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Edited version of private ruling

Authorisation Number: 1011811671789

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Ruling

Subject: Employee share scheme

Relevant facts and circumstances

In its capacity as trustee of the Employee Share Trust (EST), the Trustee requested a private binding ruling, in respect of tax matters relating to the operation of an employee share scheme (ESS).

The ESS is comprised of several plans providing options, rights or shares.

For certain employees and executives, the remuneration strategy includes participation in the plans and thereby performance-linked payments of both cash and shares.

All ESS interests offered to participants are provided at a discount and in connection with the participants' employment.

In its letter of application, the employer (taxpayer company) states that the trustee and the EST facilitates the operation of the ESS, by providing commercial benefits, as follows:

The plans operate broadly as follows:

Options

Rights

Shares

EST

The EST is intended to co-operate as follows:

Question 1

Will the irretrievable cash contributions to the Trustee of the EST be assessable income to the EST?

Answer

No

Detailed reasoning

It is pertinent to initially consider whether the EST is an employee share trust within the meaning of subsection 130-85(4) of the ITAA 1997.

Employee share trust

The term 'employee share trust' referred to in subsection 130-90(1) of the ITAA 1997 is defined in subsection 995-1 of the ITAA 1997 as having the meaning given by subsection 130-85(4) of the ITAA 1997.

Subsection 130-85(4) of the ITAA 1997 provides that an employee share trust (EST) for an employee share scheme (having the meaning given by subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997) is a trust whose sole activities are:

The right to acquire a share and the beneficial interest in the share that is acquired pursuant to the exercise of the right are both ESS interests within the meaning of subsection 83A-10(1) of the ITAA 1997.

An employee share scheme (ESS) is defined in subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997 as a scheme under which ESS interests in a company are provided to employees, or associates of employees (including past or prospective employees) in relation to the employees' employment.

The plans comprise an employee share scheme within the meaning of subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997 because it is a scheme under which options and rights to acquire shares and invitations to acquire shares in the taxpayer company are provided to employees in relation to the employees' employment (see below for further discussion of term 'employee share scheme' under the heading 'Paragraph 130-90(1)(d) of the ITAA 1997').

Under the plans, the taxpayer company has established the EST to acquire shares in the company and to allocate those shares to employees to satisfy the rights and offers under the schemes. The beneficial interest in the share is itself provided under an employee share scheme because it is provided under the same scheme under which the options, rights or invitations to acquire the share are provided to the employee in relation to the employee's employment, being an employee share scheme as defined in subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997.

Therefore, paragraphs 130-85(4)(a) and (b) of the ITAA 1997 are satisfied because:

Undertaking the activities mentioned in paragraphs 130-85(4)(a) and 130-85(4)(b) of the ITAA 1997 will require a trustee to undertake incidental activities that are a function of managing the employee share scheme and administering the trust.

For the purposes of paragraph 130-85(4)(c) of the ITAA 1997, activities which are merely incidental include:

Activities that result in employees being provided with additional benefits (such as the provision of financial assistance, including a loan to acquire the shares) are not considered merely incidental.

For the purposes of the EST the general powers of the Trustee are set out in a clause of the Trust Deed. Clauses in the Trust Deed effectively read down the general powers given to the Trustee, so as to ensure that the general powers are exercised for the purposes of the plans, thereby making it clear that the Trustee can only use the contributions received, exclusively for the acquisition of shares for eligible employees in accordance with the plans. To this end, all other duties/general powers listed in the Trust Deed are considered to be merely incidental to the functions of the Trustee, in relation to its dealing with the shares to be acquired for eligible employees, for the purposes of the plans.

Therefore, the EST is an employee share trust, as defined in subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997, as the activities of the EST in acquiring and allocating ESS interests meet the requirements of paragraphs 130-85(4)(a) and 130-85(4)(b) of the ITAA 1997 and its other activities (general powers) are merely incidental to those activities in accordance with paragraph 130-85(4)(c) of the ITAA 1997.

