Deadline looming for SMSF collectables compliance

The ATO has reminded trustees of self managed super funds (SMSFs) that if they have investments in collectables or personal-use assets that were acquired before 1 July 2011, time is running out to ensure their SMSFs meet the requirements of the superannuation law for these assets. Assets considered collectables and personal-use assets include artwork, jewellery, antiques, vehicles, boats and wine.

From 1 July 2011, investments in collectables and personal-use assets have been subject to strict rules to ensure they are made for genuine retirement purposes and they do not provide any present day benefit. SMSFs with investments held before 1 July 2011 have until 1 July 2016 to comply with the rules.

The ATO says SMSF trustees have had since July 2011 to make arrangements, and it expects that they will take appropriate action to ensure the requirements are met before the deadline.

TIP: Appropriate actions may include reviewing current leasing agreements, making decisions about asset storage and arranging insurance cover.

Overseas student debts: repayment thresholds

From 1 July 2017, anyone with a Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) or Trade Support Loans (TSL) debt who is living overseas and earning above the minimum repayment threshold will be required to make loan repayments to the Australian Government, just as they would if they were living in Australia. The HELP minimum repayment threshold for 2016–2017 is $54,869.

TIP: If you have a student loan debt and are planning to move overseas for longer than six months, you need to provide the ATO with your overseas contact details within seven days of leaving Australia. You should also factor in potentially having to make repayments from 1 July 2017.

ATO data-matching for insured “lifestyle” assets

In January 2016, the ATO advised it was working with insurance providers to identify policy owners on a wider range of asset classes, including marine vessels, aircraft, enthusiast motor vehicles, fine art and thoroughbred horses. The ATO has since formally announced the data-matching program that covers these “lifestyle” assets, and will acquire details of insurance policies for these assets where the value exceeds nominated thresholds for the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 financial years.

The ATO said it will obtain policyholder identification details (including names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth) and insurance policy details (including policy numbers, policy start and end dates, details of assets insured and their physical locations). The data-matching program will provide the ATO with a more comprehensive view of taxpayers’ accumulated wealth, as well as assist in identifying possible tax compliance issues.

TIP: It is estimated that records of more than 100,000 insurance policies will be data-matched. The ATO has released a list of insurers involved with the data-matching program. Please contact our office for further information.

Market value of shares is not the selling price

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has ruled that the “market value” of a parcel of shares in a private company that a taxpayer sold in an arm’s-length transaction (together with the other two shareholders’ shares in the company) was not the proportion of the sale price he received from the sale of all the shares. Instead, the AAT agreed it was a discounted amount; the taxpayer was a “non-controlling” shareholder, so the market value was less than simply his one-third share of the sale price.

As a result of this AAT decision, the taxpayer passed the $6 million “maximum net asset value test”, allowing him to qualify for small business capital gains tax (CGT) concessions, where otherwise he would not have.

The Commissioner has appealed to the Federal Court against this AAT decision.

TIP: This decision demonstrates that the actual selling price of an asset may not always represent its “market value”. In this decision, the AAT agreed with the taxpayer’s valuer that “all other things being equal, the average price per share of a controlling shareholding will be higher than the average price per share of a non-controlling shareholding because of the value of control”.

Individual not a share trader

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has found that a taxpayer (a childcare worker) was not carrying on a business of share trading, and accordingly was not entitled to claim a loss resulting from her share transactions. In the year in question, the taxpayer turned over approximately $600,000 in share transactions (including both purchases and sales).

In deciding that the taxpayer was a share investor and not a share trader, the AAT considered each of the key indicators established in case law. The AAT decided that a lack of regular and systematic trade, especially in the second half of the income year, when only 10 transactions were made, went against the taxpayer’s contention that she was conducting a share trading business.

TIP: The AAT weighs up all the relevant factors in cases like this. There have been cases where the AAT has found that a taxpayer was carrying on a business of share trading, and has therefore allowed them to claim a deduction for their losses.

Small business restructures made easier

The Government has made changes to the tax law to provide tax relief for small businesses that restructure. The tax law changes provide an optional rollover for small business owners who change the legal structure of their business on the transfer of business assets from one entity to another. The effect of the rollover is that the tax cost of the transferred assets is rolled over from the transferor to the transferee.

