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Edited version of your written advice
Authorisation Number: 1012941243976
Date of advice: 28 January 2016
Ruling
Subject: Non-commercial business losses and the Commissioner's discretion
Question
Will the Commissioner exercise the discretion in paragraph 35-55(1)(b) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) to allow you to include any losses from your business in your calculation of taxable income for the relevant financial years?
Answer
Yes.
This ruling applies for the following periods:
Year ending 30 June 2016
Year ending 30 June 2017
Year ending 30 June 2018
The scheme commences on:
1 July 2015
Relevant facts and circumstances
You satisfy the <$250,000 income requirement set out in subsection 35-10(2E) of the ITAA 1997.
You purchased a property during the relevant financial year in order to conduct a primary production business.
The property has a large number of X trees but it will take three years before the trees will produce a commercial yield.
Your projected income and expenditure shows that you expect the business to produce assessable income of more than $20,000 by the 2018-19 financial year, and a tax profit in the 2020-21 financial year.
Relevant legislative provisions
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 subsection 35-10(1)
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 subsection 35-10(2)
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 subsection 35-10(2E)
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 paragraph 35-55(1)(b)
Reasons for decision
For the 2009-10 and later financial years, Division 35 of the ITAA 1997 will apply to defer a non-commercial loss from a business activity unless:
• you satisfy the income requirement and you pass one of the four tests
• the exceptions apply
• the Commissioner exercises his discretion.
In your situation, none of the exceptions would apply and although you satisfy the income requirement, you do not meet any of the four tests in the years of income under consideration. Your losses are therefore subject to the deferral rule, unless the Commissioner exercises his discretion.
The relevant discretion may be exercised for the income year in question where:
• it is in the nature of the business activity that there will be a period of time before it can be expected to pass one of the four tests
• there is an objective expectation your business activity will produce a tax profit or meet one of the four tests within a commercially viable period for your industry.
Having regard to your full circumstances, it is accepted that it is in the nature of the business activity that has prevented one of the four tests being passed. It is also accepted that you will pass one of the four tests or make a tax profit within the commercially viable period for your industry.
Consequently the Commissioner will exercise his discretion in the relevant financial years.
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