ATO ID 2002/814: Deductibility of accounting and legal fees
Date of decision: 5 April 2002
Year of income: Year ended 30 June 2001
Business line: Small Business/Individual Taxpayers

Issue
Whether accounting and legal fees incurred in appealing to the Federal Court on a Sales Tax dispute are deductible under section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA1997).

Decision
Yes. Accounting and legal fees incurred in appealing to the Federal Court on a Sales Tax dispute are deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997.

Facts
The taxpayer manufactures two types of plant. The taxpayer maintained that sales tax was not payable on any sales of the plant. The taxpayer was subsequently audited by the ATO resulting in an amended assessment issuing. The taxpayer lodged a Notice of Objection against the assessment. The objection was disallowed. The taxpayer appeared before the AAT who confirmed the ATO decision. The taxpayer then lodged an appeal with the Federal Court. In an out of Court settlement it was agreed that the taxpayer would pay a substantially lesser amount of sales tax than was originally claimed by the ATO. The taxpayer incurred accounting and legal fees in respect of this matter.

Reasons for decision
Summary: Apart from the deductibility under specific provisions of the tax law, the deductibility of accounting and legal expenses is to be considered under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997. Accounting and legal expenses which are necessarily incurred in carrying on a business for the purpose of gaining or producing assessable income (paragraph 8 1(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997) and are not of a capital nature, or do not fall within any of the other exceptions in subsection 8-1(2), are deductible. Where a taxpayer is carrying on a business, the cost of preparing a return for any business-related tax such as sales or payroll tax is deductible under section 8-1 of the ITAA 1997 as that cost can be reasonably seen as desirable or appropriate in pursuit of the taxpayer's business objectives in earning assessable income ( Magna Alloys & Research Pty Ltd v. FC of T (1980) 49 FLR 183; [1980] FCA 150; (1980) 11 ATR 276; 80 ATC 4542). The cost of objecting or appealing against any resulting assessment is also deductible. The cost of obtaining professional advice on matters relating to these taxes would also be deductible. Objecting against a sales tax assessment would meet the test for deductibility referred to above. Therefore, the taxpayer is entitled to a deduction for the accounting and legal expenses they have incurred. This decision is supported by the decision of the Federal Court in Jezareed Pty Ltd v. FC of T (1989) 23 FCR 529; [1989] FCA 150; (1989) 20 ATR 683; 89 ATC 4459 where a retail motor trader was allowed a deduction of nearly $500,000 in fees paid for advice and administrative work in relation to a sales tax minimisation scheme.

Legislative references: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 section 8-1
Case references: Jezareed Pty Ltd v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1989) 23 FCR 529 [1989] FCA 150 20 ATR 683 89 ATC 4459
Subject references: Accounting expenses Legal expenses Precedent