Private ruling: Foreign income
Date of advice: 17 February 2020
Published: March 2020
Ruling period: Year ended 30 June 2015 | Year ended 30 June 2016 | Year ended 30 June 2017 | Year ended 30 June 2018 | Year ended 30 June 2019 | Year ending 30 June 2020
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2014

Ruling: Q1: Will the Commissioner exercise his discretion to exempt you from paying tax on foreign income derived from a rental property in Country Z? | A1: No.

Relevant facts and circumstances: You are a resident of Australia for taxation purposes. You lived in Country Z for XX years. While living in Country Z you purchased a property in City X. You were a non-resident of Australia for taxation purposes for the period you lived in Country Z. You returned to Australia to live in 20XX. You have been renting the property in City X out since your return to Australia in 20XX. The rent from Country Z property pays the interest on the mortgage and the residual goes into investment bonds to make the final payment due in full on the completion of the loan. None of the rental income leaves Country Z. You pay tax on the rental income in Country Z at the lowest marginal tax rate. You are including the rental income in your Australian tax return and paying tax at the highest marginal tax rate. You are being taxed in Australia in excess of $XX,XXX.XX per year.

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

Reasons for decision: Summary: Section 6-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997) provides that where you are a resident of Australia for taxation purposes, your assessable income includes income gained from all sources, whether in or out of Australia. However, where you are a foreign resident, your assessable income includes only income derived from an Australian source. As a resident of Australia for taxation purposes you are required to declare your world-wide income in your Australian tax return under section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997. There is no discretion in Section 6-5 of the ITAA 1997 to exempt anyone from paying tax on foreign income. The Commissioner does not have any discretion to exempt you from paying tax on the rental income derived in Country Z on the rental property. As discussed with you the ATO does not make the taxation legislation Parliament does and the ATO administers the law.