ATO Interpretative Decision
ATO ID 2002/814
Income Tax
Deductibility of accounting and legal feesFOI status: may be released
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This ATOID provides you with the following level of protection:
If you reasonably apply this decision in good faith to your own circumstances (which are not materially different from those described in the decision), and the decision is later found to be incorrect you will not be liable to pay any penalty or interest. However, you will be required to pay any underpaid tax (or repay any over-claimed credit, grant or benefit), provided the time limits under the law allow it. If you do intend to apply this decision to your own circumstances, you will need to ensure that the relevant provisions referred to in the decision have not been amended or repealed. You may wish to obtain further advice from the Tax Office or from a professional adviser.
Issue
Whether accounting and legal fees incurred in appealing to the Federal Court on a Sales Tax dispute are deductible under section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA1997).
Decision
Yes. Accounting and legal fees incurred in appealing to the Federal Court on a Sales Tax dispute are deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997.
Facts
The taxpayer manufactures two types of plant.
The taxpayer maintained that sales tax was not payable on any sales of the plant.
The taxpayer was subsequently audited by the ATO resulting in an amended assessment issuing.
The taxpayer lodged a Notice of Objection against the assessment.
The objection was disallowed.
The taxpayer appeared before the AAT who confirmed the ATO decision.
The taxpayer then lodged an appeal with the Federal Court.
In an out of Court settlement it was agreed that the taxpayer would pay a substantially lesser amount of sales tax than was originally claimed by the ATO.
The taxpayer incurred accounting and legal fees in respect of this matter.
Reasons for Decision
Apart from the deductibility under specific provisions of the tax law, the deductibility of accounting and legal expenses is to be considered under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997.
For accounting and legal expenses to be deductible they must be clearly of a revenue and not of a capital nature.
Where a taxpayer is carrying on a business, the cost of preparing a return for any business related tax such as sales or payroll tax is deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997 (Magna Alloys & Research Pty Ltd v. FC of T (1980) 11 ATR 276). The cost of objecting or appealing against any resulting assessment is also deductible. The cost of obtaining professional advice on matters relating to these taxes would also be deductible.
Objecting against a sales tax assessment would meet the criteria for deductibility listed above. Therefore, the taxpayer is entitled to a deduction for the accounting and legal expenses they have incurred.
This decision is supported by the decision of the Federal Court in Jezareed v. FCT 20 ATR 683 where a retail motor trader was allowed a deduction of nearly $500,000 in fees paid for advice and administrative work in relation to a sales tax minimisation scheme.
Date of decision: 5 April 2002Year of income: Year ended 30 June 2001
Legislative References:
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
section 8-1
Case References:
Jezareed Pty Ltd v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation
20 ATR 683
(1989) 23 FCR 529
89 ATC 4459
(1980) 11 ATR 276
Keywords
Accounting expenses
Legal expenses
Precedent
ISSN: 1445-2782
| Date: | Version: | |
| You are here | 5 April 2002 | Original statement |
| 3 July 2015 | Updated statement |