Private ruling: Withholding taxes
Date of advice: 25 September 2025
Published: 17 November 2025
Ruling period: 1 April 20XX to 31 March 20XX
Date scheme commenced: 1 April 20XX

Ruling: Q1: Is the Fund excluded from liability to withholding tax on interest, dividend and non-share dividend income derived from its Australian investments in accordance with paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936)? | A1: Yes

Relevant facts and circumstances: The Fund is an indefinitely continuing fund that was established in a foreign country by foreign legislation to provide retirement allowances and other benefits for members and their dependants. The Fund is a contributory defined benefit scheme which is exempt approved for tax purposes in the foreign country. Overall responsibility for the Fund resides with a Committee. All members of the Committee are not residents of Australia. The Fund and the Committee is overseen by a Board. All members of the Board are not residents of Australia. Contributions/ Funding 1. Benefits are funded by employee and employer contributions and investment earnings. Benefits 2. Members pensions are based on the members pensionable pay. 3. The retirement age and benefits calculation are dependent on when the member joined the Fund. 4. A member can take their pension early but the benefits will be reduced. 5. If a member has to leave work due to illness, they may be able to receive their pension straight away. 6. The Fund provides survivor benefits to eligible beneficiaries after a member's death. 7. The Fund provides death benefits to eligible beneficiaries. The Fund's Australian Investments 8. The Fund is in receipt of Australian sourced income which includes dividends and non-share dividends from Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed companies, Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Funds and stapled securities. 9. The Australian investments of the Fund have the following characteristics: • The Fund participation interest is less than 10% • The Fund does not hold any right to appoint a person to a board, committee, or similar, either directly or indirectly; • The Fund has not entered into or received any side letters, arrangements or agreements; and • The Fund does not hold any veto rights on security holder votes. Other Matters 10. The Fund provided a letter to the Commissioner dated XX XX 202X stating: a) The Fund is an indefinitely continuing fund; b) The Fund was established in a country other than Australia; c) The Fund's central management and control is in a foreign country and is carried out by individuals who are not Australian residents; d) An amount paid to, or set aside for, the Fund, has not been and cannot be deducted under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 or the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 ; e) Any Australian resident members were not Australian residents at the time of joining the fund or at the time contributions were made. f) A tax offset has not been allowed or is not allowable for an amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund. g) Income of the Fund is not non-assessable non-exempt income for the fund because of either: ii) Subdivision 880-C of the ITAA 1997, or iii) Division 880 of the Income Tax (Transitional Provision) Act 1997. 11. The Fund has advised the Fund will not be wound up or terminated.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 Paragraph 128B(3)(jb) | Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 Section 128D | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 118-520

Reasons for decision: Summary: Section 128B of the ITAA 1936 imposes liability to withholding tax on income derived by a non-resident that consists of dividend income (subsection 128B(1) of the ITAA 1936), interest income (subsection 128B(2) of the ITAA 1936) as well as other income prescribed in that section. Subsection 128B(3) of the ITAA 1936 notes that section 128B of the ITAA 1936 will not apply to prescribed categories of income. Relevantly, paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936 provides an exclusion from withholding tax on interest, dividends and non-share dividends paid by an Australian resident company derived by a superannuation fund for foreign residents (subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions). For the exclusion to apply, the interest, dividend and/or non-share dividend income must be: • derived by a superannuation fund for foreign residents (as defined in section 118-520 of the ITAA 1997), and • exempt from income tax in the country in which the superannuation fund for foreign residents resides. Further, from 1 July 2019, the extra requirements in subsection 128B(3CA) of the ITAA 12936 must also be met. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund is a non-resident: The Fund is not a resident of Australia for tax purposes. The Fund was incorporated outside of Australia, and its management is completely based there. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund is a superannuation fund for foreign residents: Superannuation fund for foreign residents is a defined term in the ITAA 1936. Subsection 6(1) of the ITAA 1936 states: superannuation fund for foreign residents has the meaning given by subsection 995-1(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. Subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 sets out the following: superannuation fund for foreign residents has the meaning given by section 118- 520. The term 'superannuation fund for foreign residents' is defined in section 118-520 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) as follows: 118-520 Meaning of superannuation fund for foreign residents (1) A fund is a superannuation fund for foreign residents at a time if: (a) at that time, it is: (i) an indefinitely continuing fund; and (ii) a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund; and (b) it was established in a foreign country; and (c) it was established, and is maintained at that time, only to provide benefits for individuals who are not Australian residents; and (d) at that time, its central management and control is carried on outside Australia by entities none of whom is an Australian resident. (2) However, a fund is not a superannuation fund for foreign residents if: (a) an amount paid to the fund or set aside for the fund has been or can be deducted under this Act; or (b) a tax offset has been allowed or is allowable for such an amount. Consequently, for the Fund to be considered a superannuation fund for foreign residents for the purposes of paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936, it must be established that: • the Fund is an indefinitely continuing fund • the Fund is a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund • the Fund was established in a foreign country • the Fund was established and maintained only to provide benefits for individuals who are not Australian residents • The central management and control of the Fund is carried on outside of Australia by entities none of whom are Australian residents • No amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund has been or can be deducted under the ITAA 1997, and • No tax offsets have been allowed or would be allowable for an amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund is an indefinitely continuing fund: The term 'indefinitely continuing fund' is not defined in either the ITAA 1997 or the ITAA 1936. Therefore, it should be given its ordinary meaning subject to the context in which it appears and having regard to any relevant case law authorities. The Australian Oxford Dictionary , 2004, Oxford University Press, Melbourne defines the term 'fund' as 1 a permanent stock of something ready to be drawn upon... 2 a stock of money, especially one set apart for a purpose. In Scott v. FC of T (No 2) (1966) 14 ATD 333; (1966) 10 AITR 290 (Scott) , Windeyer J expressed the view that 'fund' in the context of 'superannuation fund' ordinarily meant 'money (or investments) set aside and invested, the surplus income therefrom being capitalised'. Windeyer J's views in Scott were cited with approval by Hill J in Walstern Pty Ltd v. Commissioner of Taxation (2003) 138 FCR 1; 2003 ATC 5076; (2003) 54 ATR 423 who stated that 'for present purposes, the point is the need for "money" or "other property" to constitute a fund'. The general view is that an indefinitely continuing fund does not have to continue forever, but rather that the governing rules should not fix an express termination date. The Fund was established outside of Australia by enabling legislation. There is sufficient evidence to accept that the Fund will continue to operate in accordance with the relevant governing legislation and Fund policies. Further, the Fund provided a letter to the Commissioner which states that the Fund is an indefinitely continuing fund. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund is a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund: The phrase 'a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund' under paragraph 118-520(1)(a)(ii) is not defined in either the ITAA 1997 or the ITAA 1936. However, the phrase has been subject to judicial consideration. In Scott , the High Court examined the terms 'superannuation fund' and 'fund'. Justice Windeyer stated at ATD 351; AITR 312; ALJR 278 that: ... I have come to the conclusion that there is no essential single attribute of a superannuation fund established for the benefit of employees except that it must be a fund bona fide devoted as its sole purpose to providing for employees who are participants money benefits (or benefits having a monetary value) upon their reaching a prescribed age. In this connexion "fund", I take it, ordinarily means money (or investments) set aside and invested, the surplus income there from being capitalised. I do not put this forward as a definition, but rather as a general description. In a later case, Mahoney v. Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) (1967) 41 ALJR 232; (1967); 14 ATD 519; 10 AITR 463 (Mahoney case), the High Court took a similar view as in Scott , Justice Kitto expressed the view at ALJR 232; (1967); ATD 520; AITR 464 that: All that need be recognised is that just as 'provident' and 'superannuation' both referred to the provision of a particular kind of benefit - in the one case a provision against contemplated contingencies, and in the other case a provision, to arise on an employee's retirement or death or other cessation of employment, of a subvention for him or his estate or persons towards whom he may have stood in some kind of relation commonly giving rise to a legal or moral responsibility - so 'benefit' must have meant a benefit, not a general sense, but characterized by some specific future purpose. The court found that the expression takes its meaning from past usage and the meaning of the several expressions must be arrived at in light of their ordinary usage. As such, the term 'benefit' requires a purpose narrower than conferring benefits in a completely general sense. The benefit must be characterised by some future purpose. Likewise, a provident fund must not refer to the provision of funds in a general sense but must relate to a provision against contemplated contingencies. Additionally, ATO Interpretative Decision ATO ID 2009/67 Income Tax: Superannuation fund for foreign residents (ATO ID 2009/67) provides guidance on the meaning of the phrase 'provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund': None of the four descriptors 'provident', 'benefit', 'superannuation' or 'retirement fund' in subparagraph (a)(ii) of the definition of 'superannuation fund for foreign residents' in section 118-520 of the ITAA 1997 are defined. The terms have, however, been the subject of judicial