ATO Interpretative Decision

ATO ID 2003/931

Income Tax

Capital Allowances: Cost - enhancement and support fees for in-house software
FOI status: may be released

This document incorporates revisions made since original publication. View its history and amending notices, if applicable.

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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you will need to ensure that the relevant provisions referred to in the decision have not been amended or repealed.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

Do separate monthly fees, paid specifically for the provision of any enhancements or support necessary for in-house software to remain current, form part of the second element of cost of the in-house software as worked out under Subdivision 40-C of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)?

Decision

No. Monthly fees, paid for the supply of any enhancements necessary for in-house software to remain current and any technical support required, that are not capital in nature do not form part of the second element of cost of in-house software.

Facts

The taxpayer purchased a software licence for use in its business. Multiple changes to regulations in the taxpayer's industry required the software to be modified regularly in order for it to perform its function in the taxpayer's business. The taxpayer also paid, under a separate agreement with the software provider, an ongoing monthly fee for regular updating of the software and technical support in the use of its software licence.

Reasons for Decision

In-house software is defined in subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 as computer software, or a right to use computer software (ie a licence) that you acquire or develop (or have another entity develop), that is mainly for your use in performing the functions for which the software was developed, and for which no amount is deductible outside Divisions 40 and 328 of the ITAA 1997.

Paragraph 40-30(2)(d) of the ITAA 1997 provides that in-house software, that is not trading stock, is a depreciating asset. The taxpayer's software licence is within the definition of in-house software and is therefore a depreciating asset.

The second element of a depreciating asset's cost is the amount the taxpayer is taken to have paid for each economic benefit that has contributed to bringing the asset to its present condition and location from time to time since the taxpayer started to hold the asset (section 40-190 of the ITAA 1997). In some circumstances, the enhancement and support fees may provide an economic benefit and would be included in the second element of cost.

However, section 40-220 of the ITAA 1997 reduces the cost of a depreciating asset by any portion of it that is not of a capital nature. The regular payment of the fees and particularly the temporary advantage obtained from the payment of the fees, led to the determination that these expenses are not of a capital nature. As such, section 40-220 of the ITAA 1997 excludes these expenses from the second element of cost of a depreciating asset. Generally, these types of expenses are deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997.

Note: The second element of cost of a depreciating asset also includes expenses incurred after 30 June 2005 of a balancing adjustment event occurring for the asset.

[HISTORY: This ATO ID was amended on 21 April 2006 by adding the above note.]

Amendment History

Date of Amendment	Part	Comment
28 July 2017	All	Updated.

Date of decision: 31 January 2003

Year of income: Year ended 30 June 2002

Legislative References:
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
   section 8-1
   paragraph 40-30(2)(d)
   section 40-190
   section 40-220
   Subdivision 40-C
   subsection 995-1(1)

Keywords
Cost of a depreciating asset
Depreciating assets
In-house software
Intangible depreciating assets
Second element of cost

Siebel/TDMS Reference Number: 3190743; 1-5VRX69G, 1-BTRLXV6

Business Line: Private Groups and High Wealth Individuals

Date of publication: 17 October 2003
Date reviewed: 3 July 2017

ISSN: 1445-2782

history

	Date:	Version:
	31 January 2003	Original statement
You are here	28 July 2017	Updated statement

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