PR 2014/2-3 – Portion of Annuity of ‘deductible amount’ assessable; Sandalwood Project – Commissioner will allow ‘non-commercial losses’ [27]

The ATO on Wed 26.2.2014, issued the following Product Rulings: PR 2014/2: Challenger Care Annuity. It applies prospectively from 1 July 2013 to entities that enter into the scheme from 1 July 2013 until 30 June 2016. Broadly, the Ruling states that regular payments made to the holder of the annuity are assessable income under s 27H(1) to the extent that the…

CR 2014/15 – Mobile phone receipt for donations to Vision Australia Ltd [244]

The ATO on Wed 5.2.2014, issued Class Ruling CR 2014/15 (Format of mobile phone receipt as evidence for donations to Vision Australia Ltd via SMS). It applies from 1 February 2014 until 30 June 2019. The Ruling states the Commissioner accepts the mobile invoice as satisfying the requirements under s 30-228 of the ITAA 1997 provided the receipt identifies the…

*Parliamentary Trustee of the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund v FCT – superannuation contributions surcharge tax is constitutionally valid for State MPs [22]

The ATO on Tue 4.2.2014, issued a Decision Impact Statement on the Full Federal Court’s decision in Parliamentary Trustee of the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund v FCT [2013] FCAFC 127. In that case, the Full Court upheld the constitutional validity of superannuation contributions surcharge tax assessments under the Superannuation Contributions Tax (Assessment and Collection) Act 1997…

Haritos v FCT – Appeal from $20m default assessment – lack of procedural fairness grounds “incompetent” (really seeking further merits review) [19]

The Federal Court has dismissed the taxpayers’ appeal from the decision in AAT Case [2013] AATA 112 in which the AAT found the taxpayers had failed to discharge the burden of proving that assessments raised by the Commissioner were excessive. The assessments were in respect of $20m deposited into the personal bank account of the…