*Re Theglory v Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs – Legal expenses were capital and not an allowable deduction [34]

The AAT has held that a taxpayer’s legal expenses incurred in protecting her interest in a taxi plate, licence, and vehicle was not an allowable deduction under s 8-1 of the ITAA 1997 as the costs were of a capital nature. The taxpayer is the recipient of a carer allowance for her husband, which is determined…

*FCT v Residence Riverside Proprietary Limited atf the D&J Discretionary Trust and atf the D&J Investment Trust – no grounds for transferring tax dispute to family court under cross-vesting rules [29]

The Federal Court has dismissed an application by the former wife of a taxpayer who was liable to the Commissioner for a tax debt of over id=”mce_marker”1.4m to have the tax matter currently being dealt with by the Federal Court transferred to the Family Court in Western Australia under the cross-vesting rules. The former wife…

*Sea Shepherd Australia Ltd v FCT & Anor – taxpayer not DGR – did not provide direct care to animals (not just wildlife) that have been mistreated etc. [24]

In a 2:1 majority decision handed down on Wed 3.7.2013, the Full Federal Court (Dodds-Streeton J dissenting) affirmed the Commissioner’s decision that Sea Shepherd Australia was not entitled to be endorsed as a deductible gift recipient (DGR). The Commissioner had determined that Sea Shepherd’s activities did not satisfy para (a) of Item 4.1.6 in s 30-45 of…

*FBT statutory formula method for calculating motor vehicle benefits will be abolished to partly fund the earlier conversion of the Carbon Tax into an ETS [16]

The Prime Minister and the Treasurer on Tue 16.7.2013, formally announced that the Government would bring forward the start date of emissions trading to 1 July 2014. From that date, a floating price on carbon will apply. Under the previous arrangements, the carbon price was to be $25.40 per tonne from 1 July 2015. Under a floating price, the…

*Emissions Trading Scheme with flexible (market linked) price to commence one year early – PM and Treasurer announce [15]

The Government has announced that it will move to an emissions trading scheme a year earlier on 1 July 2014 and that the fixed price of carbon will be replaced with a floating [market based] price from that date. Finance Minister Penny Wong said the Government would need to legislate ahead of the 2014-15 start of the…

*Australian-Mauritius and Australian-Turkey tax Double Tax Agreements enter into force as Australian laws [7]

The Assistant Treasurer has gazetted a notice, under s 4A of the International Tax Agreements Act 1953, specifying that the allocation of tax rights regarding the income of certain individuals and establishing a procedure in regards to transfer pricing adjustments between Australia and Mauritius entered into force on 31 May 2013. In addition, a notice was also gazetted…