If you do not have any unapplied net capital losses from earlier years, go to step 7. Otherwise, read on.
You can further reduce your current year capital gains by your unapplied net capital losses from earlier years.
You must apply unapplied net capital losses from earlier years against capital gains in the order you made them (for example, use net capital losses from 1998–99 before you use any net capital losses from 1999–2000). You can then apply these capital losses against your capital gains in the manner that gives you the best result. Again, for most people the order that usually gives the greatest benefit and the smallest net capital gain is to apply the capital losses against capital gains calculated using the:
- 'other' method
- indexation method
- discount method.
Reduce your remaining current year capital gains by any unapplied net capital losses from earlier years and make a note of any capital gains remaining. If you have unapplied net capital losses from earlier years that can be applied this income year, they must be applied here. You cannot choose to defer to a later income year any amount that can be applied this income year.
You will need to keep a record of any unapplied net capital losses from earlier years. You can continue to carry over these amounts and use them to reduce your future capital gains. There is no time limit on how long you can carry over your net capital losses. You record these at V Net capital losses carried forward to later income years (see step 9). If you have reduced your capital gains to zero, do not put anything at A Net capital gain.
Example 107: Unapplied net capital losses from earlier years
Let us also now assume that Kathleen has the following to consider:
Kathleen has unapplied net capital losses from earlier years of $400 that are not from collectables or personal use assets.
In our example so far, Kathleen applied her current year capital loss and had $2,920 of capital gains calculated using the discount method remaining.
Taking this example further, Kathleen would now also deduct the unapplied net capital losses of $400 from earlier income years from her capital gain of $2,920 calculated using the discount method:
$2,920 – $400 = $2,520
This leaves $2,520 of capital gains calculated using the discount method.
Kathleen must use all current year capital losses and all the unapplied net capital losses from earlier years before applying the CGT discount of 50%. In this example, the amount at V is still $500 because this is what she will carry forward as losses from collectables to future income years.
End of example