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margoh(Enthusiast)Enthusiast
3 Mar 2025

Query on capital gains – please see the website below:

 

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/capital-gains-tax/property-and-capital-gains-tax/cgt-when-selling-your-rental-property

 

From this ato website – edited:

Example: capital gains on the sale of a co-owned rental property

Karl and Louisa bought a residential rental property in November 2016 for $750,000.

They incur costs of $30,000. After purchase they add a fence for $6,000.

They claimed $5,000 in decline in value deductions and $35,000 in capital works deductions.

In June 2023, they entered into a contract to sell the property, and in November 2023 it was sold for $900,000. Their costs of sale were $10,000.

A + B + C + D − E - F = Cost base

Where:

  • A is the purchase price
  • B is the costs of the purchase
  • C is the cost of property improvements
  • D is the costs of sale
  • E is the capital works deductions
  • F is the total amount of decline in value deductions claimed over the period of ownership of the rental property

My question

relates to taking F into the equation – since decline in value deductions e.g. carpet or blinds ­- are not capital works.

In earlier years, decline in value deductions never entered this equation. The effect is to pay extra tax paid on decline in value items – which only receive small deductions from tax, as only a portion is ever deducted each year. The value of items when a property is sold would be at second-hand values and very reduced.

On a large number of other websites decline in value is not taken into consideration with cgt.

I can see no reason why F should be included and would like an explanation. (Don’t think most people will be using this equation.)

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208 views
3 replies

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Most helpful reply

Taxduck(Taxicorn)Taxicorn
3 Mar 2025

Depreciating assets are considered as separate to the property when calculating CGT.

 "A depreciating asset is considered a separate asset from the property for CGT"

From tax time toolkit

Tax time toolkit for investors | Australian Taxation Office

As well, under CGT rules you are unable to include costs in the cost base that can be tax deductible

"Do not include any costs for which you can claim a tax deduction"

From link

Cost base of assets | Australian Taxation Office

As the decline in value has been claimed as a tax deduction then the cost base is adjusted to take out that decline in value claimed.


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Most helpful reply

Taxduck(Taxicorn)Taxicorn
3 Mar 2025

Depreciating assets are considered as separate to the property when calculating CGT.

 "A depreciating asset is considered a separate asset from the property for CGT"

From tax time toolkit

Tax time toolkit for investors | Australian Taxation Office

As well, under CGT rules you are unable to include costs in the cost base that can be tax deductible

"Do not include any costs for which you can claim a tax deduction"

From link

Cost base of assets | Australian Taxation Office

As the decline in value has been claimed as a tax deduction then the cost base is adjusted to take out that decline in value claimed.


margoh(Enthusiast)Enthusiast
12 Mar 2025

Hi Taxduck

Thanks for the explanation - a very complex topic for most people.

1 What happens if I sell after many years, say with all the original 'decline in value' written off - do they have to be included (like all the years for capital works depreciation) or just the current 'decline in value' items e.g. carpet.

2 Also the cgt worksheet from ato does not mention 'decline in value'. Neither do most sites e.g. NAB site on Capital gains.

3 When did this rule come in? Does it apply retrospectively?

Cheers

M

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Why is 'decline in value' in the capital gains tax equation with property? | ATO Community