29 General Deductions Notes

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

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General Deductions

S11 (a) Preamble - What may be deducted S23 What may not be deducted *** NO DEDUCTION MAY BE CLAIMED IF THE TAXPAYER DOES NOT CARRY ON A TRADE! ** Process:

1. Determine whether deduction is prohibited or not
2. If not prohibited, apply the general deduction formula and test whether all requirements are met

Requirements for what can be deducted:

1. Carrying on a trade

2. Expenditure and losses - Jofie v CIR > Losses are involuntarily expenses

3. Actually incurred - Disputes don’t give rise to liability = Not actually incurred

4. During the year of assessment

5. In the production of income - Inevitable concomitant - Joffie v CIR, PE Electric

• Expense can be incurred to earn income + exempt income - Nemojin v CIR > Apportioned, deduction not all for expense that produces exempt income. >> Must be in the production of income >> Cannot be in the production of exempt income!!

6. Not of a capital nature

1. Carrying on a trade

>> Includes rental income

• May be once off transaction
• A venture in the definition of trade

• Profitable activity
• Active business, NOT passive (Not interest, rannuities, dividends etc)

• Rent and royalties
• SARS allows interest expense to be set off against income (up to 0)

• Continuity (Not always essential)
• Profit-Motive

2. Expenditure and Losses

• Generally accepted as cash or otherwise

• Loss is an involuntary expense, not intentional

S11A* Pre Trade expenditure and losses

Income must be derived from that trade

• Pre trade expenditure and losses are allowed as deductions
• Accumulated over time until business has started
• They are deducted against THAT TRADE INCOME, can’t deduct against any other trade income Requirements: - Expenditure and losses
  • Actually incurred
  • During the year of assessment
  • In the production of income
  • Not of a capital nature
  • Expended for trade purposes
  • Which were not allowed as a deduction when they were incurred

  Purpose of expenditure ** Expenses incurred which is not related to the income may not be deducted E Dividend income is exempt (Not income) so can’t get a deduction ** The purpose of the expense must be to produce income, even if no income was made.

  Not of a capital nature

  Factors which show that an expense is of a capital nature:

  • Adds to the income earning structure (Distinguish between income earning operation & structure (improvements))
  • Once off expense from which future benefits will flow (Does not apply to permanent fixed capital assets)
  • Creates an enduring benefit/advantage for the taxpayer
  • Floating vs. fixed capital
  • Floating (Continuously changing from cash to otherwise = renenue . e stock) >> Cannot be capital and revenue
  • Can be an apportionment ** Income earning structure: Asset used by the taxpayer to produce income:
  • E,G Building produces rent income, machine produces products, a lease of an asset which produces income, fishing/mining license

  * No single test (Use case law)

  > If an expense is incurred for revenue and capital purposes, then the expense must be APPORTIONED!

  Prohibitions S

  • Prohibited from being deducted!

  S23(a) Personal/Family maintenance (clothes, food)

  S23(b) Domestic or Private Expenditure (includes rent)

  Except portion of private residence used for trade

  • Specially equipped for trade
  • Regularly and exclusively used for trade Except income earned from work carried on outside of employer’s office (commission)

  Home Study/Offices > Included in s11(b)

  • May be deductible >> Apportionate according to requirements Requirements to be met:
    • The study must be used regularly and exclusively and specifically equipped for the purposes of trade
    • If earn commission duties must be mainly performed in study or office provided by employer

    S23(c) Insured Losses > “Insurance”

    • If an expense is recoverable from someone else, it is either:
    1. Not deductible in the first place
       1. Deductible, but then the amount recovered included in gross income

       S23(d) Taxes

       • Normal tax, Donations tax
       • All penalties
       • All interest on late tax

       S23(e) Provisions

       • This section prohibits the deductions of any provision unless it is specifically allowed in either S24C (the provision for future expenditure) or S11j (the provision for doubtful debts)

       S23B

       Prohibition of Double deductions S23B

       >>> Expense cannot be deducted twice!

       ** Choose which section you will use to deduct it by

       SAICA SYLLABUS INCLUDES S23C.

       Acquisitions or disposal of trading stock S23F

       • Prohibits the deduction of the cost of trading stock until such time that he takes delivery of it.

