Advice under development – capital gains tax issues
We are developing advice and guidance on the following capital gains tax issues.
[3802] Trust capital gains
Title
Final Taxation Determination
Income tax: is the source concept in Division 6 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 relevant in determining whether a non-resident beneficiary of a resident trust (or trustee for them) is assessed on an amount of trust capital gain arising under Subdivision 115–C of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997?
Purpose
The final Determination will set out the Commissioner's view on the taxation treatment of capital gains for a non-resident beneficiary or trustee of a resident trust.
Expected completion
May 2022
Comments
Draft TD 2019/D7 published on 30 August 2019. Comments period closed on 27 September 2019. Completion of the final Determination is progressing following the recent conclusion of litigation. The High Court has refused special leave to appeal the decision in Peter Greensill Family Co Pty Ltd (Trustee) v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCAFC 99.
Contact
Justin Dearness, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 32135745
Justin.Dearness@ato.gov.au
[3803] Capital gain from a non-resident beneficiary of a non-fixed trust
Title
Final Taxation Determination
Income tax: does Subdivision 855–A (or subsection 768–915(1)) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 disregard a capital gain that a foreign resident (or temporary resident) beneficiary of a resident non-fixed trust makes because of subsection 115-215(3)?
Purpose
The final Determination will set out the Commissioner's view on the taxation treatment of capital gains from non-taxable Australian property assets of a non-fixed trust.
Expected completion
May 2022
Comments
Draft TD 2019/D6 published on 30 August 2019. Comments period closed 27 September 2019. Completion of the final Determination is progressing following the recent conclusion of litigation. The High Court has refused special leave to appeal the decision in Peter Greensill Family Co Pty Ltd (Trustee) v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCAFC 99.
Contact
Justin Dearness, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 5745
Justin.Dearness@ato.gov.au
[3953] Back-to-back CGT rollovers
Title
Planned sequential transactions and the 'nothing else' condition of a roll-over
Purpose
This guidance will provide the Commissioner’s view on the interpretation and application of the ‘nothing else’ condition in CGT rollovers.
Expected completion
To be advised
Comments
Paragraphs 2, 3 and 55, and Examples 3 and 4 of Taxation Determination TD 2020/6 Income tax: what is a 'restructuring' for the purposes of subsection 125-70(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997? discuss aspects of sequential transactions.
Contact
Adam Pritchard, Public Groups and International
Phone: (02) 9374 2775
Adam.Pritchard@ato.gov.au
[3964] Appointment of capital – CGT events E5 or E7
Title
Draft Taxation Determination
Does CGT event E5 or E7 happen if the trustee of a discretionary trust appoints an amount of capital to a beneficiary (for example, by special resolution) and later makes a capital distribution in Australian currency in satisfaction of the appointed interest?
Purpose
The draft Determination will set out the Commissioner’s preliminary view on the CGT consequences of:
- appointing an amount of capital to a beneficiary
- the subsequent distribution of Australian currency to the beneficiary in satisfaction of the capital interest.
Expected completion
To be advised
Comments
The release of this and related Determinations (items 3965 and 3966) has been delayed due to higher priority work.
Contact
Justin Dearness, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 5745
Justin.Dearness@ato.gov.au
[3965] Australian currency denominated asset – CGT events E5 to E7
Title
Draft Taxation Determination
Can an asset with a face value in Australian currency (including an Australian currency banknote or coin) be a CGT asset for CGT events E5 to E7?
Purpose
The draft Determination will set out the Commissioner's view on whether assets with a face value in Australian currency (including Australian currency itself) can be CGT assets for CGT events E5 to E7.
Expected completion
To be advised
Comments
The release of this and related Determinations (items 3964 and 3966) has been delayed due to higher priority work.
Contact
Justin Dearness, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 5745
Justin.Dearness@ato.gov.au
[3966] Unit trust – CGT events E5 to E8
Title
Draft Taxation Determination
What is the meaning of the term ‘unit trust’ in CGT events E5 to E8, and what are the interaction implications for other CGT events, in particular CGT events E4 and C2?
Purpose
The draft Determination will set out the Commissioner’s proposed view on:
- what is a ‘unit trust’ for CGT events E5 to E8
- its implications for other CGT events.
Expected completion
To be advised
Comments
The release of this and related Determinations (items 3964 and 3965 has been delayed due to higher priority work.
Contact
Justin Dearness, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 5745
Justin.Dearness@ato.gov.au
[3973] The first element of cost base and other deductible expenditure
Title
Final Taxation Determination
Income tax: where a liability is assumed on acquisition of a CGT asset, is the assumed liability excluded from the cost base of the asset if expenditure on discharge of the liability is deductible?
Purpose
The final Determination will provide the Commissioner’s view on the treatment of liabilities assumed upon acquisition of a CGT asset and whether on discharge of these liabilities, subsection 110-45(2) of the Income Tax Assessment 1997 will apply such that they do not form part of the cost base.
Expected completion
Mid 2022
Comments
Draft TD 2019/D11 published on 30 October 2019. We have considered the submissions received on the draft Determination. We are in the process of revising and finalising it to take account of the comments received. The final Determination will confirm that an amount that can be deducted cannot also be included in the cost base. We may engage in further, targeted consultation as we look to finalise this draft Determination.
Contact
Matt Miller, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 6658
Matthew.Miller@ato.gov.au
[4030] Water rights
Title
Draft Taxation Determination
Income tax: are water access entitlements taxable Australian real property under Division 855 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997?
Purpose
This draft Determination will clarify whether certain CGT assets, such as water access entitlements, are ‘taxable Australian real property’. This will provide certainty to foreign residents on whether a capital gain or loss from a CGT event that happens in relation to interests in water access entitlements is disregarded.
Expected completion
June 2022
Contact
Shelley McCann, Office of the Chief Tax Counsel
Phone: (07) 3213 5634
Shelley.McCann@ato.gov.au
[4035] Deceased estates – Commissioner’s discretion to extend the two-year period to dispose of dwellings
Title
Update to Practical Compliance Guideline PCG 2019/5
The Commissioner’s discretion to extend the two year period to dispose of dwellings acquired from a deceased estate.
Purpose
The reviewed Guideline will provide updated guidance to the community to support self-assessment opportunities, taking into account insights and learnings from the Guideline’s practical application since it issued.
Expected completion
June 2022
Comments
In response to the Inspector General of Taxation and Taxation Ombudsman (IGTO) report recommendations regarding deceased estates, published on 7 July 2020, the Commissioner undertook to improve our advice and guidance products. PCG 2019/5 provides a safe harbour for a taxpayer to self asses as if the discretion has been exercised for an additional 18 months. We are reviewing the Guideline to identify any opportunities that may exist to improve the uptake of self-assessment and further ease the compliance burden.
Publication of this Guideline has been delayed slightly to enable consideration of issues raised during consultation.
Contact
Danijela Jablanovic, Individuals and Intermediaries
Phone: (07) 3213 5864
Danijela.Jablanovic@ato.gov.au
See also
We are developing advice and guidance on the following capital gains tax issues.