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What records do you need to keep?

Last updated 5 October 2009

You must keep records of every act, transaction, event or circumstance that may be relevant to working out whether you have made a capital gain or capital loss from a CGT event. It does not matter whether the CGT event has already happened or whether it may happen in the future.

The records must be in English (or be readily accessible or convertible to English) and must show:

  • the nature of the act, transaction, event or circumstance
  • the day it happened
  • who did the act or who were the parties to the transaction
  • how the act, transaction, event or circumstance is relevant to working out the capital gain or capital loss.

The following are examples of records you may need to keep:

  • receipts of purchase or transfer
  • details of interest on money you borrowed relating to this asset
  • records of agent, accountant, legal and advertising costs
  • receipts for insurance costs and land rates or taxes
  • any market valuations
  • receipts for the cost of maintenance, repairs or modifications
  • accounts showing brokerage fees on shares.

You should also keep records to establish whether you have claimed an income tax deduction for an item of expenditure. In many cases if you have claimed a deduction for an amount it cannot be taken into account for CGT purposes.

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