Irretrievable cash contributions

Section 95 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936) defines net income in relation to a trust as follows, insofar as it is relevant:

Subsection 6-5(1) of the ITAA 1997 states:

and subsection 6-10(1) states:

Your assessable income also includes some amounts that are not *ordinary income.

The irretrievable contributions made by the taxpayer company to the EST are unlike those provisions listed in section 10-5 of the ITAA 1997. Therefore, irretrievable contributions made by the taxpayer company to the EST will not be assessable income under section 6-5 (ordinary income) and section 6-10 (statutory income) of the ITAA 1997.

Pursuant to clause 6.4(b) of the Trust Deed, all contributions by the taxpayer company to the EST for the purpose of acquiring its shares constitute accretions to the corpus of the EST. Furthermore, pursuant to clauses of the Trust Deed the Trustee must, when directed by the Board, acquire shares on behalf of participating employees and use the contributions made by the taxpayer company and the employees to do so.

The general powers granted to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Deed are restricted by paragraphs within it (see discussion on the meaning of the term 'employee share trust' above). The paragraphs require that the powers must be exercised only for the purposes of the EST and only to give effect to the plans which the EST supports. To this end, the contributions received from the taxpayer company and participating employees must, therefore, only be used to acquire shares in accordance with the terms of the Trust Deed and the plans' rules.

Accordingly, the irretrievable contributions made by the taxpayer company to the Trustee to acquire its shares will not be assessable income under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997 but constitute capital receipts of the Trustee. Therefore, the irretrievable cash contributions made by the taxpayer company to the Trustee of the EST to fund the acquisition of its shares by the EST in accordance with the Trust Deed of the EST will not be assessable income of the EST pursuant to sections 6-5 or 6-10 of the ITAA 1997. This accords with the view expressed in ATO ID 2002/965.

Note that a clause of the Trust Deed provides that whilst the Trustee is not entitled to receive any fees, commissions or remuneration in respect of the performance of its obligations as Trustee of the EST, the taxpayer company may pay to the Trustee from its own resources any fees, commission or remuneration as it and the Trustee may agree from time to time. Such receipts will be assessable income of the Trustee in contrast to the irretrievable contributions made to facilitate the acquisition of the taxpayer company's shares.

Note also that income derived by the employment of the property that is the fund or corpus of the trust and which the Trustee holds on trust will be income according to ordinary concepts (see Federal Commissioner of v. Everett (1980) 143 CLR 440; (1980) 10 ATR 608; 80 ATC 4076 for a discussion of the distinction between the trust income and corpus).

Question 2

When the participants become absolutely entitled to the shares under the terms of the options and rights plans, will any capital gain or capital loss made by the Trustee under CGT Event E5 be disregarded?

Answer

Yes

Detailed reasoning

Section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to ensure that any capital gain or loss made by an EST is disregarded if it arises as a result of a beneficiary of the trust becoming absolutely entitled to an employee share scheme share, or as a result of a disposal of an employee share scheme share or right to a beneficiary.

Subsections 130-90(1) and 130-90(2) of the ITAA 1997 state:

130-90(1)  

As discussed in the answer to question 1, the Trustee is an EST for the purposes of subsection 130-85(4) of the ITAA1997.

Section 104-75 of the ITAA 1997 contains the rules dealing with CGT event E5 which happens if a beneficiary of a trust becomes absolutely entitled to an asset of the trust as against the trustee of the trust (subsection 104-75(1) of the ITAA 1997).

In determining whether a beneficiary is absolutely entitled to the asset, any legal disability, e.g. if the beneficiary is under 18, is ignored. In Draft Taxation Ruling TR 2004/D25, the Commissioner stated his view that the core principle underlying the concept of absolute entitlement in the CGT rules is the ability of a beneficiary who has a vested and indefeasible interest in the entire trust asset to call for the asset to be transferred to them or as they so direct.

Subdivision 130-D treats an employee who acquires an ESS interest through an ESS to be 'absolutely entitled' to the share or right to which the ESS interest relates, from the time that they acquire the ESS interest (subsections 130-85(1) and 130-85(2) of the ITAA 1997).