       S23H Prepaid Expenditure

       BUT S23H can delay deduction for certain future goods and services: PREPAID EXPENSES > Goods purchased = Only deducted for goods actually received in the current year

       • Doesn’t apply to trading stock > Services = Only deducted for time served in the current year (based on months) = Apportioned. >> If there is no time, it must be estimated based on similar services. Deductions that CANNOT or AREN’T delayed
       • Goods or services supplied within 6 months of the year end
       • Where the aggregate of the amount does not exceed R80 000.
       • Expenses paid on any liability imposed by legislation (Property Tax)

       Variable Expenses S7 B

       >>>> If there is a variable renumeration (Commision, bonuses, leave pay) then it is only deducted when the amount is paid. - Therefore it is also only a deduction for the employer (person paying) when paid VAT

       • If VAT vendor claims input tax, then amount must be excluded for tax purposes >> Expenses paid EXCL VAT if VAT vendor

       Specific Transactions

       • These items must also comply to the general deduction formula requirements. Due to SARS practice and case law the deductibility has been established

       Advertising Expenditure

       • Revenue - Usually a short term benefit EXCEPT FOR:
       • Initial launch costs of a new product (knowledge = enduring benefit)
       • Permanent advertising purchasing of billboards (structure = enduring benefit)
       • Production costs incurred for the production of an ad for television or radio (Ongoing ‘airing’ costs will be deductible)

       Damages and Compensation

       Is it in the production of income.

       • Be inevitable concomitant, risk related to business (Is the risk closely related to business)

       > PE Electric Tramways v CIR

       > Joffe v CIR

       Is it of a capital nature??

       • Does the compensation payment produce an enduring benefit *If the compensation paid creates no long term advantage or enduring benefit it is seen to

       be of a revenue nature

       Conditional/Contingent Expense

       • Not actually incurred
       • Not deductible >> Until future event has occurred or condition met

       Interest

       • Normally revenue BUT depends on purpose (Why were the funds borrowed)
       • The actual use of the funds is the main indication
       • Interest paid to acquire shares is not deductible as dividend income is exempt
       • Unless the purchase of shares is trading stock (In the business of purchasing shares
       • Interest is only deductible if taxpayer is trading or item is used in trade

       Losses and compensation in respect of theft or damages

       • Depends on nature of asset, whether it is capital or revenue. -Inevitable risk of the business entity (In the production of income) Theft
       • Employees, robbers, burglars = deductible
       • Managing director or owner, not an inherent risk, therefore not in the production of income, NOT deductible

       Recurring expenditure.

       • Audit fees, insurance premiums, maintenance
       • Not directly attributable to performance
       • deductible due to practice established over time

       Warranties and Guarantees

       • Provision not allowed as a deduction
       • Cost deductible in warranty period even if income was earned prior (The risk of warranty claim is part of the business)

       Education and Training

       • Deductible if it is to maintain a level of knowledge or expertise in the trade
       • Not deductible if it is for a qualification (capital nature - enduring benefit)

       >> Share dealer: Buys and sells shares, therefore treated as trading stock, included in gross income when sold.

       • UNLESS S9C applies - If there was a change of intention

       >>> Exemption is on income >>> Deduction is on expenses ** Divivdend = Exempt for individual = NOT exempt for companies.

       NB CASES:

       1. Joffe v CIR

       • Company manufactures buildings, and the employees are employed to build the building
       • The building falls down and kills a worker
       • The company must pay compensation > Court held that it was not an inevitable concomitant for the building to fall down
       • Therefore cannot claim a deduction for the compensation paid.

       2. PE Electric Tramway v CIR

       • Company was to deliver goods (delivery company)
       • Driver was killed/injured in a car accident while working
       • The company had to pay compensation
       • The court held that there was an inevitable concomitant. There is a close link to the car accident and the way in which the company produces its income.
       • The compensation was therefore deductible

       3. Nemojim v CIR

       • Individual bought R1M shares and obtains full control
       • Causes the company to declare a dividend of R1M
       • Then he sells the shares for R
       • Court held that he was not allowed a deduction from income which is exempt.