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).
Recent case illustrates the importance of drafting
The recent Full Federal Court cases of Bazzo v FCT [2017] FCAFC 139 illustrates the importance of drafting in agreements and, in particular, agreements with revenue authorities.
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.
GST on the sale of residential property – a lesson from the Sebel Manly Beach Hotel
Sladen Snippet - ATO guidance on liability of a legal personal representative of a deceased person
Sladen Snippet - Commissioner is under no duty to issue amended land tax assessments
Partner is denied access to partnership’s carried forward tax losses
Consolidations - ACA calculations and pre-CGT assets - High Court denies special leave in Financial Synergy Holdings case
Sladen Snippet - ATO update to the AXA Part IVA Decision Impact Statement and PS LA 2005/24
"The mere existence of a “service agreement” will not mean “service charges” are deductible".
Modest and infrequent maintenance activities of a property whose “main use” is to derive rent will not entitle a taxpayer to access the small business CGT concessions.
In its recent decision in The Executors of the Estate of the late Peter Fowler and Commissioner of Taxation, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) held that Mr Fowler was not entitled to apply the small business capital gains tax (CGT) concessions in Division 152 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, on the sale of a block of 10 residential units (Manly Property) as he was not carrying on a business and the Manly Property did not qualify as an “active asset”.
Profit from the development and sale of a commercial property on capital account despite development activities undertaken by private family group
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) recently held in FLZY and Commissioner of Taxation that profit arising from the sale of a building by a family trust gave rise to a capital gain despite the property building, development and investment activities undertaken by the privately held family group (Group).