consideration. The courts have held that for a fund to be a 'provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund', the fund 's sole purpose must be to provide superannuation benefits, that is, benefits to a member upon the member reaching a prescribed age or upon their retirement, death or other cessation of employment ( Scott v. FC of T (No 2) (1966) 14 ATD 333; (1966) 10 AITR 290, per Windeyer J; Mahony v. FC of T (1967) 14 ATD 519, per Kitto J; Walstern Pty Ltd v. Commissioner of Taxation (2003) 138 FCR 1; 2003 ATC 5076; (2003) 54 ATR 423, per Hill J and Cameron Brae Pty Ltd v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (2007) 161 FCR 468; 2007 ATC 4936; (2007) 67 ATR 178, per Stone and Allsop JJ). The above establishes that for a fund to qualify as a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund, it must have the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits or benefits in other allowable contemplated contingencies (such as death, disability or serious illness). The cases mentioned above emphasise that the benefits must be provided for a specific purpose and require that there is a connection between the benefit received and the provision by the fund for retirement or death of a member or against 'contemplated contingencies', such as death, disability or serious illness. Ultimately the Fund only exists to provide pension benefits to those entitled to them. Benefits are only available upon retirement, disability or death in accordance with the relevant Regulations. The circumstances in which a participant of the Fund can receive funds as provided for under the Fund's pension schemes are clearly consistent with those of a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund as they are only provided after Retirement or 'contemplated contingencies' such as death or disability. The Fund does not provide benefits as a result of events other than old age retirement, disability or death. As both the key objective of the Fund and the true operation of the Fund have the sole purpose of providing retirement benefits, the Fund is considered to be a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund was established in a foreign country: The Fund was established outside of Australia. Therefore, the Fund was established in a foreign country and satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund was established and maintained only to provide benefits for individuals who are not Australian residents: The Fund was established outside of Australia for its participants who are not Australian residents and is maintained only to provide old age pension, disability and death benefits to members. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The central management and control of the Fund is carried on outside of Australia by entities none of whom are Australian residents: Paragraphs 20 and 21 of Taxation Ruling TR 2008/9 Income tax: meaning of 'Australian superannuation fund' in subsection 295-95(2) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (TR 2008/9) states in respect of the central management and control (CM&C) of a superannuation fund: 20. The CM&C of a superannuation fund involves a focus on the who, when and where of the strategic and high level decision making processes and activities of the fund. In the context of the operations of a superannuation fund, the strategic and high level decision making processes includes: • formulating the investment strategy for the fund; • reviewing and updating or varying the fund's investment strategy as well as monitoring and reviewing the performance of the fund's investments; • if the fund has reserves - the formulation of a strategy for their prudential management; and • determining how the assets of the fund are to be used to fund member benefits. 21. The other principal areas of operation of a superannuation fund that form part of the day-to-day or operational side of the fund's activities will not constitute CM&C. These activities do not form part of the CM&C of the fund because they are not of a strategic or high level nature. Rather, these activities are of a more formalistic or administrative nature. Examples of such activities include the acceptance of contributions that are made on a regular basis, the actual investment of the fund's assets, the fulfilment of administrative duties and the preservation, payment and portability of benefits. Furthermore, paragraphs 10 and 11 of Taxation Ruling TR 2018/5 Income tax: central management and control test of residency (TR 2018/5) states: 10. Central management and control refers to the control and direction of a company's operations. It does not refer to a physical location in which the control and direction of a company is located and may ultimately be exercised in more than one location. 11. The key element in the control and direction of a company's operations is the making of high-level decisions that set the company's general policies and determine the direction of its operations and the type of transactions it will enter. The Fund was established outside of Australia. The central management and control of the Fund is carried on outside Australia by the Committee. The Committee is made up of persons none of whom are Australian residents. All Committee meetings are held outside of Australia. Based on these facts, it is reasonable to conclude that the central management and control of the Fund is exercised outside of Australia by entities that are not Australian residents. