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Ruling

Subject: non-commercial losses

Question

Will the Commissioner exercise the discretion in paragraph 35-55(1)(a) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) to allow you to include any losses from your primary production business activity in your calculation of taxable income for the 2010-11 financial year?

Answer

Yes.

This ruling applies for the following period

Year ended 30 June 2011

The scheme commenced on

12 March 2010

Relevant facts and circumstances

In the 2010-11 financial year you operated a outdoor activity business which offered day and overnight trips. You also offered instruction, sales and hire.

You employed assistants trained as guides.

You purchased equipment.

In the 2010-11 financial years you made a number of sales.

You planned trips for the 2010-11 financial year however a natural disaster occurred in your area and you had to cancel the trips.

Had the trips gone ahead you would have received made over $20,000 in assessable income in the 2010-11 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)(a)

Reasons for decision

For the 2009-10 and later income years, Division 35 of 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, or

· 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 your business activity is affected by special circumstances outside your control.

'Special circumstances' are those circumstances which are sufficiently different to distinguish them from the circumstances that occur in the normal course of conducting a business activity, including drought, flood, bushfire or some other natural disaster.

For individuals who satisfy the income requirement, special circumstances are those which have materially affected their business activity, causing it not to meet any of the four tests. In this context, the Commissioner may exercise this discretion for the income year(s) in question where, but for the special circumstances the activity would have passed at least one of the tests.

Having regard to your full circumstances, it is accepted that your business activity was affected by special circumstances outside your control and that these prevented you meeting one of the four tests.

Consequently the Commissioner will exercise his discretion in the 2010-11 financial year.