Annat v Commissioner of State Revenue [2020] VSC 108 (Annat) highlights the real risk faced by some farm owners in qualifying for a primary production land tax exemption .
Due to the Victorian State Revenue Office’s approach and scrutiny on primary production lands of late, traditional farming land owners are finding that they now must understand the difficult legislative requirements surrounding primary production land tax exemptions, the resulting structuring and record keeping requirements to ensure that they are not unintentionally exposing themselves to large land tax liabilities.
ATO announces extension for Division 7A compliance
Capital gains, discretionary trusts, and foreign residents – first blood to the ATO
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) position for several years has been a foreign beneficiary distributed a capital gain made by an Australian discretionary trust on an asset that is not taxable Australian property is assessed on the capital gain even though that would not occur if the foreign resident made the gain directly, or through a fixed trust. Some commentators disagree with that view, the Federal Court in a recent case agreed with the ATO position in what may be the first skirmish of a battle through the courts on this issue.
Tax Disputes: Part 6 – Objections
“The new normal – ATO announces increasing review and tax assurance activity in relation to private groups”
Recently, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) announced an expansion to its ‘Tax Avoidance Taskforce’, increasing its focus on “supporting and ensuring private groups and high wealth individuals pay the right amount of tax”.
Tax Disputes: Part 5 – ATO Reviews and Audits
Australian trusts, capital gains, and foreign beneficiaries: more controversy, more angst?
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) recently released Taxation Determinations TD 2019/D6 and TD 2019/D7 (together the Determinations) that concern Australian discretionary trusts distributing capital gains to foreign beneficiaries.
Tax disputes: Part 4 - mitigation of interest and penalties
When involved in a dispute with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), dealing with the interest and penalties that may be imposed by the ATO in relation to a tax liability by seeking remission of those amounts, objecting, or having a reasonably arguable position opinion can be an important part of any dispute resolution strategy.
Tax Disputes: Part 3 - Settlements
Part 3: Australian trusts – capital gains consequences for foreign beneficiaries
Tax Disputes: Part 2 – Voluntary disclosures
Tax Disputes: Part 1 – Early engagement strategies with the ATO
When involved in a dispute with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), it is always in a clients’ best interest to seek to either resolve or narrow and define the relevant issues in dispute as quickly and efficiently as possible. We will always advise a client to seek to engage with the ATO to resolve a tax dispute, when possible.
Sladen Snippet - trustee obligations on the ATO radar
Part 2: International tax series: income tax consequences for non-resident beneficiaries
Part 1 International tax series: are you a resident or non-resident?
ATO Decision Impact Statement on Pintarich – troubling views on when a decision may not be a decision
We previously reported here and here on the Full Federal Court decision of Pintarich v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2018] FCAFC 79 (Pintarich) and the unsuccessful application for special leave to the High Court.
Sladen Snippet - Tax audits on rental properties
If you don’t ask, you’ll never know: Pedley and allocation of payments made to the ATO
In Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Pedley (No 2) (2018) FCA 2015 (Pedley), the Federal Court confirmed the wide discretion available to the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) to allocate payments made to it for tax debts especially where the taxpayer has not provided explicit direction as to what payments should be applied to which debts.
‘What is mine is yours: Tomaras and the substitution of tax debtors’
The High Court in Commissioner of Taxation v Tomaras & Ors (2018) HCA 62 (Tomaras) has confirmed the Federal Circuit Court had jurisdiction to make orders altering the property interests of parties to a marriage substituting one party for the other party as sole debtor to the Commissioner of Taxation (Commissioner) in respect of income tax liabilities owed by the first party.