Preamble
Only the trustee is entitled to claim the expense as a deduction in the trust's tax return.
Under subsection 69(1), - such expenditure must be in respect of a tax related matter of the taxpayer ; and - can only be claimed as a deduction by that taxpayer ;
It is the trust's tax related matter on which expenditure has been incurred; as the trustee is the taxpayer for the purposes of subsection 69, only the trustee is entitled to claim a deduction, in the trust's tax return, for the expenditure on the tax related matter.
In the instances of a beneficiary or a director of a trustee company, it is not their tax related matter on which expenditure has been incurred; it follows that neither the beneficiary nor the director is entitled to claim, in his/her/its own tax return, a deduction for that expense. Example 1: B is the trustee for the B family trust. He pays a registered tax agent to prepare the returns for the trust. B may claim a deduction for this expense in the trust's tax return. Example 2: A family trust has a company as its trustee, of which A is a director. A pays a registered tax agent to prepare the trust return. A is not entitled to a deduction for this expense under subsection 69(1) as he is not the trustee. Example 3: B Pty Ltd is a beneficiary of a trust. B Pty Ltd pays a registered tax agent for the preparation of a letter of objection to the trust assessment the Commissioner has issued. B Pty Ltd is not entitled to a deduction for the expenditure under subsection 69(1) as it is not the trustee.