Tax depreciation is...
As a building gets older and items within it wear out, they depreciate in value. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) governs legislation that allows owners of income producing property to claim a tax deduction for this wear and tear. Capital works deductions can be claimed on the building's structure and items considered permanently fixed to the property, while depreciation can be claimed on the plant and equipment assets contained within it.
Our property management team can help arrange for a depreciation schedule through our preferred Quantity Surveyor - BMT Tax Depreciation Quantity Surveyor at a special price!
As part of the 9th of May 2017 federal budget, the Australian Government proposed amendments to legislation relating to plant and equipment (division 40) deductions.
The proposed changes, outlined in Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Tax Integrity) Bill 2017, have now been legislated after being passed by the Senate on the 15th of November 2017.
This has resulted in a change to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and denies property investors from claiming income tax deductions for the decline in value of ‘previously used’ depreciating assets (plant and equipment) within residential investment properties.
The government’s intention in making this legislation amendment was to deliver an integrity measure which addressed concerns that some plant and equipment assets were being depreciated by successive property investors in excess of their actual value.
These changes affect investors who purchase second-hand residential properties after 7:30pm on the 9th of May 2017 by limiting the depreciation they can claim on existing plant and equipment assets.
To read more about these changes check out the report from BMT HERE