Ext User(Tom N)
02-02-2006, 01:51 PM
Albert wrote:
> I've held BHP shares for 15 years and have participated in BHP's Bonus
> Share Plan (BSP) instead of taking dividends. Now it's time to sell
> some shares and I have two queries:
> 1. Should I have declared the BSP shares gained each year in my annual
> tax return and paid tax on them?
> 2. If so, was their value the share price on the date the BSP shares
> were allocated?
> 3. How do I figure the capital gain when selling the BSP shares to
> work out the CGT?
> Some advice from someone who knows will help me prepare to talk to a
> tax accountant.
> Thanks for comments,
The ANZ Bonus Option Plan is probably similar (don't know why it is
called an option plan, as it issues shares).
Go to http://www.anz.com/aus/shares/services/dividends/default.asp
and click on "Shareholder Alternatives"
It says in part:
"Bonus shares issued under the BOP are generally not treated
as income under Australian taxation law and not subject to
imputation arrangements in the hands of the shareholder.
Such shares are regarded as having been acquired at the
same time as the existing holding for no extra cost and the
cost of the existing holding then becomes the cost of the
aggregate of the existing holding and the new shares.
Australian income tax laws contain anti-dividend streaming
provisions which allow the Commissioner of Taxation to make
a determination to treat shares acquired under certain bonus
option plans as taxable dividends. Shareholders are advised
to seek independent tax advice to determine the potential
impact of the anti-dividend streaming provisions.
The BOP should be attractive where capital gains tax (or other
income tax) is not applicable to the shares."
I'm not in the BOP but the above may be a useful starting point.
Say you originally bought say 1000 shares for a total of $11k, then had
another 100 shares issued from the BOP/BSP. It sounds like you pay no
tax when you receive the 100 shares, but that you pay CGT on sale of any
shares (including the original ones) with a base cost of $10 each (not
$11 like you paid).
I thought BSP's were generally only regarded as useful when the original
shares were pre-GST (unlike yours).
NB: the above is amateur speculation and may be a load of bollocks.
I did post some discussion about tax deferring using BSPs some time ago.
http://groups.google.com/group/aus.invest/msg/efa5fa6125993480
> I've held BHP shares for 15 years and have participated in BHP's Bonus
> Share Plan (BSP) instead of taking dividends. Now it's time to sell
> some shares and I have two queries:
> 1. Should I have declared the BSP shares gained each year in my annual
> tax return and paid tax on them?
> 2. If so, was their value the share price on the date the BSP shares
> were allocated?
> 3. How do I figure the capital gain when selling the BSP shares to
> work out the CGT?
> Some advice from someone who knows will help me prepare to talk to a
> tax accountant.
> Thanks for comments,
The ANZ Bonus Option Plan is probably similar (don't know why it is
called an option plan, as it issues shares).
Go to http://www.anz.com/aus/shares/services/dividends/default.asp
and click on "Shareholder Alternatives"
It says in part:
"Bonus shares issued under the BOP are generally not treated
as income under Australian taxation law and not subject to
imputation arrangements in the hands of the shareholder.
Such shares are regarded as having been acquired at the
same time as the existing holding for no extra cost and the
cost of the existing holding then becomes the cost of the
aggregate of the existing holding and the new shares.
Australian income tax laws contain anti-dividend streaming
provisions which allow the Commissioner of Taxation to make
a determination to treat shares acquired under certain bonus
option plans as taxable dividends. Shareholders are advised
to seek independent tax advice to determine the potential
impact of the anti-dividend streaming provisions.
The BOP should be attractive where capital gains tax (or other
income tax) is not applicable to the shares."
I'm not in the BOP but the above may be a useful starting point.
Say you originally bought say 1000 shares for a total of $11k, then had
another 100 shares issued from the BOP/BSP. It sounds like you pay no
tax when you receive the 100 shares, but that you pay CGT on sale of any
shares (including the original ones) with a base cost of $10 each (not
$11 like you paid).
I thought BSP's were generally only regarded as useful when the original
shares were pre-GST (unlike yours).
NB: the above is amateur speculation and may be a load of bollocks.
I did post some discussion about tax deferring using BSPs some time ago.
http://groups.google.com/group/aus.invest/msg/efa5fa6125993480