The Government handed down the Federal Budget last night which was all about getting the economy moving again. The key tax related measures are outlined below.
Digital Economy Strategy — self assessing the effective life of intangible depreciating assets
The Government will allow taxpayers to self assess the tax effective lives of eligible intangible depreciating assets, such as patents, registered designs, copyrights and in house software. This measure will apply to assets acquired from 1 July 2023, after the temporary full expensing regime has concluded.
The tax effective lives of such assets are currently set by statute. Allowing taxpayers to self assess the tax effective life of an asset will allow for a better alignment of tax outcomes with the underlying economic benefits provided by the asset. It will also align the tax treatment of these assets with that of most tangible assets.
Employee Share Schemes — removing cessation of employment as a taxing point and reducing red tape
The Government will remove the cessation of employment taxing point for the tax deferred Employee Share Schemes (ESS) that are available for all companies. This change will apply to ESS interests issued from the first income year after the date of Royal Assent of the enabling legislation.
Currently, under a tax deferred ESS, where certain criteria are met employees may defer tax until a later tax year (the deferred taxing point). The deferred taxing point is the earliest of:
- cessation of employment
- in the case of shares, when there is no risk of forfeiture and no restrictions on disposal
- in the case of options, when the employee exercises the option and there is no risk of forfeiting the resulting share and no restriction on disposal
- the maximum period of deferral of 15 years.
This change will result in tax being deferred until the earliest of the remaining taxing points.
The Government will also reduce red tape for ESS by:
- removing regulatory requirements for ESS, where employers do not charge or lend to the employees to whom they offer ESS
- where employers do charge or lend, streamlining requirements for unlisted companies making ESS offers that are valued at up to $30,000 per employee per year.
Flexible Super — reducing the eligibility age for downsizer contributions
The Government will reduce the eligibility age to make downsizer contributions into superannuation from 65 to 60 years of age. The measure will have effect from the start of the first financial year after Royal Assent of the enabling legislation, which the Government expects to have occurred prior to 1 July 2022.
The downsizer contribution allows people to make a one off, post tax contribution to their superannuation of up to $300,000 per person from the proceeds of selling their home. Both members of a couple can contribute in respect of the same home, and contributions do not count towards non concessional contribution caps
Flexible Super — repealing the work test for voluntary superannuation contributions
The Government will allow individuals aged 67 to 74 years (inclusive) to make or receive non concessional (including under the bring forward rule) or salary sacrifice superannuation contributions without meeting the work test, subject to existing contribution caps. Individuals aged 67 to 74 years will still have to meet the work test to make personal deductible contributions. The measure will have effect from the start of the first financial year after Royal Assent of the enabling legislation, which the Government expects to have occurred prior to 1 July 2022.
Modernising the individual tax residency rules
The Government will replace the individual tax residency rules with a new, modernised framework. The primary test will be a simple ‘bright line’ test — a person who is physically present in Australia for 183 days or more in any income year will be an Australian tax resident. Individuals who do not meet the primary test will be subject to secondary tests that depend on a combination of physical presence and measurable, objective criteria. The measure will have effect from the first income year after the date of Royal Assent of the enabling legislation.
Australia’s current tax residency rules are difficult to apply in practice, creating uncertainty and resulting in high compliance costs for individuals and their employers.
Not for profits — enhancing the transparency of income tax exemptions
The Government will provide $1.9 million capital funding in 2022-23 to the ATO to build an online system to enhance the transparency of income tax exemptions claimed by not for profit entities (NFPs).
Currently non charitable NFPs can self assess their eligibility for income tax exemptions, without an obligation to report to the ATO. From 1 July 2023, the ATO will require income tax exempt NFPs with an active Australian Business Number (ABN) to submit online annual self review forms with the information they ordinarily use to self assess their eligibility for the exemption. This measure will ensure that only eligible NFPs are accessing income tax exemptions.
Patent Box — tax concession for Australian medical and biotechnology innovations
The Government will introduce a patent box tax regime to further encourage innovation in Australia by taxing corporate income derived from patents at a concessional effective corporate tax rate of 17 per cent, with the concession applying from income years starting on or after 1 July 2022.
The patent box will apply to income derived from Australian medical and biotechnology patents. The Government will also consult on whether a patent box would be an effective way of supporting the clean energy sector.
Australia currently taxes profits generated by patents at the headline corporate rate (30 per cent for large businesses and 25 per cent for small to medium enterprises from 1 July 2021). The patent box will offer a competitive tax rate for profits generated from Australian owned and developed patents.