A clause of the Trust Deed states that the Trustee declares and agrees that each participant is, subject to the relevant plan rules and relevant terms of participation the beneficial owner of the shares and absolutely entitled to them.

CGT event E5 will happen under the terms of the options and rights plans at the time when the participant becomes entitled to the shares in the taxpayer company as against the Trustee of the EST (paragraph 130-90(1)(a)) of the ITAA 1997.

Subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 defines a share to mean a share in the capital of a company. An ordinary share in the taxpayer company held by the Trustee of the EST and to which a participant is entitled upon exercise of an option or right is a share in the capital of the employer, a company (paragraph 130-90(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997).

A participant will have acquired a beneficial interest in a share in the taxpayer company by exercising a right or option granted under the plans (paragraph 130-90(1)(c) of the ITAA 1997.

Subsection 83A-20(1) of Subdivision 83A-B of the ITAA 1997 states:

The term 'employee share scheme' is defined in subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997 and states:

An employee share scheme is a *scheme under which *ESS interests in a company are provided to employees, or *associates of employees, (including past or prospective employees) of:

(a) the company; or

(b) *subsidiaries of the company;

in relation to the employees' employment.

For the purposes of subsection 83A-10(2) of the ITAA 1997, section 995 of the ITAA 1997 defines the term "scheme" as follows:

scheme means:

(a) any *arrangement; or

(b) any scheme, plan, proposal, action, course of action or course of conduct, whether unilateral or otherwise.

Both the options and rights plans define "trust" to mean: an employee share trust established by the taxpayer company for the sole purpose of acquiring and holding shares for the benefit of participants.

The purpose of the plans is to encourage participation and attract and motivate participants.

The plans are employee share schemes for the purposes of Division 83A as they are arrangements under which an ESS interest, i.e. a beneficial interest in an option or right to acquire a beneficial interest in a share of the taxpayer company, is provided to eligible participants in relation to their employment by the taxpayer company or its subsidiaries in accordance with the Trust Deed. The options and rights are acquired under the plans at no cost.

Subdivision 83A-B will apply to options or rights acquired before 1 July 2009 where an election (under former section 139E of the ITAA 1936) has not been made by the participant and the cessation time mentioned in former subsection 139B(3) of the ITAA 1936 has not occurred prior to 1 July 2009, as pursuant to subsection 83A-20(1) of the ITAA 1997, the ESS interest will be acquired under an employee scheme at a discount (paragraph 130-90(1)(d) of the ITAA 1997).

Subdivision 83A-B will apply to options or rights acquired under the plans as pursuant to subsection 83A-20(1) of the ITAA 1997 as the ESS interest will be acquired under an employee scheme at a discount (paragraph 130-90(1)(d) of the ITAA 1997).

It should be noted however that whether a participant is ultimately taxed upfront on some or all of any discount received (under Subdivision 83A-B) or is able to defer the timing of the inclusion of an amount in their assessable income (under Subdivision 83A-C), will depend on which of the additional requirements in Subdivision 83A-B or Subdivision 83A-C have been satisfied. Accordingly, all the conditions in subsection 130-90(1) of the ITAA 1997 have been satisfied.

Provided that the participant does not acquire the beneficial interest in the share for more than its cost base in the hands of the EST at the time that CGT event E5 happens, subsection 130-90(2) of the ITAA 1997 will also have been satisfied.

Under these circumstances, section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to disregard any capital gain or capital loss made by the Trustee on any share, when a participant becomes absolutely entitled to that share.

Question 3

When the participants become absolutely entitled to the shares under the terms of the share plan, will the Trustee make a capital gain or capital loss under CGT Event E5?

Answer

No

Detailed reasoning

In the answer to Question 2 the application of section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 was discussed. Section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to disregard any capital gain or loss made by an EST, if it arises as a result of a beneficiary of the trust becoming absolutely entitled to an employee share scheme share, or as a result of a disposal of an employee share scheme share or right to a beneficiary.

