Private ruling: Compensation
Date of advice: 31 May 2016
Published: July 2016
Ruling period: Year ended 30 June 2016
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2015

Ruling: Q1: Is the settlement payment you received assessable income? | A1: No. | Q2: Will any capital gain arising from the lump sum compensation payment be disregarded? | A2: Yes.

Relevant facts and circumstances: You were the subject of a wrongdoing. It caused you various injuries and consequent past and future economic losses. You commenced an action against those responsible and sought damages from them. You agreed to a settlement and under the deed of settlement you received a payment in full and final settlement of the proceedings.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 6-5 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 104-25 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 102-5 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 118-37

Reasons for decision: Summary: Section 6-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) provides that the assessable income of an Australian resident taxpayer includes ordinary income derived directly or indirectly from all sources during the income year. Other characteristics of income that have evolved from case law include receipts that: • are earned • are expected • are relied upon, and • have an element of periodicity, recurrence or regularity. The compensation offered to you is not income from rendering personal services, income from property or income from carrying on a business. The payment is also a one off payment and thus it does not have an element of recurrence or regularity. A compensation amount generally bears the character of that which it is designed to replace. If the compensation is paid for the loss of a capital asset or amount then it will be regarded as a capital receipt and not ordinary income. Your settlement is a result of legal action where you sought damages for the harm and personal injury caused to you following an incident at your workplace. It is not a lump sum payment which substitutes for an income stream but rather for entering into a Deed of Release for the purpose of surrendering your rights. The lump sum payment is a capital receipt and is not ordinary income. Therefore the amount is not assessable under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. | Detailed Reasoning - Capital Gain: Part 3-1 contains the capital gains and capital loss provisions commonly referred to as the CGT provisions. You make a capital gain or capital loss if a CGT event happens in respect of a CGT asset. Section 104-25 of the ITAA 1997 provides that CGT event C2 happens on the ending of the right to seek compensation, that is, the right to take legal action. The lump sum amount you will receive will be capital proceeds for this CGT event and a capital gain will usually arise. The net capital gain you make is then included in your assessable income under section 102-5 of the ITAA 1997. CGT Exemption Paragraph 118-37(1)(a) of the ITAA 1997 allows a capital gain to be disregarded if it is compensation or damages you receive for any wrong or injury you suffer in your occupation. Paragraph 118-37(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997 allows a capital gain to be disregarded if it is compensation or damages you receive for any wrong, injury or illness you suffer personally. Taxation Ruling TR 95/35 deals with the capital gains treatment of compensation receipts. TR 95/35 advocates a 'look-through' approach, which identifies the most relevant asset to which the compensation amount is most directly related. Paragraph 11 of TR 95/35 states that if an amount is not received in respect of an underlying asset, the amount relates to the disposal by the taxpayer of the right to seek compensation. Paragraphs 296 to 304 of TR 95/35 provide a number of examples where taxpayers seek compensation for personal wrong injury or illness and even though the relevant CGT asset is the right to seek compensation, using the 'look-through' approach the compensation amount is exempted under subsection 160ZB(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 . Paragraph 118-37(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997 replaced subsection 160ZB(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 from 1 July 2006. Applying paragraph 118-37(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997 to your circumstances, the lump sum payment would not be considered as an assessable capital gain unless an exemption applies. | Detailed Reasoning - Application to your circumstances: Your lump sum settlement is capital receipt and is not assessable under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. Acceptance of the lump sum is considered to be a payment for the ending of your rights to further action following the incidents that lead to the proceedings. This gives rise to CGT event C2. The lump sum payment was received as a result of the wrong or injury that you suffered. Therefore, applying paragraph 118-37(1)(b) of the ITAA 1997 to your circumstances, the lump sum payment will not be assessable as a capital gain. As the payment is not assessable as either ordinary income or as a capital gain, it will not be included as part of your assessable income.