Taxation Determination

TD 92/102

Income tax: capital gains: in what format should a declaration by a liquidator under section 160WA be made?

  • Please note that the PDF version is the authorised version of this ruling.
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FOI status:

may be releasedFOI number: I 1212680

This Determination, to the extent that it is capable of being a 'public ruling' in terms of Part IVAAA of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 , is a public ruling for the purposes of the Part. Taxation Ruling 92/1 explains when a Determination is a public ruling and how it is binding on the Comissioner. Unless otherwise stated, the Determination applies to transactions entered into both before and after its date of issue.

1. Paragraph 160WA(1)(c) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 provides that a liquidator of a company in liquidation may make a written declaration that he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that there is no likelihood that all the shareholders or shareholders of a particular class will receive any distribution in the course of winding up the company.

2. The deemed disposal and re-acquisition of shares which may result from this declaration (at the election of the shareholder), is taken to have occurred at the time that the liquidator makes the written declaration (section 160WA). A record of the date on which the declaration is made is therefore very important.

3. Accordingly, a written declaration that addresses these matters is acceptable to the ATO.

4. An oral statement by the liquidator that any distribution to shareholders is unlikely, or a statement that a written declaration will be made soon, is not sufficient. However, if the oral statement is later reduced to writing and signed by the liquidator, the written declaration is acceptable.

Example: ABC Pty Ltd has 5 classes of issued capital (i.e. A, B, C, D & E class shares).

Case (i) where it is unlikely that a distribution will be made to any shareholders:
I,........................................., being the liquidator of ABC Pty Ltd, hereby declare that I reasonably believe that there is no likelihood that any distribution will be made to shareholders of ABC Pty Ltd during the course of winding up the company.
signed......................................
as liquidator of ABC Pty Ltd dated...../...../.....
Case (ii) where it is unlikely that a distribution will be made to particular classes of shareholders;
I,........................................., being the liquidator of ABC Pty Ltd hereby declare that I reasonably believe that there is no likelihood that any distribution will be made to shareholders of A, B or C class shares during the course of winding up of the company.
signed......................................
as liquidator of ABC Pty Ltd dated...../...../.....

Commissioner of Taxation
01/07/92

References


BO ADVG CHERM

ISSN 1038 - 3158

Related Rulings/Determinations:

TD 21;
TD 92/101

Subject References:
Winding up of a company;
declaration by a liquidator;
format of written declaration

Legislative References:
ITAA 160WA;
160WA(1)(c)

TD 92/102 history
  Date: Version: Change:
  1 July 1992 Original ruling  
You are here 29 November 2006 Original ruling + note Repeal provision note