The reasoning provided in answer to Question 2 is applicable as to whether the Trustee makes a capital gain or capital loss under CGT event E5, when the participants become absolutely entitled to the shares under the terms of the share plan.

As is the case in the context of the option and rights plan, so too for the share plan: provided that the participant does not acquire the beneficial interest in the share for more than its cost base in the hands of the EST at the time that CGT event E5 happens, subsection 130-90(2) of the ITAA 1997 will also have been satisfied.

Under these circumstances, section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to disregard any capital gain or capital loss made by the Trustee on any share, when a participant becomes absolutely entitled to that share.

Question 4

In respect of shares disposed of by the Trustee of the EST under the terms of the plans, will the Trustee make a capital gain or capital loss under CGT Event E7?

Answer

No

Detailed reasoning

As discussed in the answers to questions 2 and 3, section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to ensure that any capital gain or loss made by an EST is disregarded if it arises as a result of a beneficiary of the trust becoming absolutely entitled to an ESS share, or as a result of a disposal of an ESS share or right to a beneficiary.

As discussed in the answer to question 1, the EST is an employee share trust within the meaning of subsection 130-85(4).

Section 104-85 of the ITAA 1997, Disposal to beneficiary to end capital interest: CGT event E7, happens if the trustee of a trust (except a unit trust or a trust to which Division 128 of the ITAA 1997 applies) disposes of a CGT asset of the trust to a beneficiary in satisfaction of the beneficiary's interest, or part of it in the trust capital. The time of CGT event E7 is when the asset is disposed of by the trustee to the beneficiary (subsection 104-85(2) of the ITAA 1997).

In regard to the plans, the transfer of Trust shares is contained in Clause 12 of the Trust Deed, which states:

12.1 Sales of Trust Shares by Trustee

Subject to clause 11, if the relevant Plan Rules and/or relevant Terms of Participation permit, the Trustee may at the direction of the Participant, sell any of the Trust Shares to which the Participant is entitled. On sale of any such Trust Shares, subject to any Plan Rules and/or relevant Terms of Participation, the Trustee will apply the proceeds of sale (and pay to the Participant any other monies held on the account for the Participant):

(a) first, in payment of any brokerage and other costs and expenses of the sale incurred by the Trustee (including an amount sufficient to meet the Tax liability (if any) incurred by the Trustee resulting from that sale); and

(b) second, the balance (if any) in payment to the relevant Participant.

12.2 Trustee to transfer

Subject to clause 11, the Trustee must do all things required by it to transfer legal title in Trust Shares to a Participant on whose behalf Trust Shares are held or to any third party as directed by the relevant Participant (and pay to the Participant any other monies held on the account for the Participant):

(a) where required to do so, or permitted, by the relevant Plan Rules and/or relevant Terms of Participation as soon as reasonably practicable;

(b) it the Trust is terminated under clause 17; or

(c) otherwise where the Board in its discretion determines.

Upon transfer of the legal title in those Trust shares, in accordance with the relevant plan rules, CGT event E7 will occur at the time legal title in the shares is transferred to either the participant, or to a third party, as directed by the participant (paragraph 130-90(1)(a) of the ITAA 1997).

A capital gain arises to the Trustee if the market value of the share at the time of disposal to the participant is more than the share's cost base (subsection 104-85(3) of the ITAA 1997). A capital loss arises to the Trustee if the market value of the share at the time of disposal to the participant is less than the share's reduced cost base (subsection 104-85(3) of the ITAA 1997).

As discussed in answers 2 and 3, in regard to the taxpayer company's plans, paragraphs 130-90(1)(b) to (d) of the ITAA 1997 are satisfied, accordingly, all the conditions in subsection 130-90(1) of the ITAA 1997 have been satisfied.

Provided the participant in the taxpayer company's plans does not acquire the beneficial interest in the share for more than its cost base in the hands of the EST, at the time that CGT event E7 happens, subsection 130-90(2) of the ITAA 1997 will also have been satisfied. Under these circumstances, section 130-90 of the ITAA 1997 operates to disregard a CGT event E7 capital gain or capital loss made by the Trustee.


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