Foreign trusts, capital gains, and Australian beneficiaries – ATO finalises view

Foreign trusts, capital gains, and Australian beneficiaries – ATO finalises view

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) finalised Tax Determinations TD 2017/23 and TD 2017/24 on 13 December 2017. Released in draft in November 2016, the Determinations consider certain aspects of the interaction of the capital gains provisions and the trust assessing provisions in Division 6 as those provisions apply to foreign trusts. In particular, where a foreign trust makes a capital gain on assets that are not taxable Australian property (TAP) and distributes that gain to Australian beneficiaries.

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Sladen Snippet - What is “market value” for the purpose of the MNAV test

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Sladen Snippet - What is “market value” for the purpose of the MNAV test

In Commissioner of Taxation v Miley, the Federal Court overturned decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) concerning the share valuation method for the purposes of the maximum net asset value (MNAV) test in s 152-15 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

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Sladen Snippet - ATO to disclose overdue tax debts to credit agencies

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Sladen Snippet - ATO to disclose overdue tax debts to credit agencies

In the 2016-2017 Economic and Fiscal Outlook (http://www.budget.gov.au/2016-17/content/myefo/download/09-Appendix-A-Revenue.pdf), the Government announced that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) would be allowed to report to credit reporting agencies the tax debt information of entities that don’t effectively engage with the ATO to manage those tax debts.

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Sladen Snippet: TD 2017/20 confirms the ATO interpretation of “distributes” for the purpose of the FTDT

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Sladen Snippet: TD 2017/20 confirms the ATO interpretation of “distributes” for the purpose of the FTDT

As previously reported in June this year, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) published the Draft Taxation Determination TD 2017/D1 altering their previous published interpretation of the meaning of “distributes” for the purposes of the family trust distribution tax (FTDT).

The draft tax determination has now been published in its final form as TD 2017/20, confirming that FTDT can apply where there is a “distribution” to a person who is not a beneficiary of the trust.

Sladen Snippet - GST: new rules for purchasers of new residential premises and new subdivisions of potential residential land

Sladen Snippet - GST: new rules for purchasers of new residential premises and new subdivisions of potential residential land

Following an announcement in the 2017 Budget (see our article here), the Government on 6 November 2017 released exposure draft legislation which if enacted will, subject to a transitional rule (below), require from 1 July 2018 that purchasers of taxable supplies of new residential premises or new subdivisions of potential residential land pay 1/11 of the purchase price directly to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) at settlement. The 1/11 of the purchase price is irrespective of whether the margin scheme or otherwise applies to calculate the actual GST liability.

Sladen Snippet - foreign residents accessing the main residence CGT exemption – current status of this measure?

Sladen Snippet - foreign residents accessing the main residence CGT exemption – current status of this measure?

In the 2017 Budget on 9 May 2017, the Government announced a proposed change to the CGT main residence exemption as that exemption applies to foreign and temporary tax residents.  If enacted the announced change removed the CGT main residence exemption for foreign and temporary tax residents with effect from Budget night (9 May 2017). 

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Sladen Snippet - Differential streaming of franked dividends and franking credits case granted special leave

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Sladen Snippet - Differential streaming of franked dividends and franking credits case granted special leave

On 23 October 2017, the Commissioner was granted special leave to appeal to the High Court against the Full Federal Court’s decision from earlier this year in Thomas v Commissioner of Taxation 2017 FCAFC 57.

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Case illustrates primacy of Part IVC in challenging assessments

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Case illustrates primacy of Part IVC in challenging assessments

The strength of the Commissioner of Taxation’s (Commissioner) hand in raising taxation assessments, and the difficulties taxpayers face in challenging a taxation assessment other than under Part IVC of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Administration Act) has again been illustrated in the Federal Court decision of Chhua v Commissioner of Taxation [2017] FCA 1127 (Chhua).

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Court rules on “present entitlement” and “disclaimer of entitlement” to trust income

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Court rules on “present entitlement” and “disclaimer of entitlement” to trust income

The concept of “present entitlement” within the meaning of section 97 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and validity of a “disclaimer of entitlement of income” were considered by the Full Federal Court in the recent case of Lewski v Commissioner of Taxation [2017] FCAFC 145 (Lewski) that illustrates the importance of having trust law and taxation law concepts properly aligned. Lewski was an appeal from a decision of the Administrative Affairs Tribunal.

Increased CGT discount for affordable housing with a sting-in-the-tail

Increased CGT discount for affordable housing with a sting-in-the-tail

On 14 September 2017, the Government released for public consultation exposure draft legislation to implement the announcement in the 2017 Budget that from 1 January 2018 the CGT discount for eligible resident investors in qualifying affordable housing to 60% (from 50%). The change is part of the government’s policy to encourage increased investment in affordable rental housing.

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Proposed laws targeting illegal phoenix activity

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Proposed laws targeting illegal phoenix activity

The Federal Government has this week announced a number of proposed reforms aimed at those individuals, entities and advisors who undertake or facilitate illegal phoenix activity.

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ATO provides a “safe harbour” for fixed trusts

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ATO provides a “safe harbour” for fixed trusts

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) published the final version of the Practical Compliance Guidelines (PCG) 2016/16, which provides guidance in relation to what will be considered by the Commissioner when exercising his discretion to treat an interest in the income or capital of a trust as being a fixed entitlement and by extension whether a trust is a fixed trust for the purposes of the tax law.

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GST on the sale of residential property – a lesson from the Sebel Manly Beach Hotel

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GST on the sale of residential property – a lesson from the Sebel Manly Beach Hotel

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) recently held in the case of MSAUS v FC of T that Division 135 of the Good and Services Tax (GST) Act did not apply to impose an increasing adjustment [an amount of GST on an otherwise GST-free transaction] to the sale of leased residential apartments