Private ruling: Transfer of benefit from a foreign pension fund
Published: November 2012
Ruling period: For the year ended 30 June 2013 | This scheme commenced on | 1 July 2012

Ruling: Q1: Is any part of the lump sum payment transferred from a foreign pension scheme to an Australian superannuation fund assessable as applicable fund earnings under section 305-70 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)? | A1: No.


Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 295-95(2). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 305-70. | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 305-75. | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 305-75(2). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 305-75(3). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Paragraph 305-75(3)(a). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Paragraph 305-75(3)(b). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Paragraph 305-75(3)(c). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Paragraph 305-75(3)(d). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 305-75(5). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 305-75(6). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 960-50. | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 960-50(1). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 960-50(4). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 995-1(1). | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 Section 10. | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 Section 19. | Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 Section 62.

Reasons for decision: Summary: No part of the payment transferred from the Pension Fund to your Australian superannuation fund is assessable, as the 'applicable fund earnings' relating to the payment transferred on this date is nil. | Detailed Reasoning - Lump sum payments from foreign superannuation funds: The applicable fund earnings in relation to a lump sum payment (LSP) from a foreign superannuation fund that is transferred or received more than six months after a person has become an Australian resident will be assessable under section 305-70 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997). The applicable fund earnings is subject to tax at the person's marginal rate. The remainder of the LSP is not assessable income and is not exempt income. The applicable fund earnings is the amount worked out under either subsection 305-75(2) or subsection 305-75(3) of the ITAA 1997. Subsection 305-75(2) of the ITAA 1997 applies where the person was an Australian resident at all times during the period to which the lump sum relates. Subsection 305-75(3) applies where the person becomes an Australian resident after the start of the period to which the lump sum relates. Before determining whether an amount is assessable under section 305-70 of the ITAA 1997, it is necessary to ascertain whether the payment is being made from a foreign superannuation fund. If the entity making the payment is not a foreign superannuation fund then section 305-70 will not have any application. | Detailed Reasoning - Foreign superannuation fund: A foreign superannuation fund is defined in subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 as follows: (a) a superannuation fund is a foreign superannuation fund at a time if the fund is not an Australian superannuation fund at that time; and (b) a superannuation fund is a foreign superannuation fund for an income year if the fund is not an Australian superannuation fund for the income year. Subsection 295-95(2) of the ITAA 1997 defines an Australian superannuation fund as follows: A superannuation fund is an Australian superannuation fund at a time, and for the income year in which that time occurs, if: (a) the fund was established in Australia, or any asset of the fund is situated in Australia at that time; and (b) at that time, the central management and control of the fund is ordinarily in Australia; and (c) at that time either the fund had no member covered by subsection (3) (an active member ) or at least 50% of: (i) the total market value of the fund's assets attributable to superannuation interests held by active members; or (ii) the sum of the amounts that would be payable to or in respect of active members if they voluntarily ceased to be members; is attributable to superannuation interests held by active members who are Australian residents. Thus, a superannuation fund that is established outside of Australia and has its central management and control outside of Australia would qualify as a foreign superannuation fund . The fact that some of its members may be Australian residents would not necessarily alter this. Subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997 defines a superannuation fund as having the same meaning given by section 10 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act), that is: a) a fund that: i. is an indefinitely continuing fund; and ii. is a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund; or b) a public sector superannuation scheme; | Detailed Reasoning - Provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund: The High Court examined both the terms superannuation fund and fund in Scott v.Federal Commissioner of Taxation (No. 2) (1966) 10 AITR 290; (1966) 40 ALJR 265; (1966) 14 ATD 333 (Scott). In that case, Justice Windeyer stated: …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. The issue of what constitutes a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund was discussed by the Full Bench of the High Court in Mahony v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1967) 41 ALJR 232; (1967) 14 ATD 519 ( Mahony ). In that case, Justice Kitto held that a fund had to exclusively be a 'provident, benefit or superannuation fund' and that 'connoted a purpose narrower than the purpose of conferring benefits in a completely general sense…'. This narrower purpose meant that the benefits had to be 'characterised by some specific future purpose' such as the example given by Justice Kitto of a funeral benefit. Furthermore, Justice Kitto's judgement indicated that a fund does not satisfy any of the three provisions, that is, 'provident, benefit or superannuation fund', if there exist provisions for the payment of benefits 'for any other reason whatsoever'. In other words, though a fund may contain provisions for retirement purposes, it could not be accepted as a superannuation fund if it contained provisions that benefits could be paid in circumstances other than those relating to retirement. In section 62 of the SIS Act, a regulated superannuation fund must be 'maintained solely' for the 'core purposes' of providing benefits to a member when the events occur: · on or after retirement from gainful employment; or · attaining a prescribed age; and · on the member's death (this may require the benefits being passed on to a member's dependants or legal representative). Notwithstanding the SIS Act applies only to 'regulated superannuation funds' (as defined in section 19 of the SIS Act), and foreign superannuation funds do not qualify as regulated superannuation funds as they are established and operate outside Australia, the Commissioner views the SIS Act (and the SIS Regulations) as providing guidance as to what 'benefit' or 'specific future purpose' a superannuation fund should provide. In view of the legislation and the decisions made in Scott and