Private ruling: Capital gains tax and cost base
Date of advice: 12 August 2015
Published: August 2015
Ruling period: Year ending 30 June 2015
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2014

Ruling: Questions and answers: | 1. Is the first element of the cost base for the Y shares $X.XX each? | Yes. | 2. Is the first element of the cost base for the Z shares $XXX each? | Yes.

Relevant facts and circumstances: Your understanding that the Y and Z preference shares were purchased at the initial float. The Y shares were not valued at a lower amount between the initial float and X. The Z shares were not valued at a lower amount between the initial float and Z.

Relevant legislative provisions: Income Tax Assessment ACT 1997 Section 102-20 | Income tax Assessment ACT 1997 Section 110-25

Reasons for decision: Summary: The cost base of a CGT asset is generally the cost of the asset when a taxpayer bought it. However, it also includes certain other costs associated with acquiring, holding and disposing of the asset. In order to work out how much a taxpayer's capital gain or capital loss is, a taxpayer must first establish the cost base or reduced cost base of a taxpayer's ownership interest in the property. Section 110-25 of the ITAA 1997 states that the cost base of a CGT asset is made up of five elements. 1. Money you paid for the asset. 2. Incidental costs of acquiring the property, 3. Costs of owning the asset 4. Capital costs to increase or preserve the value of your asset or install or move it 5. Capital costs of preserving or defending your ownership of or rights to the asset. The Commissioner accepts that the first element of the cost base for the Y shares is $XXX and the first element of the cost base for the Z shares is $XXX.

Reasons for decision A capital gain or capital loss is made as a result of a capital gains tax (CGT) event happening to a CGT asset (section 102-20 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997). The most common CGT event is CGT event A1 the disposal of a CGT asset.