This optional rollover is in addition to existing rollovers available where an individual, trustee or partner transfers assets to, or creates assets in, a company in the course of incorporating their business.

The changes to the tax law will take effect on 1 July 2016.

TIP: You must meet strict eligibility requirements in order to access the rollover. Among other things, the rollover must be part of a genuine business restructure that does not change the ultimate economic ownership of the assets. There are also tax consequences you should be aware of.

Tax law changes to treatment of earnouts

The Government has recently amended the tax law concerning the capital gains tax (CGT) treatment of the sale and purchase of businesses involving certain earnout rights.

Specifically, the changes provide for a “look-through” treatment. Under the amended tax law, capital gains and losses that arise in respect of look-through earnout rights will be disregarded. Instead, payments received or paid under the earnout arrangements will affect the capital proceeds and cost base of the underlying assets to which the earnout arrangement relates when they are received or paid (as the case may be).

The changes apply from 24 April 2015.

TIP: These changes to the tax law do not apply for events that occurred before 24 April 2015. However, transitional protection is provided, subject to conditions, for taxpayers who have reasonably anticipated these changes to the tax law, which were originally announced by the former Government.

Tax relief for small businesses that restructure on the way

Small businesses are important to the Australian economy, as they facilitate growth and innovation. However, as a small business develops over time, its initial legal structure may no longer be suitable for the business. Where a business has to restructure to accommodate growth, the transfer of assets from one legal structure to another could give rise to unwanted tax liabilities, even though the underlying economic ownership remains the same.

With this in mind, the Government has proposed amendments to the law to provide tax relief for small businesses that restructure on a genuine basis. If the legislative amendments are enacted as proposed, the changes would apply for restructures occurring on or after 1 July 2016. In introducing the Bill, the Assistant Treasurer said that this legislation completes the Government’s $5.5 billion Growing Jobs and Small Business package. Ms O’Dwyer said the Bill will reduce risk and complexity, and will make it easier for businesses to grow.

Trusts’ ABNs to be cancelled if no longer carrying on business

The ATO has advised that the Registrar of the Australian Business Register (ABR) will begin cancelling the Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) of approximately 220,000 trusts, where there is evidence they are no longer carrying on an enterprise.

A trust’s ABN will be cancelled where available information indicates that the trust has not lodged business activity statements and/or trust income tax returns for the last two years. Exclusions to these ABN

cancellations apply for trusts that are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) or are non-reporting members of a GST or income tax group.

The ATO said entities will receive a letter if their ABNs had been cancelled. This letter will include the reason for the cancellation, and a phone number to ring to have the ABN reinstated immediately if the entity does not agree with the decision.

Withholding tax for car allowances

Car expense deductions for individuals were simplified from 1 July 2015. Employers who pay their employees a car allowance need to withhold tax on the amount they pay over 66c per kilometre. If employers have not been doing this, the ATO notes they should start now to avoid their employees having a tax debt.

TIP: Employers should consider having a discussion with affected employees about whether to increase the withholding amount for the remainder of the financial year to cover the shortfall.

If you have any questions, please contact our office.

Travellers with student debts need to update contact details

Australians with a Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) debt and/or a Trade Support Loans (TSL) debt who are moving overseas for longer than six months will need to provide the ATO with their overseas contact details within seven days of leaving the country. International contact details can be provided to the ATO using its online services (eg an ATO account linked to myGov).

From the 2016–2017 income year, anyone who has a HELP or TSL debt and earns above the minimum repayment threshold will be required to make repayments regardless of where they live.

TIP: Students’ debt will be indexed each year until it is paid off. You can make additional voluntary repayments at any time, including from overseas, to reduce the balance of your debt.

Small business tax concession refused as threshold test failed

The small business capital gains tax (CGT) concessions contained in the tax law allow eligible small businesses to access tax concessions on capital gains made from the sale of certain CGT assets.

There are threshold tests for accessing the concessions outlined in the tax law. Importantly, the taxpayer must be a small business entity, or a partner in a partnership that is a small business entity, or the taxpayer’s net assets, together with certain associated entities’, must not exceed $6 million. This is the Maximum Net Asset Value (MNAV) test.