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. No amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund has been or can be deducted under the ITAA 1997 and no tax offsets have been allowed or would be allowable for an amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund Pursuant to subsection 118-520(2) of the ITAA 1997, a fund is not a superannuation fund for foreign residents if: a) an amount paid to the fund or set aside for the fund has been or can be deducted under the Act; or b) a tax offset has been allowed or is allowable for such an amount. The Fund has advised that a contribution paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund has not been or cannot be deducted under the ITAA 1997 and in addition, a tax offset has not been allowed or is not allowable for an amount paid to the Fund or set aside for the Fund. Therefore, the Fund satisfies these requirements. | Detailed Reasoning - Conclusion: As all of the above requirements are satisfied, the Fund meets the requirements of being a superannuation fund for foreign residents as defined by section 118-520 of the ITAA 1997 for the purposes of subparagraph 128B(3)(jb)(i) of the ITAA 1936. | Detailed Reasoning - The income consists of interest, unfranked dividends or non-share dividends paid by an Australian resident company: Paragraph 128B(3)(ga) of the ITAA 1936 prescribes that section 128B of the ITAA 1936 will not apply to income that consists of the franked part of a dividend. Therefore it is only necessary to consider dividend income that is unfranked for the purposes of the exemption in 128B(3)(jb). The income the Fund receives from certain investments circumstances includes unfranked dividends paid by Australian companies that are listed on the ASX. If that part of the dividend is franked then no withholding tax has been paid and no amount of withholding tax is to be reclaimed (paragraph 128B(3)(ga) of the ITAA 1936. The Fund's investment portfolio includes investments in complex investment structures. The income the Fund receives from these investments may include interest, unfranked dividends or non-share dividends paid by Australian companies. These types of income qualify for the withholding tax exemption in paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936 as the Fund meets the other requirements of the section. However, the income received from these investments may also include other payments. Any amounts of withholding tax withheld from income that is not: • interest • unfranked dividends paid by an Australian resident company • non share dividends paid by an Australian resident company will not be eligible for the exemption from withholding tax under paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936 | Detailed Reasoning - The income is derived by the Fund: Subsection 128B(3CA) of the ITAA 1936, along with paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936 requires the superannuation fund for foreign residents derive the income that consists of interest, dividends or non-share dividends paid by Australian resident companies. It is accepted that unfranked dividends from some of the Fund's investments would be derived by the Fund for the purposes of subsection 128B(3CA) of the ITAA 1936 and paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936. Therefore, the Fund will satisfy this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund is exempt from income tax in the country in which the non-resident resides: The Fund is exempt from income tax in the foreign country under legislation in that foreign country. The Fund provided a letter to the Commissioner confirming that it is a resident of a foreign country. Therefore, the Fund satisfies this requirement. | Detailed Reasoning - Otherwise non-assessable non-exempt: The income derived by the Fund will not be non-assessable non-exempt income because of Subdivision 880-C of the ITAA 1997 or Division 880 of the Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 . Income derived by the Fund would not be otherwise treated as not assessable and not exempt by virtue of the above provisions. Accordingly, the above exclusion should not apply to exclude the Fund from entitlement to the withholding tax exemption for superannuation funds for foreign residents. | Detailed Reasoning - Subsection 128B(3CA) of the ITAA 1936: The Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Foreign Investors Pay Their Fair Share of Tax in Australia and Other Measures) Act 2019 introduced extra requirements that must be met for paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936 to apply. Generally, these extra requirements apply to income derived from 1 July 2019. Relevantly: i. The fund must satisfy the 'portfolio interest test' in relation to the test entity (subsection 128B(3CC)), ii. The fund must satisfy the 'influence test' (subsection 128B(3CD)) in relation to the test entity, and iii. The income cannot otherwise be non-assessable non-exempt income of the fund because of: a. Subdivision 880-C of the ITAA 1997, or b. Division 880 of the Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997. | Detailed Reasoning - The Fund satisfies the 'portfolio interest test': Subsection 128B(3CC) of the ITAA 1936 states: A superannuation fund satisfies the portfolio interest test in this subsection in relation to the test entity at a time if, at that time, the total participation interest (within the meaning of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 ) the superannuation fund holds in the test entity: (a) is less than 10%; and (b) would be less than 10% if, in working out the direct participation interest (within the meaning of the Act) that any entity holds in a company: (i) an equity holder were treated as a shareholder; and (ii) the total amount contributed to the company in respect of non-share equity interests were included in the total paid-up share capital of the company. Subsection 128B(3CB) defines the test entity to be either the entity that paid the interest, dividends or non-share dividends or, if subsection 128A(3) of the ITAA 1936 applies in relation to a resident trust estate, that trust estate. Subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 defines total participation interest to have the meaning given by section 960-180 of the ITAA 1997, which states: An