Private ruling: Deductibility of personal superannuation contributions
Published: August 2013
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2013

Ruling: Q1: Are you eligible to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions made to a complying fund during the 2013-14 income year under section 290-150 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)? Advice/Answer Yes. This review applies for the following period Year ended 30 June 2014

Relevant facts and circumstances: You have advised that your last employment activity was terminated on grounds of permanent incapacity, a few years ago. You will not be engaged in any eligible employment activity that would give rise to yourself being treated as an employee for the purposes of superannuation guarantee. During the 2013-14 income year you will receive payments from a compensation provider that are not subject to the maximum earnings test under section 290-160 of the ITAA 1997 as they are made due to your incapacity. The compensation you receive for your inability to work will be reported in your income tax return for the 2013-14 income year under salary and wages at Item 1, as this being the only section available. You are a member of a complying self managed superannuation fund (the Fund). You will provide the trustee of the Fund with a valid notice in the approved form of your intention to claim a deduction for the personal contributions made in the 2013-14 income year, and the trustee will acknowledge this notice prior to the lodging of your income tax return. You are under 75 years of age.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 290-150 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 290-155 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 290-160 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 290-165 | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Section 290-170 | Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 Subsection 12(11)

Reasons for decision: Detailed Reasoning - Summary of decision: You are entitled to claim a deduction for superannuation contributions made in the 2013-14 income year provided the deduction does not add to or create a tax loss in that income year. | Detailed Reasoning - Personal deductible superannuation contributions: A person can claim a deduction for personal contributions made to a superannuation fund for the purpose of providing superannuation benefits for themselves under section 290-150 of the ITAA 1997. However, the conditions in sections 290-155, 290-160, 290-165 and 290-170 must also be satisfied for the person to claim the deduction. | Detailed Reasoning - Complying superannuation fund condition: The condition in section 290-155 of the ITAA 1997 requires that where the contribution is made to a superannuation fund, it must be made to a complying superannuation fund for the income year in which you made the contribution. In this case, you intend to make personal superannuation contributions to a complying superannuation fund (the Fund), in the 2013-14 income year. Therefore the complying superannuation fund condition is satisfied. | Detailed Reasoning - Maximum earnings as an employee condition: Subsection 290-160(1) of the ITAA 1997 states: This section applies if: (a) in the income year in which you make the contribution, you engage in any of these activities: (i) holding an office or appointment; (ii) performing functions or duties; (iii) engaging in work; (iv) doing acts or things; and (b) the activities result in you being treated as an employee for the purposes of the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (assuming that subsection 12(11) of that Act had not been enacted). Where a person is engaged in activities during the income year that would make them an employee for the purposes of the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 (SGAA) then they will need to satisfy the 10% rule in order to claim a deduction for their personal superannuation contributions. It should be noted that the level of superannuation support by an employer or another person is no longer a relevant factor under this condition. Subsection 290-160(2) of the ITAA 1997 states: To deduct the contribution, less than 10% of the total of the following must be attributable to the activities: (a) your assessable income for the income year; (b) your *reportable fringe benefits total for the income year; (c) the total of your *reportable employer superannuation contributions for the income year Where the person engages in any 'employment' activities in the income year a deduction can only be claimed where the assessable income, reportable fringe benefits total, and reportable employer superannuation contributions attributable to the 'employment' activities are together less than 10% of the person's total assessable income, reportable fringe benefits total, and reportable employer superannuation contributions in the income year that the contribution is made. Further, if the person has more than one period of engaging in 'employment' activities in an income year, the assessable income, reportable fringe benefits total, and reportable employer superannuation contributions attributable to each period of 'employment' is aggregated. The Commissioner has issued Taxation Ruling TR 2010/1 which deals with, among other matters, deductions for personal superannuation contributions. At paragraphs 57 and 58 of TR 2010/1, the Commissioner states: 57. Those persons who are engaged in an 'employment' activity in the income year in which they make a contribution need to meet an earnings test if they are to deduct their contribution. 58. Those persons who have not engaged in an 'employment' activity in the income year in which they make a contribution, such as persons who although receiving workers' compensation payments are not employed at any time during the year, are not subject to the maximum earnings test. Furthermore, the Commissioner has given an example which refers to the 'maximum earnings test'. At paragraphs 88 and 89 of TR 2010/1 the Commissioner states: 88. Caitlin terminates her employment with Bling Pty Ltd on 30 June 2009 and was paid unused long service leave and annual leave on 3 July 2009. Caitlin made a contribution of $5,000 to her complying superannuation fund on 9 July 2009. Caitlin was not engaged in any employment activities for the 2009-10 income year. 89. As Caitlin was not engaged in any employment activities in the 2009-10 income year, she does not need to meet the earnings test in relation to her $5,000 contribution. In this case, you ceased employment with your employer on grounds of permanent incapacity a few years ago. Since then you have not been engaged in activities that would make you an employee for the purposes of the SGAA. Therefore, you are not required to meet the condition of the 10% rule. Hence, section 290-160 of the ITAA 1997 does not apply in the 2013-14 income year in which you will make personal superannuation contributions. | Detailed Reasoning - Age-related conditions: Under subsection 290-165(2) of the ITAA 1997 the ability to claim a deduction ceases for contributions that are made after 28 days from the end of the month in which the person making the contribution turns 75 years of age. As you are under 75 years of age in the 2013-14 income year, you will satisfy the age-related conditions. | Detailed Reasoning - Notice of intent to deduct conditions: Section 290-170 of the ITAA 1997 requires a person to provide a valid notice of their intention to claim the deduction to the trustee of their superannuation fund. The notice must be given before the earlier of: · the date you lodge your income tax return for the income year in which the contribution was made on a day before the end of the next income year; or · the end of the income year following the year in which the contribution was made. In addition, you must also have been given an acknowledgement of the valid notice by the trustee of the superannuation fund. You have advised that the trustee of the Fund will provide a valid written notice which states your intention to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions being made in the 2013-14 income year and that the trustee will provide you without delay a notice acknowledging receipt of your notice prior to you lodging your income tax return. Therefore, the notice of intent to deduct conditions under section 290-170 of the ITAA 1997 will be satisfied. | Detailed Reasoning - Deduction limits: A person can claim a full deduction for the amount of the contribution made up to the concessional contributions cap. However, the allowable deduction is limited under subsection 26-55(2) of the ITAA 1997 to the amount of assessable income remaining after subtracting all other deductions (excluding previous year's tax losses and any deductions for farm management losses) from a taxpayer's assessable income. Thus a deduction for personal superannuation contributions cannot add to or create a loss. | Detailed Reasoning - Contribution limits: For the 2013-14 income year the concessional contributions cap is $25,000 for all individuals. Concessional contributions include employer contributions (including contributions made under a salary sacrifice arrangement) and personal contributions claimed as a tax deduction by a person. | Detailed Reasoning - Conclusion: As you will satisfy all the conditions in sections 290-155, 290-160, 290-165 and 290-170 of the ITAA 1997 you are entitled to claim a deduction of up to $25,000 for concessional (personal) superannuation contributions made in the 2013-14 income year provided the deduction does not add to or create a tax loss in that income year.