Draft Taxation Determination

TD 2004/D27

Income tax: consolidation: capital gains: does section 104-530 (CGT event L7) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 apply to the later discharge of a liability owed by an entity that joins a consolidated group to a member of that group (intra-group liability)?

  • Please note that the PDF version is the authorised version of this draft ruling.
    This document has been finalised by TD 2004/65.

FOI status:

draft only - for comment

Preamble
This document is a draft for industry and professional comment. As such, it represents the preliminary, though considered views of the Australian Taxation Office. This draft may not be relied on by taxpayers and practitioners as it is not a ruling for the purposes of Part IVAAA of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. It is only final Taxation Determinations that represent authoritative statements by the Australian Taxation Office.

1. No. Section 104-530 (CGT event L7) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) does not apply to the discharge of an intra-group liability.

2. Under CGT event L7, if a liability taken into account in working out the allocable cost amount (ACA) for an entity that joins a consolidated group is later discharged for a different amount (realised amount), the head company may make a capital gain or loss. A capital gain will arise if the ACA would have been smaller had the realised amount been taken into account in working out the ACA. Alternatively, a capital loss will arise if the ACA would have been greater had the realised amount been taken into account in working out the ACA.

3. One of the conditions for CGT event L7 to apply involves the relevant liability being discharged, whether by the making of a payment or by the release, waiver or other extinguishment of the liability (see paragraph 104-530(3)(b) of the ITAA 1997), after the joining time. This condition is not satisfied in situations where an intra-group liability is discharged while the relevant entities are members of a consolidated group.

4. An intra-group liability, the corresponding intra-group asset, and transactions or dealings between group members involving the liability and asset are ignored as a consequence of the single entity rule (see section 701-1 of the ITAA 1997).

5. From the head company's perspective, the intra-group liability and its discharge are not recognised for income tax purposes. As a result, CGT event L7 will not apply.

Date of Effect

6. When the final Determination is issued, it is proposed to apply both before and after its date of issue. However, the Determination will not apply to taxpayers to the extent that it conflicts with the terms of settlement of a dispute agreed to before the date of issue of the Determination (see paragraphs 21 and 22 of Taxation Ruling TR 92/20).

Your comments

7. We invite you to comment on this draft Taxation Determination. Please forward your comments to the contact officer by the due date.

Due date: 13 August 2004
Contact officer details have been removed following publication of the final ruling.

Commissioner of Taxation
14 July 2004

Not previously issued in draft form.

References

ATO references:
NO 2004/8465

ISSN: 1038-8982

Related Rulings/Determinations:

TR 92/20

Subject References:
accounting liabilities
CGT event L7
CGT events
consolidation
consolidation - capital gains tax
consolidation - liabilities
discharge of liabilities

Legislative References:
TAA 1953 Pt IVAAA
ITAA 1997 104-530
ITAA 1997 104-530(3)(b)
ITAA 1997 701-1

Other References:
Explanatory Memorandum to the New Business Tax System (Consolidation and Other Measures) Bill (No. 2) 2002