entity's total participation interest at a particular time in another entity is the sum of: (a) the entity's direct participation interest in the other entity at that time; and (b) the entity's indirect participation interest in the other entity at that time. A 'direct participation interest' that the Fund will have in a test entity is defined in the table in subsection 960-190(1) of the ITAA 1997 and depends on what type of entity the other entity is. Item 1 of the table in subsection 960-190(1) and subsection 960-190(2) of the ITAA 1997 provides that a direct participation interest in a company is the 'direct control interest' (within the meaning of section 350 of the ITAA 1936 excluding the operation of subsection 350(6) and (7)) that the first entity holds in the other entity. Subsection 350(1) of the ITAA 1936 provides that an entity holds a direct control interest in a company at a particular time equal to the percentage of: (a) total paid up share capital, (b) voting rights, or (c) rights to distributions of capital or profits that it holds in the company. Where there are different percentages in each of the above, the direct control interest is the greater or greatest of those percentages. Subsection 350(2) of the ITAA 1936 provides that where an entity holds different percentages of total rights to vote for the purposes of (b) above, the highest of those percentages applies in establishing the direct control interest. Subsection 960-185(1) of the ITAA 1997 provides that an entity's indirect participation interest in a test entity is established by multiplying it direct participation interest in an intermediate entity by the sum of the intermediate entity's direct and indirect participation interests in the test entity. The Commissioner is satisfied that the total participation interest that the Fund holds in the test entities: • is less than 10% pursuant to paragraph 128B(3CC)(a) of the ITAA 1936 at all relevant times; and • would be less than 10% in the circumstances detailed in paragraph 128B(3CC)(b) of the ITAA 1936 at all relevant times. The Fund therefore satisfies the 'portfolio interest test' in respect of its current investments. The Fund does not have influence of a kind described in subsection 128B(3CD) of the ITAA 1936 in relation to the test entity at the time the income was derived Subsection 128B(3CD) of the ITAA 1936 states: A superannuation fund has influence of a kind described in this subsection in relation to the test entity at a time if any of the following requirements are satisfied at that time: (a) the superannuation fund: (i) is directly or indirectly able to determine; or (ii) in acting in concert with others, is directly or indirectly able to determine; the identity of at least one of the persons who, individually or together with others, make (or might reasonably be expected to make) the decisions that comprise the control and direction of the test entity's operations; (b) at least one of those persons is accustomed or obliged to act, or might reasonably be expected to act, in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of the superannuation fund (whether those directions, instructions or wishes are expressed directly or indirectly, or through the superannuation fund acting in concert with others). As such, there are two distinct sub-tests within the influence test. Sub-test 1 of the influence test, as contained in paragraph 128B(3CD)(a) of the ITAA 1936, assesses whether the Fund is able to determine the identity of at least one of the persons who, individually or together with others, makes or is reasonably expected to make, decisions comprising the control and direction of the test entity's operations. This includes situation where the Fund is able to act in concert with others to determine the identity of a relevant decision-maker in the test entity. Sub-test 1 also extends to situations where the Fund, in its own right, holds the ability to approve or veto decisions which go to the control or direction of the test entity. Sub-test 2 of the influence test, as contained in paragraph 128B(3CD)(b) of the ITAA 1936, assesses whether at least one of the relevant decision-making persons of the test entity is accustomed or obliged to act, or might reasonably be expected to act, in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of the Fund. Relevantly, in respect of the investments listed in Appendices 1 and 2 to the Relevant facts and circumstances of this Ruling: (a) the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the total participation interests in each entity in the circumstances detailed in paragraph 128B(3CC)(b) of the ITAA 1936 (b) The Fund does not hold any right to appoint a person to a board, committee, or similar, either directly or indirectly (c) The Fund has not entered into or received any side letters, arrangements or agreements (d) The Fund does not hold any veto rights on security holder votes Accordingly, the Fund does not have influence of a kind described in subsection 128B(3CD) of the ITAA 1936 in respect of its Australian investments included in this Ruling. The Fund does not have capacity to influence (either directly or indirectly) the day-to-day management of the operations of their investments. Consequently, the Commissioner accepts that the Fund does not have influence of a kind described in subsection 128B(3CD) of the ITAA 1936. | Detailed Reasoning - Conclusion: As the Fund has met both the pre-existing and extra requirements under paragraph 128B(3)(jb) of the ITAA 1936, the Fund is excluded from withholding tax in relation to interest income and unfranked dividend and non-share dividend income it receives from its investment listed in the Ruling, provided: • The Fund derives the income at a relevant time • any dividend and non-share dividend income is derived from an Australian resident company, or an entity that is treated as such under Australian tax law.