Mahony , the Commissioner's view is that for a fund to be classified as a superannuation fund, it must exclusively provide a narrow range of benefits that are characterised by some specific future purpose. That is, the payment of superannuation benefits upon retirement, invalidity or death of the individual or as specified under the SIS Act. Therefore, in order for the lump sum payment to be considered a payment from a foreign superannuation fund as defined in subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997, it must also satisfy the requirements set out in subsection 295-95(2). This means that it should not be an Australian superannuation fund as defined in that subsection but must be a provident, benefit, superannuation or retirement fund as discussed above. In your particular case the Pension Fund is established outside of Australia with its central management and control outside of Australia. On the basis of the information provided, the Commissioner considers the benefits transferred on your behalf are from a foreign superannuation fund as defined in subsection 995-1(1) of the ITAA 1997. | Detailed Reasoning - Calculation of Assessable Amount: You became a resident of Australia for tax purposes over five years ago and received the lump sum payment in respect of the Pension Fund during the 2012--13 income year. As this is more than six months after you became an Australian resident section 305-70 of the ITAA 1997 applies to include the 'applicable fund earnings' (if any) as assessable income. The 'applicable fund earnings' are worked out under section 305-75 of the ITAA 1997. As mentioned earlier, subsection 305-75(3) applies where the person becomes an Australian resident after the start of the period to which the lump sum relates. Subsection 305-75(3) of the ITAA 1997 states: If you become an Australian resident after the start of the period to which the lump sum relates (but before you received it) the amount of your applicable fund earnings is the amount (not less than zero) worked out as follows: (a) work out the total of the following amounts: (i) the amount in the fund that was vested in you just before the day (the start day ) you first became an Australian resident during the period; (ii) the part of the payment that is attributable to contributions to the fund made by or in respect of you during the remainder of the period; (iii) the part of the payment (if any) that is attributable to amounts transferred into the fund from any other foreign superannuation fund during the remainder of the period; (b) subtract that total amount from the amount in the fund that was vested in you when the lump sum was paid (before any deduction for foreign tax); (c) multiply the resulting amount by the proportion of the total days during the period when you were an Australian resident; (d) add the total of all previously exempt fund earnings (if any) covered by subsections (5) and (6). In short, you are assessed only on the income earned (the accretion) in respect of the Pension Fund less any contributions you made since you became a resident of Australia. Further, any amounts representative of earnings during periods of non-residency, and transfers into the paying fund do not form part of the taxable amount when the overseas benefit is paid. | Detailed Reasoning - Foreign currency conversion: Subsection 960-50(1) of the ITAA 1997 states that an amount in a foreign currency is to be translated into Australian dollars. The applicable fund earnings is the result of a calculation from two other amounts and subsection 960-50(4) states when applying section 960-50 to amounts that are elements in the calculation of another amount you need to: a. first, translate any amounts that are elements in the calculation of other amounts (except special accrual amounts); and b. then, calculate the other amounts | Detailed Reasoning - Amounts to be used in calculation: The value of the benefits in the Pension Fund on the day before you became a resident of Australia is converted into Australian dollars at the exchange rate that applied on that day. Because, in this case, that day was on a weekend, the exchange rate to be used is that on the following day. From the facts provided no contributions have been made to the Pension Fund since you migrated to Australia. There have been no transfers into the Pension Fund from other foreign pension schemes by you since becoming a resident of Australia. During the 2012-13 income year your benefits in the Pension Fund was paid out to you in the form of a one-off lump sum which was transferred directly into a complying Australian superannuation fund. Therefore this is the amount vested in you when the lump sum was paid. This is converted into Australian dollars at the exchange rate that applied on that day. 'The period' for the purposes of paragraph 305-75(3)(c) of the ITAA 1997 commences on the day on which the person first became an Australian resident and ceases on the day the lump sum is paid. You were a resident for the whole of that period. Therefore, the Australian resident days and the total days are the same, and so the proportion to be used in the calculation is 1. There are no previously exempt fund earnings in relation to the lump sum. Therefore, applying subsection 305-75(3) to your circumstances, the amounts to be used in calculating the applicable fund earnings are as follows: 305-75(3)(a)(i) The amount, converted to Australian dollars, vested in you before you became a resident of Australia 305-75(3)(a)(ii) Nil 305-75(3)(a)(iii) Nil 305-75(3)(b) The amount of the lump sum payment received, converted to Australian dollars 305-75(3)(c) 1 305-75(3)(d) Nil | Detailed Reasoning - Calculation of the assessable amount of the payment from foreign superannuation fund: In accordance with subsection 305-75(3) of the ITAA 1997 the amounts determined at sub-paragraphs 305-75(3)(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) are added. This total is then subtracted from the amount determined under paragraph 305-75(3)(b). This figure is multiplied by the proportion of the total days determined under paragraph 305-75(3)(c). To this figure we add the amounts determined under paragraph 305-75(3)(d). As the result is less than zero, no amount of the benefits transferred will be included as assessable 'applicable fund earnings' in the 2012-13 income year. | Detailed Reasoning - Conclusion: No part of the payment transferred from the Pension Fund to your Australian superannuation fund is assessable as the applicable fund earnings relating to the payment is nil.

Relevant facts: You entered Australia a number of years ago and stayed for few months before returning to the overseas country. | You arrived back in, Australia, and became a resident for tax purposes several years ago. | You held an interest in a pension fund (the Pension Fund) in an overseas country. | You advised the value of the Pension Fund on the date you became a resident of Australia. | During the 2012-13 income year, and more than six months after becoming a permanent resident, you received a lump sum payment from the Pension Fund. | You transferred the Pension Fund in full into to a complying Australian superannuation fund. | You no longer have an interest in the Pension Fund. | There have been no contributions to the Pension Fund since you migrated to Australia. | Funds cannot be accessed from the Pension Fund other than at retirement. | You are under 50 years of age.