A recent case before the Federal Court examined whether a taxpayer was entitled to the tax concessions. In particular, the Court looked at whether the taxpayer had correctly excluded a debt (a pre-1998 loan) from the MNAV test calculation. The taxpayer had not included the pre-1998 loan on the basis that it had no value, being “statute-barred” under the relevant state legislation, in this instance the Limitation of Actions Act 1936 (SA).

However, the Court dismissed the taxpayer’s appeal. The Court confirmed that the pre-1998 loan could not be regarded as having no value, and that the loan amount of $1.1 million should be included in the MNAV test calculation. The inclusion of the amount meant that the sum of the net values of the relevant CGT assets exceeded the $6 million MNAV threshold. As a result, the small business CGT concessions were not available to the taxpayer.

TIP: This case highlights the importance of satisfying the basic conditions to access the small business CGT concessions, in particular when an asset originally excluded from the MNAV test is subsequently included in the test calculation and results in the breach of the MNAV threshold.

“Wildly excessive” tax deduction claims refused

A professional sales commission agent has been largely unsuccessful before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) in claiming tax deductions for work-

related expenses, including home office expenses, various grocery items and overtime meal allowances.

The case concerned the taxpayer’s deduction claims in his 2011 and 2012 tax returns. The taxpayer worked as a professional sales commission agent and his employer did not provide him with a dedicated office or workspace. His original claims (which changed throughout the course of the AAT proceeding) totalled over $63,000 for 2010–2011 and over $53,000 for 2011–12, representing at least 30% of his employment income. During the proceedings, the taxpayer abandoned a claim for a $5,388 payment to his seven-year-old son for his “secretarial assistance”.

The AAT found that the taxpayer’s home office claims were “wildly excessive”, and that the taxpayer and his representatives failed to critically analyse how these claims helped produce the taxpayer’s assessable income. The AAT rejected everything claimed under “staff and client amenities”, as it considered the products were overwhelmingly consumed by the taxpayer’s family, making the claims “outrageous and utterly unacceptable”. The claimed meal allowances were also rejected in their entirety. However, the AAT did not disturb heating and lighting expenses allowed by the Commissioner.

GST credits not available for payments on behalf of super funds

The ATO has issued GST Determination GSTD 2016/1, which provides the Commissioner’s view on whether employers can claim input tax credits for expenses paid on behalf of superannuation funds.

The Determination notes that employers may pay expenses on behalf of superannuation funds for administrative convenience. It provides that an employer is not entitled to an input tax credit if a superannuation fund makes an acquisition and the employer pays the expense on the fund’s behalf (eg the super fund obtains legal advice but the employer pays the legal adviser). This is because the advice is supplied to the fund and not to the employer. However, the Determination notes that the fund may be entitled to claim a reduced input tax credit under the financial supply rules (contained in the GST Act), provided the requirements of those rules are satisfied.

Single Touch Payroll pilot and tax offset proposed

The Government is looking to cut red tape for employers by simplifying tax and superannuation reporting obligations through its initiative called Single Touch Payroll (STP). “Employers currently manually report Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholdings to the ATO,” the Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer said. “Under the new STP this information will be automatically reported to the ATO through Standard Business Reporting (SBR) software.”

The ATO will be conducting a pilot in the first half of 2017 focusing on small businesses. From 1 July 2017, all businesses will be able to commence STP reporting, with the option to make voluntary payments. In addition, the ATO will transition employers with 20 or more employees to STP. From 1 July 2018, employers with 20 or more employees will be required to use STP enabled software for reporting to the ATO. The Government will make a decision on timing for rolling out STP reporting for employers with less than 20 employees after the pilot is completed.

To assist small businesses with a turnover of less than $2 million, the Government will offer a $100 non-refundable tax offset for SBR-enabled software. This offset is proposed to apply from 1 July 2017 and for software purchases or subscriptions made in the 2017–2018 financial year only.

TIP: Although there are benefits to streamline reporting, some commentators have highlighted cashflow concerns relating to making more frequent payments. Real time pay day reporting also gives the ATO an earlier intervention signal to contact struggling businesses. If you have any questions, please contact our office.

