Tax treatment of capital gains
The ATO’s recently released interpretation of the tax treatment of capital gains distributed by an Australian discretionary trust to non-resident beneficiaries will have a significant negative impact for some.
ATO take ‘gloves off’ on overseas income
The ATO has again flagged that underreporting of foreign income is an issue, but this time the gloves are off.
Tax warning on overseas income
Do you earn income overseas? A recent case highlights why you might pay more tax than you thought on foreign income. If you are an Australian resident and earn income from overseas, such as income from investments, sale of assets such as property, distributions from foreign trusts, etc., you will generally need to declare that…
Tax on shares
ATO extends data matching program The Australian Tax Office (ATO) is utilising data provided by the Australian Investments and Security Commission (ASIC) to data match share trades. The ATO is accessing more than 500 million records detailing price, quantity and time of individual trades dating back to 2014. The information complements information that the ATO…
ATO cryptocurrency guidelines
Cryptocurrency guidelines updated The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has updated their guidelines on the tax treatment of cryptocurrencies, following community consultation in 2018. The updated guidelines help you learn more about the tax implications of cryptocurrency, including the practical issues of exchanging one cryptocurrency for another and associated record-keeping requirements. If you have purchased, traded…
Inherited property tax
Tax ‘safe harbour’ for inherited property When someone inherits a dwelling there are some special rules contained within the main residence exemption provisions that can provide a full exemption if certain conditions are met. If the conditions are not met, the beneficiary might face a nasty capital gains tax (CGT) bill for their good fortune.…
Foreign residents living in Australia
CGT and the family home If you are a foreign citizen currently living in Australia but planning to leave Australia at some stage in the short to medium term then these new rules are likely to impact on you. If you owned your home at or before 9 May 2017, you can access the main…
Australians working overseas
CGT and the family home If you are an Australian citizen working overseas but a non-resident for tax purposes, these new rules are likely to affect your main residence in Australia. If you maintain your main residence in Australia, you can use the absence rule to maintain the exempt status of your property just in…
Expats and foreign residents beware
CGT and the family home Expats and foreign residents beware The family home of foreign residents and expats may be taxed if legislation before Parliament is passed by the Senate. If you are a foreign resident living in Australia or an Australian working overseas who owns residential property in Australia, this reform potentially has serious…
What is main residence exemption?
Generally, you do not pay CGT on the sale of your private home. A full exemption should be available if the following conditions are met: You are an individual who is selling a dwelling or an ownership interest in a dwelling; The dwelling has been your home for the entire ownership period; The dwelling has…