Federal Budget Update 2017/2018

The Government handed down the 2017/18 Federal Budget on Tuesday 9th May 2017.

The Budget proposes (amongst several other changes) to increase the Medicare Levy by 0.5% to 2.5% from 1 July 2019 (and tax and withholding rates that are linked to the highest marginal income tax (e.g., FBT) will also increase from 1 July 2019).

One of the other more significant Budget announcements is that, from 9 May 2017, the Government proposes to limit plant and equipment depreciation deductions (e.g., for dishwashers and ceiling fans) to outlays actually incurred by investors in residential properties.

More specifically:

• Plant and equipment forming part of residential investment properties as of 9 May 2017 (including contracts already entered into by 9 May 2017) will continue to give rise to deductions for depreciation until either the investor no longer owns the asset, or the asset reaches the end of its effective life.
• Investors who purchase plant and equipment for their residential investment property after 9 May 2017 will be able to claim a deduction over the effective life of the asset.  However, subsequent owners of a property will be unable to claim deductions for plant and equipment purchased by a previous owner of that property (acquisitions of existing plant and equipment items will instead be reflected in the cost base for CGT purposes).