The standard format does not purport to deal with all possible scenarios that a fund manager may encounter. Where the funds' circumstances are outside those shown in the standard format, additional information or requirements need to be considered. For example, indexed capital gains may need to be included.
Fund managers may delete lines that are not relevant to their particular circumstances. For example, if there is no foreign income, the lines for foreign income may be deleted. Also, if there are no capital gains or tax-deferred payments, part B may be deleted, but we recommend that the fund manager includes a note advising that part B is not shown as it is not applicable.
The format is based on the standard information needs of a resident individual unit holder in a unit trust operated by the funds management industry. The circumstances are relevant to those unit holders who hold units on capital account and where distributions labelled as 'non-assessable amounts' are not capital gains or ordinary income of the unit holder. The unit holder is assumed to be a resident for the whole of the year of income.
The SDS also aligns with information provided on the Annual investment income report (AIIR) that is used to pre-fill information to the tax return of resident individuals. Attachment 2 to the Guidance notes shows the AIIR reference number in those fields on the SDS that map to the AIIR.
Fund managers should apply relevant provisions of the income tax law in preparing the taxation information in the SDS, in particular Division 6 of Part III of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936).
Trustees should carefully consider the specific facts and circumstances (including any specific legislative regime) applying to the trust, especially in determining the nature of distribution components, such as the characterisation of gains on assets advised to unit holders.
The 2015 SDS is current as at 29 April 2015 and we issue it at this time to allow fund managers to implement the necessary system changes before 30 June 2015 for 2015 income year reporting. If subsequent changes are necessary we will discuss these with industry bodies.