Private ruling: Transition to retirement income streams
Date of advice: 20 September 2016
Published: November 2016
Ruling period: Year ending 30 June 2017
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2016

Ruling: Q1: Can the Client make an election pursuant to regulation 995-1.03 of the Income Tax Assessment Regulations (ITAR 1997) and have their superannuation benefit taxed in accordance with section 301-20 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)? | A1: Yes

Relevant facts and circumstances: Your client (the Client) receives superannuation income stream benefits (the Benefit) from a superannuation income stream that is an 'account-based pension' provided by their superannuation fund (the Fund). The superannuation income stream (the Pension) commenced after the Client reached their preservation age, and is a transition to retirement income stream (TRIS) paid under item 110 of Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 (SISR). The Pension includes a tax free component. The conditions under which the Client's pension is subject, allow for variation of the amount of the Client's benefit payments. The Pension meets the general pension requirements of regulation 1.06 of the SISR. The Pension also meets the definition of a TRIS in subregulation 6.01(2) of the SISR. The limited circumstances listed in regulation 6.01AB of the SISR for commuting a TRIS do not apply and the Client cannot commute the Pension to take cash. From time to time, the Client will elect under regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 that a forthcoming Benefit should not be treated as a superannuation income stream benefit. In respect of any payment for which an election is made, the Client will not be commuting any part of the Pension, and they will not be requesting a lump sum payment from the trustee of the Fund. The Client will elect, before each of these payment(s) is made, that regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 applies for income tax purposes. The Client has not previously taken any payments to which the low rate cap amount (per section 307-345 of the ITAA 1997) applies. The Client is under age 60. Assumptions The Pension satisfies the definition of an 'account based pension' under subregulation 1.03(1) of SISR and also meets the definition of a TRIS in subregulation 6.01(2) of SISR at all times in the period covered by this ruling.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 301-20 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 307-5 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 307-65 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 307-70 Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 307-345 | Income Tax Assessment Regulations 1997 Regulation 995-1.01 | Income Tax Assessment Regulations 1997 Regulation 995-1.03 | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 Item 110 of Schedule 1 | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 Regulation 1.03 | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 Regulation 1.06 | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 Regulation 6.01 | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 Regulation 6.01AB

Reasons for decision: Summary: Before the Benefit is paid to the Client, the Client is able to make an election pursuant to regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 that the payment is not to be treated as a superannuation income stream benefit. Where the election has been made, the Benefit will be treated as a superannuation lump sum and taxed in accordance with section 301-20 of the ITAA 1997. | Detailed Reasoning - Detailed Reasoning: Section 307-5 of the ITAA 1997 sets out amounts which are superannuation benefits. Generally, an amount which is paid to a person from a superannuation fund because they are a fund member is a superannuation benefit by virtue of item 1 in the table in subsection 307-5(1) of the ITAA 1997. A superannuation benefit may be paid, and is taxed, as either a superannuation income stream benefit or a superannuation lump sum benefit. A superannuation income stream benefit is defined under section 307-70 of the ITAA 1997 as a superannuation benefit specified in the regulations that is paid from a superannuation income stream. A superannuation lump sum is defined under section 307-65 of the ITAA 1997 as a superannuation benefit that is not a superannuation income stream benefit. In accordance with subsection 307-70(2) of the ITAA 1997, a superannuation income stream has the meaning given by the regulations. Subregulation 995-1.01(1) of the ITAR 1997 states: superannuation income stream means: (a) an income stream that is taken to be: (i) an annuity for the purposes of the SIS Act in accordance with subregulation 1.05(1) of the SIS Regulations; or (ii) a pension for the purposes of the SIS Act in accordance with subregulation 1.06(1) of the SIS Regulations; or (iii) a pension for the purposes of the RSA Act in accordance with regulation 1.07 of the RSA Regulations; or (b) an income stream that: (i) is an annuity or pension within the meaning of the SIS Act; and (ii) commenced before 20 September 2007. You have advised that the Pension meets the definition of pension in regulation 1.06 of the SISR and is a TRIS as defined under subregulation 6.01(2) of the SISR, therefore it satisfies the definition of superannuation income stream in subregulation 995-1.01(1) of the ITAR 1997. We have assumed that will be so at all times throughout the period covered by this ruling. The meaning of superannuation income stream benefit is provided in subregulations 995-1.01(2) to 995-1.01(5) of the ITAR 1997. Relevantly here, subregulation 995-1.01(2) of the ITAR 1997 provides that a superannuation income stream benefit means a payment from an interest that supports a superannuation income stream other than a payment to which regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 applies. This view is stated in paragraph 7 of Taxation Ruling TR 2013/5 ' Income tax: when a superannuation income stream commences and ceases ': Each periodic payment, in a series of periodic payments, made from a superannuation interest that supports a superannuation income stream is a superannuation income stream benefit unless an election under regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 has been made for that payment not to be treated as a superannuation income stream benefit. Regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR states: A payment from an interest that supports a superannuation income stream is not a superannuation income stream benefit if: (a) the conditions to which the superannuation income stream is subject allow for the variation of the amount of the payments of benefit in a year in circumstances other than: (i) the indexation of the benefit under the rules of the product; or (ii) the application of the family law splitting provisions; or (iii) the commutation of the benefit (including commutation to pay a surcharge liability); or (iv) the payment of an assessment of excess contributions tax; and (b) the person to whom the payment is made elects, before a particular payment is made, that that payment is not to be treated as a superannuation income stream benefit. Where the conditions in paragraph 995-1.03(a) of the ITAR 1997 are satisfied, a member may elect under regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 before a particular payment from the superannuation interest is made, to have that payment not treated as a superannuation income stream benefit for the purposes of the ITAA 1997. You have confirmed the conditions under paragraph 995-1.03(a) of the ITAR 1997 have been met. Therefore, provided the Fund is notified of the election before the Benefit is paid, the Client will be able to make the election that that payment is not to be treated as a superannuation income stream benefit. The effect of making the election under regulation 995-1.03 of the ITAR 1997 is that the Benefit is treated as a superannuation lump sum as defined in section 307-65 of the ITAA 1997. | Detailed Reasoning - Taxation of superannuation lump sums: Section 301-20 of the ITAA 1997, which sets out the tax treatment of a superannuation lump sum, states: (1) If you are under 60 years but have reached your *preservation age when you receive a *superannuation lump sum, the *taxable component of the lump sum is assessable income. (2) You are entitled to a *tax offset that ensures that the rate of income tax on the amount mentioned in subsection (3) does not exceed 0%. (3) The amount is so much of the total of the *taxable components included in your assessable income for the income year under subsection (1) as does not exceed your *low rate cap amount (see section 307-345) for the income year. (4) You are entitled to a *tax offset that ensures that the rate of income tax on the amount mentioned in subsection (5) does not exceed 15%. (5) The amount is so much of the total of the *taxable components included in your assessable income for an income year under subsection (1) as exceeds your *low rate cap amount for the income year. *To find definition of asterisked terms, see the Dictionary, starting at section 995-1. As the Client is over their preservation age and under age 60, they will be entitled to a tax offset under either, or both, subsection 301-20(2) or subsection 301-20(4) of the ITAA 1997 on any superannuation lump sum they receive. Subsection 301-20(2) of the ITAA 1997 ensures that the rate of tax is 0% on the taxable component of the superannuation lump sum that does not exceed the Client's low rate cap amount (as defined in section 307-345 of the ITAA 1997) and subsection 301-20(4) limits the rate of income tax to 15% on the amount that exceeds the Client's low rate cap amount.