Private ruling: Lump sum payment from foreign pension fund
Published: June 2012
Ruling period: Year ending 30 June 2009
Date scheme commenced: 1 July 2008

Ruling: Q1: Is a portion of a lump sum payment received from the overseas superannuation fund included in your assessable income as applicable fund earnings under section 305-70 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 ? Advice/Answer Yes.


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 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 960-50(1). | Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 Subsection 995-1(1).

Reasons for decision: Summary: A portion of the lump sum benefit you received is assessable as 'applicable fund earnings'. The applicable fund earnings represents the increase or growth in the overseas superannuation fund during the period you are a resident of Australia. The applicable fund earnings is calculated by translating the lump sum benefit received at the exchange rate applicable on the day of receipt into Australian dollars (A$), and deducting from this amount the Australian dollar equivalent of the lump sum benefit on the day just before the residency date at the exchange rate applicable on that day. The applicable fund earnings are assessable in Australia. The remainder of the lump sum benefit is not assessable income and is not exempt income. | Detailed Reasoning - Detailed Reasoning: Superannuation payments received by a resident of Australia are generally tax-free when received from a complying Australian superannuation fund, by a person over 60 years of age. This tax-free treatment does not, however, apply to similar payments received from foreign superannuation and pension funds. | Detailed Reasoning - Lump sum payments transferred from foreign superannuation funds: The applicable fund earnings in relation to a lump sum payment from a foreign superannuation fund that is 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 remainder of the lump sum payment is not assessable income and is not exempt income. The 'applicable fund earnings' is the amount worked out under either subsections 305-75(2) or 305-75(3) of the ITAA 1997. Subsection 305-75(2) 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 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 funds 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. In the present case, you were a member of the overseas superannuation fund. The overseas superannuation fund is set up for the express purpose of providing for the payment of benefits in the nature of superannuation upon retirement. Its central management and control is clearly not in Australia. It is evident that the overseas superannuation fund is not an Australian superannuation fund as defined in subsection 295-95(2) of the ITAA 1997. Based on the information provided, the Commissioner considers that the overseas superannuation fund is a foreign superannuation fund as defined in subsection 995-1(1). | Detailed Reasoning - Assessable Amount: As noted above, the applicable fund earnings in relation to a lump sum payment from a foreign superannuation fund will be included in a person's assessable income where the payment is received more than six months after a person has become an Australian resident. The date on which you received the lump sum benefit is more than six months after you became an Australian resident. Accordingly, a portion of the lump sum benefit will be assessable under section 305-70 of the ITAA 1997. The amount included as assessable income is calculated under subsection 305-75(3) of the ITAA 1997 because you became an Australian resident after the start of the period to which the lump sum relates. Subsection 305-75(3) 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 earning s 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). The calculation of this portion effectively means that you will be assessed only on the income earned while you were a resident of Australia. That is, you will only be assessed on the accretion in your benefits less any contributions made since you became a resident of Australia. Furthermore, any amounts representative of earnings during periods of non-residency and certain capital amounts previously transferred 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. Together with the application of subsection 960-50(4) this has the result that the payment you received is translated into Australian dollars at the exchange rate applicable at the time of receipt. Similarly, the amount vested in you on the day before you became an Australian resident is converted to Australian dollars at the exchange rate that applied on that day. The applicable fund earnings are assessable in Australia. The remainder of the lump sum benefit is not assessable income and is not exempt income.

Please check this edited version to be sure that there are no details remaining that you think may allow you to be identified. If you have any concerns about this ruling you wish to discuss, you will find our contact details in the fact sheet. | Relevant facts: You previously worked overseas. | You became a resident of Australia for tax purposes over 10 years ago. | You were a member of an overseas superannuation fund. The overseas superannuation fund is set up for the express purpose of providing for the payment of benefits in the nature of superannuation upon retirement. Its central management and control is not in Australia. | In the 2008-09 income year you received a lump sum from the overseas superannuation fund. | No contributions or transfers from other foreign superannuation funds were made to the Plan after the residency date.