All Topics / General Property / Moving to the UK

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  • Profile photo of pricedrpricedr
    Participant
    @pricedr
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 16

    I am moving to the UK with my family. We own a ~400K townhouse with approx. 200K owing on it (~50K extra repayments). Our intention before getting a job o/s was to renovate and sell, hence we have spent a bit of money on it. We will now rent the property out and hope to purchase another property in the UK. I now have a lot of questions about the best way to set this up, ie. Should I redraw to improve neg gearing, can I still claim depreciation on renovated items etc. etc. Hence, can anyone recommend a financial adviser or accountant to help me out.

    I’ve tried to read the tax pack but it gets very confusing.

    PS. Anyone who has been in this situation or those with any opinions would be much appreciated.

    Thanks, Dave

    Profile photo of Mortgage HunterMortgage Hunter
    Participant
    @mortgage-hunter
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 3,781

    Dave,

    Redraw wont help you unless you draw the money for a income producing asset.

    It is the purpose of the loan that counts.

    A redraw is viewed as another loan and if you use it for another home it aint deductible.

    This is where offset is handy. It preserves the original loan.

    Cheers,

    Simon Macks
    Mortgage Broker
    [email protected]
    0425 228 985

    Comments may not be relevant to individual circumstances. If you intend making any investment, financial or taxation decision you should consult a professional adviser.

    Profile photo of pricedrpricedr
    Participant
    @pricedr
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 16

    quote:


    Dave,

    Redraw wont help you unless you draw the money for a income producing asset.

    It is the purpose of the loan that counts.

    A redraw is viewed as another loan and if you use it for another home it aint deductible.

    This is where offset is handy. It preserves the original loan.

    Cheers,

    Simon Macks
    Mortgage Broker
    [email protected]
    0425 228 985

    Comments may not be relevant to individual circumstances. If you intend making any investment, financial or taxation decision you should consult a professional adviser.


    Profile photo of pricedrpricedr
    Participant
    @pricedr
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 16

    Simon,

    Thanks for the reply. I’ve just realised if I don’t earn money in Australia, I can’t reduce my tax bill ny negative gearing!!?? Hence increasing my loan amount by redrawing extra repayments isn’t worth it.

    I forgot to mention I live around the N.Ryde area of NSW in relation to a good accountant, advisor.

    Dave

    Profile photo of Mortgage HunterMortgage Hunter
    Participant
    @mortgage-hunter
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 3,781

    Try Nick Moustacas of Strategic Wealth.

    [email protected]

    Cheers,

    Simon Macks
    Mortgage Broker
    [email protected]
    0425 228 985

    Comments may not be relevant to individual circumstances. If you intend making any investment, financial or taxation decision you should consult a professional adviser.

    Profile photo of pricedrpricedr
    Participant
    @pricedr
    Join Date: 2003
    Post Count: 16

    Simon,

    Have checked out the website for ‘Strategic Wealth’ and it sounds like what I’m after. Will contact them and see how we go. Thanks

    Dave

    Profile photo of JuliaJulia
    Member
    @julia
    Join Date: 2004
    Post Count: 217

    If you send your e-mail address to [email protected] I will send you a booklet I wrote for people overseas. The following is just one of the articles out of it:

    Becoming a Non Resident of Australia for Tax Purposes
    IT 2650 examines the relevant factors in depth. Generally if a person leaves Australia for more than two years and sets up a home in another country they will be considered not to be a resident of Australia for tax purposes right from the time they leave Australia. Note it is possible to become a resident of more than one country at the same time.
    Upon becoming a non resident of Australia ITAA97 section 104-160 deems a capital gains tax event to have occurred. This is that you are considered to have disposed of all your assets, that are not “connected with Australia” and acquired after 19th September, 1985, at their market value. Accordingly, you will be subject to capital gains tax on any increase in value over their cost base. The following is a list of assets “connected with Australia”:
    1) Land, buildings and structures in Australia
    2) An interest or right in land in Australia
    3) A strata title flat or home unit
    4) A share in a company that owns 1, 2 or 3 above and gives the shareholder the right to occupy.
    5) An asset that has been used by its owner at any time to carry on business through a permanent establishment in Australia.
    6) A share in a private company that was a resident of Australia when the share was sold.
    7) An interest in a trust that was a resident of Australia when the interest was sold.
    8) A share in public company that was a resident of Australia when the share was sold and the non resident and associates had control over more than 10% of the shares at any time during the last 5 years.
    9) An unit in a unit trust that was a resident of Australia when the unit was sold and the non resident and associates had control over more than 10% of the units at any time during the last 5 years.
    10) An option or right to acquire any of the above.
    11) Various provisions associated with rollover relief.

    Section 104-165(2) gives you the option of ignoring the capital gain accrued when you leave the country but this will effectively mean you are taxed on any gain while you are a non resident. The options offered by Section 104-165(2) are:
    a) Defer the CGT and pay it when the asset is sold but the tax will be on the gain over the whole period up
    to the sale including when a non resident. or
    b) Defer the CGT on the basis you will be returning to Australian Residency before you sell it but when
    you do sell there will be no exemption for the gain made while you were a non resident.
    So the choice is pay the tax when you leave and be free of Australian tax on any gain you make while a non resident or defer the tax but widen the period of time you are exposed to Australian capital gains tax.

    As your home will be an asset “connected with Australia” you will not be deemed to have disposed of your home by 104-160 if you decide to keep a home in Australia to return to and go overseas for longer than 2 years and lose your residency for tax purposes. This is assuming you have actually lived in the home as your main residence before you go overseas. You will have to elect for it to be your main residence otherwise section 118-192 deems there to be a disposal anyway, if it is first rented out after 20th August 1996. If you elect for it to be your main residence but rent it out during you absence the exemption will only last 6 years unless you move back in again. You will qualify for another 6 years each time you move back in. If it is not rented out the exemption from CGT is unlimited. Section 118-145. Note the disposal deemed by section 118-192 does not trigger a capital gain if the house had always been your main resident during the time you owned it but it will start the clock ticking on any gain from that date forward.
    You may also have trouble if you are the trustee of your self managed superannuation fund as the trustee needs to be a resident.
    Note:
    The above is written for the small investor not companies or trusts and there are more complex rules if you have a significant investment in a foreign entity.

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