GST simplified accounting methods for small food retailers

Simplified GST accounting methods are available for small food retailers if they meet certain eligibility conditions. Many small food retailers buy and sell products that are taxable as well as products that are GST-free. Accurately identifying and recording GST-free sales separately from those that are taxable can be difficult, which makes accounting for GST complicated. However, there are five simplified GST accounting methods to choose from to help businesses meet their GST obligations. These include the Business norms method, Stock purchases method, Snapshot method, Sales percentage method, and the Purchases Snapshot method.

TIP: Business needs change and it may be prudent to take a look at whether there are advantages with adopting a SAM. Do you need help deciding which method would be best for your small food business? Please contact the office for assistance or further information.

Government’s Innovation Agenda contains tax incentives

The Government is looking to support innovation and its recently released Innovation Agenda proposes a suite of new tax and business incentive measures. A key proposal is to provide concessional tax treatment to encourage early stage investors to support innovative startups. Under the proposal, investors will receive a 20% non-refundable tax offset based on the amount of their investment (capped at $200,000 per investor, per year), as well as a 10-year capital gains tax exemption for investments held for three years. The Government has advised that the scheme is expected to commence during 2016 as soon as supporting legislative amendments are passed into law.

TIP: The incentive is proposed to be available for investments in companies that: undertake an eligible business (scope to be determined); that were incorporated during the last three income years; aren’t listed on any stock exchange; and have expenditure and income of less than $1 million and $200,000 in the previous income year, respectively.

ATO data matching real property transactions

The ATO has issued a notice announcing that it will be acquiring details of real property transactions for the period 20 September 1985 to 30 June 2017 from various state revenue offices and tenancy boards. In relation to rental properties, the ATO is seeking details of rent paid and contact details of landlords. In relation to property transfers, the ATO is seeking details of the transfers, including details of the transferors and transferees and any state land tax and/or stamp duty concessions sought.

The information will be matched to the ATO’s data holdings. The ATO said an objective of the data matching program is to ensure taxpayers are correctly meeting their taxation obligations. The ATO expects that around 31 million records for each year will be obtained. Based on current data holdings, the ATO said records relating to approximately 11.3 million individuals are expected to be matched.

TIP: The data matching program goes all the way back to the start of the capital gains tax (CGT) regime in September 1985. Some commentators suggest this could be the ATO looking for CGT revenue on previously undeclared capital gains or incorrectly claimed CGT concessions. Note also that the ATO intends to carry on its data matching program from 2017. It will no longer announce details of its program as law changes will make it mandatory by then for revenue authorities and other entities to report real property transactions to the ATO.

Tax treatment of earnout rights on business sale

A Bill has been introduced in Parliament that proposes to amend the tax law to change the capital gains tax treatment of the sale and purchase of businesses involving certain earnout rights (ie rights to future payments linked to the performance of an asset or assets after sale). As a result of these amendments, capital gains and losses arising in respect of look-through earnout rights will be disregarded. Instead, payments received or paid under the earnout arrangements will affect the capital proceeds and cost base of the underlying asset or assets to which the earnout arrangement relates.

Clarifying the CGT treatment of earnout rights has been a long time coming – it was first announced on  12 May 2010 as part of the 2010–2011 Budget. The amendments contained in the Bill are proposed to apply from 24 April 2015. However, note there will be protections for taxpayers who have undertaken other actions in reasonable anticipation of announcements made about the amendments in the 2010–2011 Budget.

TIP: The ATO has released details of its administrative treatment pending the formal enactment of the legislation. Please contact our office for further information.

Are your super saving goals on track?

The new calendar year is a good time to conduct a superannuation health check and set some new goals to help boost superannuation savings. Although there have been no seismic shifts in the superannuation landscape of late, it may be prudent to reacquaint yourself with the rules. The following are some considerations.

• Make extra contributions – the general concessional contributions cap is $30,000 for 2015–2016. For people aged 50 and over, there is a higher concessional contributions cap of $35,000 for 2015–2016.
• Check super savings – it is a good habit to check your super balance regularly. You may also want to protect your super from identity crime. For example, you may want to change passwords for accounts that can be viewed online.
• Look for small lost super accounts – the threshold below which small lost super accounts will be required to be transferred to the ATO has increased to $4,000 (from December 2015).
• Consolidate multiple super fund accounts – you may want to consider consolidating multiple super fund accounts. This may help avoid paying multiple fees, reduce paper work, and make it easier to keep track of your super.
• Salary sacrifice super – you may want to ask your employer about salary sacrificing super, or you may want to consider reviewing existing arrangements with your employer.

