The following examples show how CGT works in various situations where people have bought and sold shares and units. They may help you meet your CGT obligation and complete item 17 on your tax return, or item 9 if you use the tax return for retirees.
Example 1
Sonya has a capital gain from one parcel of shares that she bought after 11:45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 and sold less than 12 months later.
In August 2001 Sonya bought 1,000 shares in Tulip Ltd for $1,500 including brokerage and sold them in July 2002 for $2,350. She paid $50 brokerage on the sale. The sale is a CGT event.
As Sonya bought and sold the shares within 12 months, she uses the 'other' method to calculate her capital gain as she cannot use the indexation or discount method. So her capital gain is:
$2,350 − ($1,500 + $50) = $800
As she has no other CGT event and does not have any capital losses, Sonya completes item 17 on her tax return (or item 9 if she uses the tax return for retirees) as follows:
Example 2
Andrew has a capital gain from the sale of units which he bought before 11:45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 and gave to his brother more than 12 months later.
In May 1999 Andrew bought 1,200 units in Share Trust for $1,275 including brokerage. He gave the units to his brother in August 2002. At that time they were worth $1,595.
The gift is a CGT event. As Andrew bought the units before 21 September 1999 and he owned them for more than 12 months, he can use the indexation or discount method to calculate his capital gain, whichever gives him the better result.
Indexation method
If Andrew calculates his capital gain or capital loss using the indexation method, he indexes the cost of his units and the incidental costs of buying them as follows:
CPI for September 1999 quarter ÷ CPI for June 1999 quarter
= 123.4 ÷ 122.3
= 1.009
His indexed cost base is worked out as follows:
His cost ($1,275) × 1.009 = $1,286.48
So his capital gain is:
Capital proceeds |
$1,595.00 |
less Indexed cost base |
$1,286.48 |
Capital gain |
$308.52 |
Rounded down |
$308.00 |
Discount method
If Andrew uses the discount method, his capital gain is calculated as:
Capital proceeds |
$1,595 |
less Cost base |
$1,275 |
equals Total capital gain |
$320 |
less discount (see note) |
$160 |
Capital gain |
$160 |
Note: Andrew does not have any capital losses. If he did he would deduct any capital losses before applying the discount.
Andrew chooses the discount method because it gives him a smaller capital gain.
As he has no other CGT event and does not have any capital losses, Andrew completes item 17 on his tax return as follows:
Note: If Andrew had received a non-assessable payment from the fund his cost base may have been reduced and the capital gain may have been greater. For more information, see chapter C2.
End of example
Example 3
Fatima has a capital gain from one parcel of shares which she was given before 11.45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 and sold more than 12 months later.
In October 1986 Fatima was given 500 shares in FJM Ltd with a market value of $2,500. She sold the shares in October 2002 for $4,500.
The sale is a CGT event. As Fatima acquired the shares before 21 September 1999 and owned them for more than 12 months, she can use the indexation or discount method to calculate her capital gain, whichever method gives her the better result.
Indexation method
If Fatima calculates her capital gain using the indexation method, the indexation factor is:
CPI for September 1999 quarter ÷ CPI for December 1986 quarter
= 123.4 ÷ 79.8
= 1.546
Her indexed cost base is:
Her cost ($2,500) × 1.546 = $3,865.00
So her capital gain is calculated as follows:
Capital proceeds |
$4,500.00 |
less Indexed cost base |
$3,865.00 |
Capital gain |
$635.00 |
Discount method
If Fatima uses the discount method, her capital gain is calculated as:
Capital proceeds |
$4,500 |
less Cost base |
$2,500 |
Total capital gain |
$2,000 |
less discount (see note) |
$1,000 |
Capital gain |
$1,000 |
Note: Fatima does not have any capital losses. If she did she would deduct any capital losses before applying the discount.
Fatima chooses the indexation method because it gives her a smaller capital gain.
As she has no other CGT event and does not have any capital losses, Fatima completes item 17 on her tax return (or item 9 if she uses the tax return for retirees) as follows:
End of example
Example 4
Colin has a capital gain from some units he bought after 11.45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 and redeemed less than 12 months later.
Colin bought 500 units in Equity Trust for $3,500 in October 2002 and redeemed them in June 2003 for $5,000 by switching or transferring his units from a share fund to a property fund. The redeeming of units is a CGT event.
As Colin acquired the units after 21 September 1999 and owned them for less than 12 months, he calculates his capital gain using the 'other' method. Colin's capital gain is:
Capital proceeds |
$5,000 |
less Cost base |
$3,500 |
Capital gain |
$1,500 |
As he has no other CGT event and does not have any capital losses, Colin completes item 17 on his tax return as follows:
Note: If Colin had received a non-assessable payment from the fund, his cost base may have been adjusted and the capital gain may have been greater. For more information, see chapter C2.
End of example
Example 5
Mei-Ling made a capital gain from some shares she bought after 11:45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 and sold more than 12 months later. She also has a net capital loss from an earlier income year.
Mei-Ling bought 400 shares in TKY Ltd for $15,000 in October 1999 and sold them for $23,000 in February 2003. The sale is a CGT event. She also has a net capital loss of $1,000 from an earlier income year that has not been applied against later year capital gains.
As she bought the shares after 21 September 1999, Mei-Ling cannot use the indexation method. However, as she owned the shares for more than 12 months and sold them after 21 September 1999, she can use the discount method. Her capital gain is:
Capital proceeds |
$23,000 |
less Cost base |
$15,000 |
Total capital gain |
$8,000 |
less net capital loss |
$1,000 |
Capital gain (before applying discount) |
$7,000 |
less discount |
$3,500 |
Capital gain |
$3,500 |
As she has no other CGT event, Mei-Ling completes item 17 on her tax return (or item 9 if she uses the tax return for retirees) as follows:
End of example
Example 6
Mario made a capital loss from one parcel of shares he bought before 21 September 1999 and sold more than 12 months later.
In October 1986 Mario purchased 2,500 shares in Machinery Manufacturers Ltd for $2,650 including brokerage. He sold the shares in March 2003 for $2,300 and paid $50 brokerage. Mario also made a capital loss of $350 on some shares he sold in the 1999-2000 income year but had not made any capital gain since then that he could use to offset his capital losses.
The sale is a CGT event. Mario purchased the shares before 11.45am (by legal time in the ACT) on 21 September 1999 but he made a capital loss, so neither the indexation nor the discount method applies.
Mario calculates his capital loss for the current year as follows:
Reduced cost base ($2,650 + $50) |
$2,700 |
less capital proceeds |
$2,300 |
Capital loss |
$400 |
The capital losses that Mario can carry forward to reduce capital gains he may make in later income years are:
Capital loss for 2002-03 |
$400 |
plus capital loss for 1999-2000 |
$350 |
Net capital losses carried forward to later income year |
$750 |
As he has no other CGT event, Mario inserts '0' (zero) at A and completes item 17 on his tax return (or item 9 if he uses the tax return for retirees) as follows: