Valuing assets for the other assets test

You will pass the other assets test if the value of the other assets you use in your business activity on a continuing basis is at least $100,000.

You can count the value of four types of asset. They are valued in different ways.

When assessing the value of these assets for the test, you must use the same valuation method that you use for income tax purposes. (This does not apply if you are valuing leased assets.)

Find out about:

• Assets excluded from the test
• When to value assets
• Use on a continuing basis
• Lease payments
• Assets installed in a leased property
• Assets used in more than one business activity
• Assets used for private purposes

Assets excluded from the test

For the purposes of passing this test, exclude the value of:

• real property assets you took into account for the real property test
• interests in real property that you took into account for the real property test
• cars, motorcycles and similar vehicles.

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), so-called ag bikes and bull catchers are considered to be similar vehicles to cars and motorcycles and are therefore excluded.

Assets under construction would not normally be available for continual use in a business and would therefore also be excluded.

When to value assets

You should normally value your assets at the end of the income year.

However, if you ceased your business activity during the year, you should value the asset at the time the activity ceased or, if you sold or disposed of the asset before that time, you should value the asset at the time of disposal.

Use on a continuing basis

What constitutes use on a continuing basis will depend on your business circumstances.

However, you cannot include the value of an asset used:

• on a short-term basis
• for a one-off task
• through an agreement for intermittent use on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or other short-term basis.

Lease payments

Payments already made, or for which a binding contract has been made, will be considered to be irrevocably committed payments.

Assets installed in a leased property

If you lease property and install fixtures (such as shop fittings) you may count these assets among your other assets, provided that you retain ownership of them. You should value them at their written-down value.

Assets used in more than one business activity

If you use an asset in two or more business activities that are not similar, you must divide the value of the asset between the different activities. The proportion of the asset value that is assigned to each activity will then count towards the total value of the assets for the activity.

If you undertake similar business activities, you may combine the value of the assets you use in those activities to pass the $100,000 threshold.

See also:

• Similar business activities

Assets used for private purposes

If you use an asset partly for business and partly for private purposes, you only include the value of that portion used for business purposes.