TIP: Professional advice should be obtained before implementing a new retirement saving strategy. Please contact our office to discuss your circumstances.

Tax negotiation limited to known debt amounts

Two company taxpayers have been unsuccessful before the Federal Court in seeking to set aside statutory demands issued by the ATO.

The matter essentially involved two individuals who carried on property development activities through several entities (including the taxpayers) and their recollections of an alleged “global deal” with the ATO at a meeting on 10 April 2014 to resolve various debt recovery disputes – including security arrangements – while objections and appeals were on foot. The taxpayers contended that, after the meeting, the ATO sought demands that were contrary to the “deal” (this included a demand for a security in the amount of $8 million in relation to a related trust) and made “threats” to issue statutory demands. The statutory demands against the two taxpayers were issued in September 2014.

The Federal Court dismissed the taxpayers’ applications to set aside the statutory demands. The Court said it did not doubt that the individual representing the taxpayers held a “genuine subjective belief” that he and the ATO had entered into a binding legal agreement at the April 2014 meeting that went beyond the terms of the Deeds of Agreement, which were subsequently executed. However, it considered the representative’s subjective belief was not supported by either objective documentary evidence or by the evidence of the ATO representatives who attended the meeting, which it preferred. Among other things, the Court accepted the ATO’s evidence that the negotiations involved only “established debts” reflected in a spreadsheet that was used at the meeting and did not include further tax liabilities, including those of the trust.

TIP: The above case demonstrates that to avoid confusion among negotiating parties, particularly in relation to future treatment of liabilities, agreements as to arrangements and the terms must be reached and agreed to by the parties in a subsequent written Deed of Agreement.

CGT roll-over for small business restructures on the way

The Government has released exposure draft legislation that proposes to provide roll-over relief for small businesses that change their legal structure. The proposed measures were announced in the 2015–2016 Federal Budget, and will apply to the transfers of assets occurring on or after 1 July 2016. Public consultation closes on 4 December 2015.

The proposed measures will provide an optional roll-over where a small business entity transfers a business asset to another small business entity without changing the ultimate economic ownership of the asset. The roll-over can also apply to affiliates or entities connected with the small business entity for assets they hold that are used by the small business entity.

The roll-over will apply to gains and losses arising from the transfer of capital assets, depreciating assets, trading stock or revenue assets between entities as part of a small business restructure. Discretionary trusts may be able to access the roll-over if the assets continue to be held for the benefit of the same family group.

TIP: The proposed new roll-over is in addition to roll-overs currently available where a sole trader or partner in a partnership transfers assets to, or creates assets in, a company in the course of a business restructure. Note also that, with any proposed “tax relief”, the devil is in the detail. Please contact our office for further information.

ATO starts issuing “certainty” letters

The ATO has commenced contacting more than half a million individual taxpayers to let them know that their recently submitted tax returns “are shipshape and will not be subject to further review”. The ATO said people who receive one of its “certainty” letters (also known as “A-OK” letters) can be assured that the ATO is happy with their tax returns, and has closed its books permanently on their returns, providing there is no evidence of fraud or deliberate avoidance.

The letter is being trialled with a sample of people who meet certain criteria. This includes having broadly simple tax affairs, a taxable income of under $180,000, and a good lodgement and compliance history. Depending on the success of the trial, the ATO said it aims to expand the program to more taxpayers for Tax Time 2016.

TIP: Despite the aim to provide “certainty”, it remains to be seen how the letters will operate in practice, particularly if the Commissioner can change his position on the issued letter if taxpayers amend their 2015 tax return or if the Commissioner relies on the concept of fraud or evasion to invalidate the certainty letter.

Government rejects SMSF borrowing ban recommendation

Direct borrowings by superannuation funds via limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) are safe (at least for the next three years), following the Government’s decision to reject the Murray Financial System Inquiry recommendation to ban or restrict LRBAs. This is welcome news for trustees of self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) who have faced uncertainty about the future of such borrowing arrangements, which have become popular for investments in direct property and shares.

