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Welcome to Tax Technical

This site contains the Commissioner’s interpretation of existing tax law, our Work Programme for the year, and where you can provide feedback on any new work underway or apply for a binding tax interpretation.
This site contains the Commissioner’s interpretation of existing tax law. Read more

CSUM 24/02 Taxpayer challenge to timeliness of Commissioner's Statement of Position (CSOP) dismissed by TRA

08 Mar 2024 Case summaries / 2024

The Commissioner’s Statement of Position (CSOP) was issued within the relevant response period even if it was not received within that response period.

In regard to email, these are received when the email leaves the information system of the sender and enters the information system of the recipient.

“Information system” is not confined to a specific part of an information system (such as an email address) but extends to the architecture needed to produce, send, receive, store, display, or otherwise process electronic communications.

NSC 2024 National standard costs for specified livestock determination 2024

05 Mar 2024 Determinations / Livestock / Standard costs

2024 determination lists the national standard costs for specified livestock.

Vol 36 No 2 TIB - March 2024

29 Feb 2024 TIB / Volume 36 - 2024

New legislation

  • SL2023/295 – Order in Council – Student Loan Scheme (Repayment Threshold for 2024-25 Tax Year and Subsequent Tax Years) Regulations 2023

Determination

  • AE 24/01: Participating jurisdictions for the CRS applied standard

Ruling

  • BR Prd 23/07: Qantas Airways Limited

Interpretation statement

  • IS 24/01: Taxation of trusts

General article

  • GA 24/01: Proposed increase in the trustee tax rate to 39%

Technical decision summary

  • TDS 24/02: Renovation work on recently acquired properties and the capital limitation

Case summary

  • CSUM 24/01: TRA finds the disputants suppressed income

TDS 24/03 Fringe Benefit Tax: discounted goods provided by third party

22 Feb 2024 Technical decision summary / 2024
Fringe benefit: discount provided by third party; value of fringe benefit

GA 24/01 Proposed increase in the trustee tax rate to 39%

02 Feb 2024 General articles / 2024

The Government has proposed that from the 2024/25 income year, the tax rate applying to trustee income will increase to 39% to align with the top personal tax rate. These changes were included in the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023-24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill introduced on 18 May 2023. The proposals in the Bill are not legislation until enacted and are subject to change through the parliamentary process. 

Since the increase in trustee tax rate was proposed, Inland Revenue has been asked to provide guidance around how it may perceive some taxpayer transactions and structural changes. This article is intended to provide high-level guidance based on Inland Revenue’s interpretation of the current law. 

Tax Information Bulletin - Vol 36 No 2, March 2024

Vol 36 No 1 TIB - February 2024

01 Feb 2024 TIB / Volume 36 - 2024

New legislation

  • Public Act 2023 No 70 – Taxation Principles Reporting Act Repeal Act 2023
  • SL2023/288 – Order in Council – Income Tax (Tax Credit) Order 2023

Rulings

  • BR Prd 23/02: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
  • BR Prd 23/03: Everlasting Nominees Limited
  • BR Prd 23/04: Everlasting Nominees Limited
  • BR Prd 23/05: Everlasting Nominees Limited
  • BR Prd 23/06: WorkRide Limited

Interpretation statement

  • IS 23/11: Income tax: Income – when gifts are assessable income

Questions we’ve been asked

  • QB 23/08: Income tax – deductibility of expenditure – renting to flatmates
  • QB 23/09: Income tax – Forfeited deposits from cancelled land sale agreements
  • QB 23/10: Foreign investment fund (FIF) calculation methods in cases of non-compliance

Technical decision summaries

  • TDS 23/14: Omitted income, shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/15: Income Tax and GST – Omitted business income and liability for shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/16: Income Tax and GST – Omitted business income and liability for shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/17: Income Tax – Omitted income and liability for shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/18: Income Tax – Omitted income and liability for shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/19: Income Tax – Omitted income and liability for shortfall penalties
  • TDS 23/20: Deductibility of retention payments
  • TDS 24/01: Interest free loan and dividends

IS 24/01 Taxation of trusts

01 Feb 2024 Interpretation statements / 2024

This interpretation statement explains the taxation of trusts under the trust rules in the Income Tax Act 2007. It updates and replaces IS 18/01.

The statement is a general guide as to how income derived by the trustees of a trust is taxed.  It also explains the various compliance obligations imposed on settlors, trustees and beneficiaries under tax law.

It does not deal with the proposed change to the trustee tax rate and related measures contained in the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023-24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. These will be explained in a Tax Information Bulletin after the legislation passes.

Tax Information Bulletin - Vol 36 No 2, March 2024

TDS 24/02 Renovation work on recently acquired properties and the capital limitation

31 Jan 2024 Technical decision summary / 2024

Income tax; general permission; capital limitation; neglected acquisition.

Tax Information Bulletin - Vol 36 No 2, March 2024

AE 24/01 Participating jurisdictions for the CRS applied standard 2024

18 Jan 2024 Determinations / CRS / Jurisdictions

The Commissioner determined this list of Participating Jurisdictions effective from 1 April 2024. Since the last update in 2023, Georgia, Kenya, Maldives, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Thailand, Uganda and Ukraine have been added as Participating Jurisdictions. These are jurisdictions which are able to provide New Zealand with financial account information under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). The list of participating jurisdictions is important for financial institutions when conducting due diligence in respect of accounts held by passive non-financial entities.

Tax Information Bulletin - Vol 36 No 2, March 2024

CSUM 24/01 TRA finds the disputants suppressed income

16 Jan 2024 Case summaries / 2024

The Taxation Review Authority (TRA) found in favour of the Commissioner, confirming assessments made in relation to 10 payments Mr A and the company (the disputants) claimed were inheritance payments from Mr A’s grandfather’s estate in Afghanistan. The Commissioner argued the payments were business income from the disputant’s car parts business and made assessments on this basis. The TRA found the evidence supported the Commissioner’s position and the disputant’s had not satisfied their onus to show the assessments were wrong and by how much.

In addition, the TRA found in favour of the Commissioner in relation to the GST assessments that included the disputed deposits, disallowed disputed expenditure, and adjusted the disputant’s zero rating of exports.

Tax Information Bulletin - Vol 36 No 2, March 2024

More

Consultation closing soon 

ED00251: The valuation of livestock

Consultation closes: 25 March 2024

 

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