Significant variation in benchmark franking percentage franking period
For a corporate tax entity that is a private company, a franking period is the same as its income year.
For corporate tax entities that are not private companies, there are ordinarily two franking periods in an income year. The first franking period is the first six months beginning at the start of the entity’s income year; and the second franking period will be the remainder of the income year.
Was there a significant variation in benchmark franking percentage between franking periods?
Where a corporate tax entity has a significant variation in its benchmark franking percentage between franking periods, it has an obligation to disclose this information to the Commissioner (unless it is a listed public company that satisfies certain criteria, or is a 100% subsidiary of such a company). A significant variation occurs where the benchmark franking percentage for the current franking period has increased or decreased by more than 20% of the number of franking periods starting immediately after the last franking period in which a frankable distribution was made (the last relevant franking period) and ending at the end of the current franking period.
- For a corporate tax entity that makes a frankable distribution in every franking period, the effect of the above formula is that a significant variation will occur where the benchmark franking percentage increases or decreases between franking periods by more than 20%.
- Examples 6 and 7 will help you to work out whether there was a significant variation in your entity’s benchmark franking percentage between franking periods.
If there was a significant variation, print X in the Yes box at Was there a significant variation in benchmark franking percentage between franking periods? on the Franking account tax return 2018. Complete the rest of section C.
- For the purposes of recording the benchmark franking percentage at G to J, the value stated should be worked out to two decimal places, rounding up if the third decimal place is 5 or more.
- Listed public companies that satisfy the criteria set out in subsection 203-20(1) of the ITAA 1997, and 100% subsidiaries of such companies, do not need to complete section C.
If there was no significant variation, print X in the No box at Was there a significant variation in benchmark franking percentage between franking periods? on the Franking account tax return 2018. Do not complete the rest of section C.
Example 6
Corporate tax entity with two franking periods
XYZ Ltd, an unlisted public company, has an income year which started on 1 July 2017 and ended on 30 June 2018. Its franking periods and benchmark franking percentage for the year ended 30 June 2018 were:
Franking period |
Period |
Benchmark franking percentage |
|---|---|---|
1 |
1 July 2017 to |
50.455 |
2 |
1 January 2018 |
100.000 |
Franking period 1 is the last relevant franking period and franking period 2 is the current franking period.
The entity’s franking percentage for franking period 2 is 100%. This is an increase in the benchmark franking percentage for franking period 1 by an amount that is greater than 20 percentage points, resulting in a significant variation in the benchmark franking percentage. XYZ Ltd has an obligation to disclose this information on the franking account tax return. It would print X in the Yes box at Was there a significant variation in benchmark franking percentage between franking periods? and complete the benchmark franking period and percentage boxes.
End of example
Example 7
Private company
Dombey Pty Ltd is a private company that has an income year from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. A private company has the same franking period as its income year, therefore for the 2017–18 income year, Dombey Pty Ltd’s first franking period was from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. During the 2016–17 income year Dombey Pty Ltd’s benchmark franking percentage was 60%.
The company’s second franking period is 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018. During this income year, Dombey Pty Ltd’s benchmark franking percentage was 30%. Dombey Pty Ltd would:
- complete section C in the franking account tax return, because its benchmark franking percentage decreased by more than 20 percentage points in the franking period for 2017–18
- print X in the Yes box at Was there a significant variation in benchmark franking percentage between franking periods?
- complete the benchmark franking period and percentage boxes.