In releasing its response, the Government said that it did not agree with the recommendation. While the Government noted there are “anecdotal concerns” about LRBAs, it said the data did not justify policy intervention at this time. However, the Government said it will commission a report on leverage and risk in three years’ time. According to the Government, this timing will allow recent improvements in ATO data collection to wash through the system. The report will be used to inform any consideration of whether changes to the borrowing rules might be appropriate at a future date.

TIP: Despite the Government’s “green light” for LRBAs, a decision to establish an SMSF and invest in property using an LRBA is not one to be taken lightly. It would be prudent to obtain professional tailored advice on any possible LRBA issues that should be considered before committing to purchase a property via an SMSF.

Car expenses and FBT concessions on entertainment

A Bill is currently before Parliament that introduces two important changes. Key details are as follows.

Work-related car expenses

The Bill proposes to repeal the “12% of original value method” and the “one-third of actual expenses method”. Taxpayers will continue to be able to choose to apply the “cents per kilometre method” (for up to 5,000 business kilometres travelled), or the “logbook method”, depending on which method in their view best captures the actual running costs of their vehicle.

The Bill also proposes to provide a streamlined process for calculating the “cents per kilometre method” by providing a single rate of deduction. That is, the current three rates based on vehicle engine capacity will be replaced with a single rate of deduction. In the 2015–2016 income year, the rate will be set at 66 cents/km. The changes are proposed to apply from 1 July 2015.

TIP: So the Government will set 66 cents/km as the rate for using the “cents per kilometre method”, irrespective of a car’s engine size.  Based on 2012–2013 figures, this would see those who drive smaller vehicles getting a slight increase in deductible expenses, and those who drive larger cars having a decrease in their deduction.

FBT concessions on salary packaged entertainment benefits

The Bill proposes amendments to the law governing fringe benefits to introduce a separate grossed-up cap of $5,000 for salary sacrificed meal entertainment and entertainment facility leasing expenses for certain employees of not-for-profit organisations, and all use of these salary sacrificed benefits will become reportable. The changes are proposed to apply from 1 April 2016.

TIP: Note that organisations affected include public and not-for-profit hospitals, public ambulance services, public benevolent institutions (except hospitals) and health promotion charities. It may be prudent to discuss with your adviser as to whether the above changes apply to your circumstances.

Unbundling phone and internet expense claims for work purposes

Individuals can claim deductions for mobile, home phone and internet expenses that have been incurred for work purposes. However, correct apportionment for work use is a key issue. According to the ATO, as there are many different types of plans available, taxpayers need to determine their work use using a reasonable basis.

For example, phone and internet services are often bundled. When a taxpayer is claiming deductions for work-related use of one or more services, they need to apportion their costs based on their work use for each service. If other household members also use the services, the taxpayer needs to take into account that use in their calculations.

TIP: If the taxpayer has a bundled plan, the ATO says they can identify their work use for each service over a four-week representative period during the income year. This will allow the taxpayer to determine their pattern of work use, which can then be applied to the full year. Please contact our office for assistance.

Student loan debt recovery from overseas

As part of the 2015 Federal Budget, the Government announced that Australians living and working overseas who have a Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) or Trade Support Loan (TSL) debt would soon be required to repay that debt in line with the obligations that apply for debtors who live and work in Australia.

The repayment obligations are expected to apply from 1 July 2017, based on income earned in the 2016–2017 financial year. The repayment obligations would only commence once the individual’s income reached the minimum repayment threshold. People heading overseas for more than six months would be required to register with the ATO, while those already overseas would have until 1 July 2017 to register.

TIP: The Government is intending to facilitate reciprocal arrangements with foreign governments. That is, the Government intends to share details of individuals to allow foreign governments to identify if their citizens with student loan debts are living and working here in Australia. At this stage New Zealand and the UK have been flagged for reciprocal arrangements.

TIP: Individuals can make voluntary repayments at any time to reduce their HELP debts. Currently, if you make a voluntary HELP repayment of $500 or more, you get a 5% bonus. If your HELP debt balance is less than $500 and you make a voluntary repayment to pay out the debt, you also get a 5% bonus. Voluntary payments are in addition to compulsory repayments. Any voluntary repayments you make are not tax deductible.