Personal Income Tax — increasing the Medicare levy low income thresholds
The Government will increase the Medicare levy low income thresholds for singles, families, and seniors and pensioners from 1 July 2020 to take account of recent movements in the CPI so that low income taxpayers generally continue to be exempt from paying the Medicare levy.
The threshold for singles will be increased from $22,801 to $23,226. The family threshold will be increased from $38,474 to $39,167. For single seniors and pensioners, the threshold will be increased from $36,056 to $36,705. The family threshold for seniors and pensioners will be increased from $50,191 to $51,094. For each dependent child or student, the family income thresholds increase by a further $3,597 instead of the previous amount of $3,533.
Reducing compliance costs for individuals claiming self education expense deductions
The Government will remove the exclusion of the first $250 of deductions for prescribed courses of education. The measure will have effect from the first income year after the date of Royal Assent of the enabling legislation.
The first $250 of a prescribed course of education expense is currently not deductible. Removing the $250 exclusion for prescribed courses of education will reduce compliance costs for individuals claiming self education expense deductions.
Removing the $450 per month threshold for superannuation guarantee eligibility
The Government will remove the current $450 per month minimum income threshold, under which employees do not have to be paid the superannuation guarantee by their employer. The measure will have effect from the start of the first financial year after Royal Assent of the enabling legislation, which the Government expects to have occurred prior to 1 July 2022.
Retaining the low and middle income tax offset for the 2021 22 income year
The Government will retain the low and middle income tax offset (LMITO) for the 2021-22 income year, providing further targeted tax relief for low and middle income earners.
The LMITO provides a reduction in tax of up to $1,080. Taxpayers with a taxable income of $37,000 or less will benefit by up to $255 in reduced tax. Between taxable incomes of $37,000 and $48,000, the value of the offset increases at a rate of 7.5 cents per dollar to the maximum offset of $1,080. Taxpayers with taxable incomes between $48,000 and $90,000 are eligible for the maximum offset of $1,080. For taxable incomes of $90,000 to $126,000, the offset phases out at a rate of 3 cents per dollar. Consistent with current arrangements, the LMITO will be received on assessment after individuals lodge their tax returns for the 2021-22 income year.
Self managed Superannuation Funds — relaxing residency requirements
The Government will relax residency requirements for self managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) and small APRA regulated funds (SAFs) by extending the central control and management test safe harbour from two to five years for SMSFs, and removing the active member test for both fund types. The measure will have effect from the start of the first financial year after Royal Assent of the enabling legislation, which the Government expects to have occurred prior to 1 July 2022.
Taxation of Financial Arrangements — hedging and foreign exchange deregulation
The Government will make technical amendments to the Taxation of Financial Arrangements legislation which will include facilitating access to hedging rules on a portfolio hedging basis. The amendments will also reduce compliance costs and correct unintended outcomes, so that taxpayers are not subject to unrealised taxation on foreign exchange gains and losses unless this is elected. These changes will take effect for relevant transactions entered into on or after 1 July 2022.
Temporary full expensing extension
The Government will extend the 2020-21 Budget measure titled JobMaker Plan — temporary full expensing to support investment and jobs for 12 months until 30 June 2023 to further support business investment and the creation of more jobs.
Temporary full expensing will be extended to allow eligible businesses with aggregated annual turnover or total income of less than $5 billion to deduct the full cost of eligible depreciable assets of any value, acquired from 7:30pm AEDT on 6 October 2020 and first used or installed ready for use by 30 June 2023.
The 12 month extension will provide eligible businesses with additional time to access the incentive. This will encourage businesses to make further investments, including in projects requiring longer planning times, and continue to support economic recovery in 2022-23. All other elements of temporary full expensing will remain unchanged, including the alternative eligibility test based on total income, which will continue to be available to businesses. From 1 July 2023, normal depreciation arrangements will apply.
Temporary loss carry back extension
The Government will further support Australia’s economic recovery and business investment by extending the 2020-21 Budget measure titled JobMaker Plan — temporary loss carry back to support cash flow. The extension will allow eligible companies to carry back (utilise) tax losses from the 2022-23 income year to offset previously taxed profits as far back as the 2018-19 income year when they lodge their 2022-23 tax return. Loss carry back encourages businesses to invest, utilising the 2021-22 Budget measure titled Temporary full expensing extension by providing eligible companies earlier access to the tax value of losses generated by full expensing deductions.
Companies with aggregated turnover of less than $5 billion are eligible for temporary loss carry back. The tax refund is limited by requiring that the amount carried back is not more than the earlier taxed profits and that the carry back does not generate a franking account deficit. Companies that do not elect to carry back losses under this measure can still carry losses forward as normal.
