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Edited version of your private ruling

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Ruling

Subject: Capital gains tax

The answers provided in this ruling are limited to the matters raised in the ruling application. There may be other matters that need to be considered including the application of section 104-230 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997), capital gains tax (CGT) event K6.

Question 1

Is B Co absolutely entitled to the share registered in Individual D's name (W Co share 1) in accordance with section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997 and if so, in its capacity as trustee for M Trust?

Answer

Yes.

Question 2

If the answer to both of the issues raised by Question 1 is yes, would on a change of ownership of the W Co share 1, B Co in its capacity as trustee for M Trust, be exempt from any capital gain arising from that change of ownership pursuant to paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997?

Answer

Yes.

Question 3

If there is a change in ownership of the W Co share that B Co holds on trust for M Trust (that was established by a deed of settlement dated prior to 20 September 1985) (WWH share 2), does paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997 apply to disregard any capital gain made by B Co as trustee for M Trust?

Answer

Yes.

The scheme commences on:

The scheme is in contemplation.

Relevant facts and circumstances

C Co

C Co was incorporated in Australia. The C Co shares were owned by Individual E as bare trustee for Individual D.

W Co, B Co and M Trust

W Co and B Co were incorporated in Australia. Individual D and Individual E acquired the W Co and B Co shares before 20 September 1985.

M Trust was established by a deed of settlement under which B Co was to act as trustee.

Transfer of W Co shares

Individual E transferred their share in W Co to Individual D and Individual D transferred their share in W Co to B Co before 20 September 1985.

Shares in C Co transferred to W Co

Recording of W Co shares in Balance Sheet of M Trust

Annual Company Returns for W Co

Evidence has been provided which indicates:

Other information

Relevant legislative provisions

Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 former subsection 160ZZS(1)

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 paragraph 104-10(5)(a)

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 section 106-50

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 section 109-5

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 section 149-10

Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Division 149.

Reasons for decision

Question 1

Summary

B Co is absolutely entitled to W Co share 1 (registered in Individual D's name) in accordance with section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997 in its capacity as trustee for M Trust.

Detailed reasoning

Section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997 states that:

W Co share 1 is the relevant CGT asset for section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997. The issue to be determined is whether B Co (in its capacity as trustee for M Trust) is absolutely entitled to this CGT asset as against Individual D (the trustee) such that Parts 3-1 and 3-3 of the ITAA 1997 will apply to an act done by Individual D in relation to the share as if B Co (in its capacity as trustee of M Trust) had done it.

The Commissioner's position in relation to the meaning of 'absolutely entitled to a CGT asset as against a trustee' is set out in Draft Taxation Ruling TR 2004/D25 Income Tax: capital gains: meaning of the words 'absolutely entitled to a CGT asset as against the trustee of a trust' as used in Parts 3-1 and 3-3 of the ITAA 1997.

Paragraph 10 of TR 2004/D25 outlines the core principle of the concept of absolute entitlement for the purposes of the CGT provisions and states that it is:

The most straight forward application of the core principle is one where a single beneficiary has all the interests in the trust asset (paragraph 20 of TR 2004/D25). Paragraph 21 of TR 2004/D25 provides that a beneficiary has all the interests in a trust asset if no other beneficiary has an interest in the asset.

Individual D declared a trust over their share (W Co share 1) in favour of B Co. Individual D and B Co signed a Declaration of Trust with B Co being the sole beneficiary of Individual D's trust. The Declaration of Trust states that Individual D holds the share upon trust for B Co.

A beneficiary will be absolutely entitled to the CGT asset as against the trustee for the purposes of the CGT provisions if the beneficiary can (ignoring any legal disability) terminate the trust in respect of that asset by directing the trustee to transfer the asset to them or to transfer it at their direction (paragraph 22 of TR 2004/D25).

Given that B Co can demand transfer of the trust property as it directs and is the sole beneficiary and has all the interests in the trust asset; it is absolutely entitled to W Co share 1 as against Individual D for the purposes of section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997.

Question 2

Summary

A capital gain made under CGT event A1 by B Co in its capacity as trustee for M Trust on a change in ownership of the W Co share 1 will be disregarded under paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997.

Detailed reasoning

Paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997 applies to disregard any capital gain or capital loss from the happening of CGT event A1 where the asset that was the subject of the change of ownership was acquired before 20 September 1985.

Given B Co as trustee of M Trust became absolutely entitled to W Co share 1 as against Individual D subsequent to Individual D acquiring the share but prior to 20 September 1985, item E5 in the table in section 109-5 of the ITAA 1997 provides that B Co as trustee of M Trust acquired the share prior to 20 September 1985.

However, section 149-10 of the ITAA 1997 provides that a CGT asset that an entity owns is a pre-CGT asset if it:

Taxation Ruling IT 2340 Income Tax: Capital gains: deemed acquisition of assets by a taxpayer after 19 September 1985 where a change occurs in the underlying ownership of assets acquired by the taxpayer on or before that date discusses the application of former section 160ZZS of the ITAA 1997 to discretionary trusts in the following terms;

Based on the information provided about the administration of the trust for the benefit of the relevant individuals, the share has not stopped, by virtue of former subsection 160ZZS(1) of the ITAA 1936 or Division 149 of the ITAA 1997, being a pre-CGT asset.

Consequently, upon CGT A1 happening in respect of W Co share 1 a capital gain made by B Co as trustee of M Trust by operation of section 106-50 of the ITAA 1997 will be disregarded by operation of paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997.

Question 3

Summary

Paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997 will apply to disregard a capital gain made under CGT event A1 by B Co as trustee for M Trust on a change of ownership of W Co share 2.

Detailed reasoning

Paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997 applies to disregard a capital gain or capital loss from the happening of CGT event A1 where the asset that was the subject of the change of ownership was acquired before 20 September 1985.

Prior to 20 September 1985 Individual D transferred their share in W Co to B Co. The information provided, when taken together, supports a finding that when the share was transferred to B Co it was in its capacity as trustee for the M Trust and not for B Co in its own capacity. Therefore based on this and the fact that there has been no change in ownership, the share has not stopped by virtue of former subsection 160ZZS(1) of the ITAA 1936 or Division 149 of the ITAA 1997 being a pre-CGT asset.

It follows that paragraph 104-10(5)(a) of the ITAA 1997 will apply to disregard a capital gain made under CGT event A1 if there is now a change in ownership of that share.


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