Capital Allowances: business related costs - limitation of deduction - return of an equity interest

If the taxpayer's subsidiary issues an equity interest to an entity and the taxpayer later purchases the equity interest from that entity, is the expenditure incurred by the taxpayer an amount that, for that other entity, is a return of an equity interest for the purpose of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997)?

Yes. If the taxpayer's subsidiary issues an equity interest to an entity and the taxpayer later purchases the equity interest from that entity, the expenditure incurred by the taxpayer is an amount that, for that other entity, is a return of an equity interest for the purpose of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i) of the ITAA 1997.

All statutory references are to the ITAA 1997 unless otherwise stated.

The taxpayer is the majority owner of a subsidiary company (the subsidiary). The taxpayer, the subsidiary and a third party entered into an agreement whereby the subsidiary issued convertible notes to the third party. In a later income year the taxpayer purchased the convertible notes from the third party.

The convertible notes were an equity interest for the purposes of Division 974.

The expenditure incurred by the taxpayer to purchase the convertible notes was capital expenditure incurred in relation to its current business for the purposes of paragraph 40-880(2)(a).

Subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i) states that: You cannot deduct anything under this section for an amount of expenditure you incur: (b) to the extent that, for another entity, the amount is a *return on or of: (i) an *equity interest

The taxpayer incurred the capital expenditure to purchase the convertible notes from the third party vendor. The third party vendor is 'another entity' for the purposes of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i). The convertible notes were an equity interest in the subsidiary held by that third party. They were therefore an equity interest of another entity. The expenditure incurred by the taxpayer to acquire the equity interest is an amount incurred by it to acquire another entity's equity interest.

The interpretative issue is the meaning of the expression 'return of' in the context of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i). In this case, the specific question associated with this issue is whether, for an amount to be a return of another entity's equity interest, the expenditure must be incurred by the taxpayer who issued the equity interest?

The word 'return' is defined in subsection 995-1(1) to mean: Return on a *debt interest or *equity interest does not include a return of an amount invested in the interest.

It is clear that this definition does not resolve the meaning of the expression 'return of' for the purposes of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i). Recourse must therefore be had to the ordinary meaning of the expression.

The Macquarie Dictionary revised 5th Edition relevantly defines the word 'return' as: 18. the act or fact of returning; a going or coming back; a bringing, sending, or giving back. 20. reciprocation, repayment, or requital: profits in return for outlay

The word 'of' is relevantly defined as: 9. objective relation

An amount that, for another entity, is a 'return of an equity interest' is therefore an amount which gives back to that entity a sum for its interest in equity. Here, the amount the taxpayer has given back to the third party is a sum that is a requital for the third party selling its equity interest in the subsidiary. In other words, it is a return of an equity interest.

The ordinary meaning of the expression 'return of' does not introduce a requirement that the issuer of the equity interest must be the party that incurs the amount that is a return of the equity interest. This is particularly so in the context of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i) which looks at the amount from the perspective of 'another entity'. It focuses on the entity that held the equity interest and is concerned with 'another entity' being given an amount (by the taxpayer) that is a return of its equity interest. Although it is common for an equity interest to be bought back by the entity which issued the interest this does not mean that subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i) is restricted in its application to only that circumstance.

The explanatory memorandum to Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 1) Bill 2006 (the EM) provides some guidance as to the meaning of the expression 'return of' for the purpose of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i). Although the EM gives the example of payments made by a company to buy back its own shares as an expenditure which is excluded by subsection 40-880(9) the EM makes it clear that expenditures excluded by the provision are not limited to the examples given.

The relevant paragraphs of the EM state: Returns of capital 2.79 Some capital amounts are not considered legitimate blackhole expenditures as they comprise the transfer or distribution of funds, repayments, or do not give rise to any income tax consequences. As such, the expenditure does not represent an economic loss to the taxpayer and is not deductible. [Schedule 2, item 30, subsection 40-880(9).] 2.80 Expenditures excluded by this provision include, but are not limited to: • dividends paid by companies; • distributions by trustees; • margin calls; • payments made by a company to buy back its own shares; and • repayments of loan principal.

Therefore if the taxpayer's subsidiary issues an equity interest to an entity and the taxpayer later purchases the equity interest from that entity, the expenditure incurred by the taxpayer to purchase the equity interest from that entity is an amount that, for that other entity, is a return of an equity interest for the purpose of subparagraph 40-880(9)(b)(i).