5. Allowable Deductions Flashcards
What different kinds of deductions are there?
- General deductions
2. Specific deductions
Which deductions come first?
General before specific
What do general deductions relate to?
They relate to people carrying on a business.
So it doesn’t apply to people earning salaries
What happens where deductions are greater than income?
Assessed losses
When will a deduction be prohibited even if it meets the requirements of the general deduction formula?
If it is part of the negative requirements section 23
Are passive investments carrying on a trade?
No
Not deductible
What are passive investments?
Interest, dividends, pensions, annuities
How do you calculate TOTAL taxable income?
Add all incomes and losses from all trades together
When can a trades loss NOT be set off against other trade incomes?
If its a suspect trade
What is a prerequisite for carrying on a trade?
There must be a profit or reasonable expectation of profit
Is the letting of property or designs carrying on a trade?
Yes
Is speculating shares a trade?
Yes
When can you deduct interest expense?
Only the amount occurred in earning interest income, limited to interest income
What is a venture and is it deductible?
Risk taken to make profit
It is deductible
Does the absence of profit mean there is no trade?
No
What are the questions to ask if a loss can be set off against another trades income?
- Would they have paid maximum marginal rate?
- Suspect trade or loss in three of last five years including current year
- Does it qualify for exclusion rule
- Did the trade (excluding farming) have a loss for 6 of the last 10 years
Can the loss from a trade be set off against other income if it would have paid the maximum marginal rate ?
Yes, move one to next step
Can previous losses be accounted for when determining if trade made a loss?
No
Does income from a trade include recoupment and capital gains?
Yes
What are the suspect trades?
- Sports
- Dealing in collectibles
- Rental of residential accommodation unless 80% is to non-relatives and they rent at least 6 months
- Animal showing
- Farming or animal breeding unless full time
- Any form of art
- Gambling or betting
When will the limitation rule not be applied?
If the trade will make a reasonable profit in reasonable time
What happens if the limitation rule is applied?
Losses can not be set off against other income
What are the factors that should’ve be considered when determining if the exclusion rule applies?
- proportion of gross income to allowable deductions
- amount spent on advertising and promotion
- commercial manner the trades carried on
- number of years they’ve had a losses since commencement
- business plans for future taxable income
- extent to which trade asset is used for personal use
What are the two sides of general deduction formula?
- Positive
2. Negative