SMSF trustees warned to plan for cognitive decline

The ATO has highlighted the issue of cognitive decline, noting that dementia is on the rise and that it is important for trustees of self managed super funds (SMSFs) to have plans to ensure that financial matters will be effectively managed, if and when trustees no longer have the capacity to manage their funds.

“SMSFs are in reality usually managed by one trustee and require a high level of financial decision-making. While many trustees remain perfectly capable of effectively managing their financial affairs well past retirement age, there is a risk that some with diminished capacity to effectively manage their fund may nevertheless continue to do so. Most don’t have a plan for what to do if they get to this point”, said Kasey Macfarlane, ATO Assistant Commissioner, SMSF Segment, Superannuation.

In this regard, Ms Macfarlane said, it was essential that trustees “agree in advance about decision points and exit decisions, to have a will and appoint an enduring guardian and power of attorney”.

Tax debt release application refused

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has refused a couple’s  application to be released from their tax debts after finding the couple (the taxpayers) would not suffer serious hardship if they were required to satisfy the liability. The tax debt the taxpayers sought to have released amounted to some $25,000. The taxpayers argued they should be released from the tax debts because their financial position was due to “serious family difficulties and problems”, which had distracted them from their tax affairs.

Although the AAT was sympathetic towards to the taxpayers, it concluded they had not discharged the onus of proving that they would suffer serious hardship if they were required to pay the relevant tax debts. The AAT reached this conclusion after calculating the taypayers’ fortnightly income and expenses. In this regard, the AAT noted the taxpayers were making more than the required minimum mortgage repayments and could draw down on their home loan.

Even if it were a case of serious hardship, the AAT said, it would not exercise the discretion to waive the debt. Among other things, the AAT noted that one of the taxpayers was a beneficiary in the estate of her mother and stood to receive approximately $200,000.

TIP: Serious hardship exists when payment of a tax debt would leave you unable to provide for basic living necessities for yourself and dependants. The Tax Commissioner has the discretion to release you from eligible tax debts; however, even if the Commissioner is satisfied that serious hardship would result from payment of the tax debt, he is not obliged to exercise the discretion in your favour.

Retiring partner’s individual interest in net income of partnership

According to a recent ATO Taxation Determination, where a retiring partner receives an amount representing his or her individual interest in the partnership net income, that amount is assessable under section 92 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. This is the case even if the partner retires before the end of the income year or the payment is received in a subsequent income year. Furthermore, the way the payment is labelled or described will not change the ATO’s conclusion that the receipt represents the partner’s share of partnership net income and needs to be brought to account under section 92.

The ATO notes that a partner’s individual interest in the net income of a partnership is essentially a question of fact in each case, to be determined by reference to the partnership agreement, the partnership’s accounting records and any other relevant documents. The ATO notes that its approach in the Determination is a departure from several private rulings, in which it took such receipts into account under the capital gains tax (CGT) rules. The ATO says that an amount representing an individual interest in partnership net income may also represent capital proceeds from a CGT event; however, any capital gain that would otherwise arise is reduced to the extent that it is assessable under other provisions.

TIP: The Taxation Determination applies to assessments made after 3 June 2015. The ATO says it will not seek to disturb favourable assessments made before that date.

ATO targeting ride-sourcing drivers and eBay online sellers

The ATO has announced that it will acquiring details of ride-sourcing drivers from ride-sourcing facilitators. The data will be matched electronically with ATO data holdings to identify people. The ATO said the aim of the data-match is to identify taxpayers that can be provided with tailored information to help them meet their tax obligations, or to ensure their compliance with the tax law. The ATO estimated that records relating to between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals will be matched.

TIP: The ATO has affirmed that people who provide ride-sourcing services are providing “taxi travel” under the GST law. The ATO has previously advised that it expects all drivers involved in providing ride-sourcing services to be registered for goods and services tax (GST). Please contact our office for information and assistance.

The ATO is also acquiring online selling data from eBay relating to registrants who sold goods and services to a value of $10,000 or more during the period 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015. The data requested includes information that will enable the ATO to match online selling accounts to taxpayers, including names, addresses and contact information, as well as information on the number and value of transactions processed for each online selling account. It is estimated that records relating to between 15,000 and 25,000 individuals will be matched.