
20/03/2025
The Commissioner has sought special leave to appeal the Full Federal court decision that unpaid present entitlements are not loans for the purpose of Division 7A. Since the appeal application has been made, the Commissioner has released a decision impact statement outlining their approach to Division 7A in the interim, pending the outcome of the […]
21/02/2025
The Full Federal Court decision in the Bendel appeal1 has significant implications for Division 7A, overturning the Commissioner’s long-standing position that treats unpaid present entitlements as loans. Background The Full Federal Court has unanimously dismissed the Commissioner’s appeal from the AAT decision in the Bendel case in its judgement handed down on 19 February 2025. […]
10/10/2023
The decision in Bendel1 could have significant implications to Division 7A application, challenging the Commissioner’s long-standing position to treat unpaid present entitlements (UPEs) as loans. The Commissioner’s view is that where a company beneficiary of a trust has an UPE, this entitlement will generally be treated as a loan for Division 7A purposes, if it […]
15/02/2023
On 8 February 2023, the ATO released a new Taxpayer Alert sounding a warning to taxpayers seeking to access private company profits tax free via a scheme involving the interposition of a holding company to access company profits tax free. The Taxpayer Alert notes that participants in, and promoters of these types of arrangements, may […]
10/02/2023
On 24 January 2023, the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia handed down its appeal decision in Commissioner of Taxation v Guardian AIT Pty Ltd ATF Australian Investment Trust [2023] FCAFC 3. The Court upheld the original judgement in favour of the taxpayer in relation to the application of section 100A but allowed the […]
24/02/2022
On 23 February 2022 the Commissioner released three draft administrative pronouncements and one Taxpayer Alert which could significantly impact on trust distributions and how they are taxed. The contents of these pronouncements are both voluminous and complex and are still being digested, but essentially relate to the Commissioner’s views on the operation of two integrity […]
23/02/2022
In December 2021, the Federal Court handed down its decision in Guardian AIT Pty Ltd ATF Australian Investment Trust v Commissioner of Taxation [2021] FCA 1619. The court found in favour of the taxpayer in relation to the application of section 100A. There is little guidance around the application of section 100A particularly in respect […]