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What is the cost base?

Last updated 3 March 2016

The cost base of a CGT asset is generally the cost of the asset when you bought it; however, it also includes certain other costs associated with acquiring, holding and disposing of the asset.

For most CGT events, you need the cost base of the CGT asset to work out whether or not you have made a capital gain. If you may have made a capital loss, you need the reduced cost base of the CGT asset for your calculation. The capital gain and capital loss columns in the table at appendix 1 indicate whether the cost base and reduced cost base of an asset are relevant for a CGT event.

For those CGT events where the cost base and reduced cost base are not relevant, the explanation of the CGT event given in the table explains the amounts to use to work out your capital gain or capital loss. For example, if you enter into an agreement not to work in a particular industry for a set period of time, CGT event D1 specifies that you make a capital gain or capital loss by comparing the capital proceeds with the incidental costs.

Cost base is not relevant when working out a capital gain from a depreciating asset.

There are special rules for calculating the cost of a depreciating asset. For details, see CGT and depreciating assets, and the Guide to depreciating assets 2003–04.

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