Private ruling: Award
Date of advice: 1 February 2016
Published: March 2016
Ruling period: Year ended 30 June 20XX
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 20XX

Ruling: Q1: Is the award regarded as assessable income? | A1: No.


Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 6-5.

Reasons for decision: Summary: Subsection 6-5(2) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) provides that the assessable income of an Australian resident includes ordinary income derived directly or indirectly from all sources, whether in or out of Australia, during the income year. Generally speaking, a receipt will be income according to ordinary concepts if it is a receipt arising out of a person's employment, business activities or income producing activities. This will be so even if the receipt is not directly related to any service provided by the recipient to the donor ( FC of T v Dixon (1952) 86 CLR 540 ( Dixon's case )). However, windfall gains which result from winning a prize, a lottery or any other game of chance are not assessable. Also, a receipt that is a mere gift will not constitute income according to ordinary concepts. For example, if an award is attributable to the personal qualities of an individual, it is generally a gift and therefore not assessable income. In determining whether a prize or gift is ordinary income, the courts have established that consideration of the whole of the circumstances is necessary and that the following factors need to be taken into account: • how, in what capacity, and for what reason the recipient received the prize or gift ( Squatting Investment Co Ltd v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1953) 86 CLR 570, (1953) 5 AITR 496; (1953) 10 ATD 126 ( Squatting Investment case ) • whether the prize or gift is of a kind which is a common incident of the recipient's calling or occupation ( Scott v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1966) 117 CLR 514; (1966) 10 AITR 367; (1966) 14 ATD 286 ( Scott's case ) • whether the prize or gift is made voluntarily • whether the prize or gift is solicited ( Hayes v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1956) 96 CLR 47; (1956) 6 AITR 248; (1956) 11 ATD 68 ( Hayes' case ) and Scott's case ) • whether the prize or gift can be traced to gratitude engendered by some service rendered by the recipient to the prize or gift donor ( Squatting Investment case ) • the motive of the prize or gift donor (though this factor is rarely decisive in itself) ( Hayes' case ); and • whether the recipient relies on the prize or gift for regular maintenance of themselves and any dependants ( Dixon's case ) and FC of T v. Blake (1984) 75 FLR 315; (1984) 15 ATR 1006; 84 ATC 4661). The Commissioner's view on the assessability of money received by way of awards and prizes is set out in Income Tax Rulings IT 2145, IT 2474 and IT 167. IT 2145 Income tax: BHP awards for the pursuit of excellence - whether assessable income considers BHP Awards which are made to Australians who have made outstanding contributions to the pursuit of excellence in their particular fields of endeavour and who may not yet be recognised for their achievements. The winners of the BHP Awards for the Pursuit of Excellence are chosen from six categories which are claimed to cover every occupation and pursuit so that entry is open to all, whether by nomination of others or self-nomination. The judging of the awards is by special panels including experts in the particular category and anyone who has achieved excellence will be eligible in one category or another except for employees of BHP. Although a BHP Award sometimes will be made in respect of achievements directly related to a winner's vocation or business, the nature of the award is that of a personal windfall or gain not having the qualities of income. Such awards therefore, will not generally be assessable income in the hands of recipients. IT 2474 Income tax: assessability of payments received under the Military Skills Award Programme discusses the awards made to successful participants in military skills competitions conducted in or between units in the Australian Regular Army and Army Reserve. For a member of the Australian Regular Army, participation in a military skills competition is regarded as part of his duties as an employee and the cash prizes are part of the pay and allowances arising from the performance of those duties. The cash prizes are therefore assessable income under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. IT 167 Treatment for income tax purposes of radio & television competition prizes states in paragraph 5: "A prize or award won in circumstances where it is an incident of the taxpayer's income producing activities (for example, a 'best player' award won by a professional footballer in a newspaper competition) or where it is part of the proceeds of a business conducted by the taxpayer (for example, a prize won by an author in a literary competition) would have the character of income." It is clear from the above that prizes will not constitute assessable income if they are received as a result of the personal qualities of the recipient. However, awards that relate to a taxpayer's income producing activities will be assessable under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. That is, where an employee in an industry wins an award offered by that industry, the nexus between the award and the employment would constitute income under ordinary concepts. In your case, the awards are presented to Australians involved in various endeavours. Similar to the BHP Pursuit of Excellence Awards, the award is not, single industry focussed but covers, many occupations and pursuits. The award was not limited to those from your industry and was not a result of your employment. Your award is not like the Military Skills Awards but more like the BHP award. It is considered that the Commissioner's views in IT 2145 apply to your award as the award was awarded irrespective of the person's occupation. Therefore, the award is not assessable income under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997.

Relevant facts: Entity A offers awards to Australians. The awards are open to all and have been given to artists, athletes, medical researchers, dancers, scientists, musicians and more. | The awards are provided to those with passion and talent to help them make a positive impact in the community through their field of endeavour. | You applied for the award yourself after seeing an advertisement. | You are employed in the same field for which you applied for the award. | You are not required to provide services to entity A. | Your employer had nothing to do with the award.