Superannuation Taxation: Less Equitable, Less Functional
UNSW Law Research Paper No. 2008-26
Dialogue, Vol 26, March 2007
7 Pages Posted: 24 Apr 2009
Date Written: May 3, 2008
Abstract
Taxation of superannuation is one of the most complex areas of taxation law largely because the Australian system has had three points at which tax was payable. These were when contributions were made to a superannuation fund, on the income of the fund itself and, finally, when a benefit was paid. The changes made to taxation of superannuation, which commenced on 1 July 2007, are a boon to those over 60 years old, but unless your marginal tax rate is greater than 15 per cent they do not make superannuation any more attractive as a savings vehicle. In addition, the changes have less obvious effects, including that employer sourced termination payments are now taxed separately from taxation of superannuation payments; and the rules that prevented individuals from overusing the favourable taxation of superannuation have been removed and replaced by limits on amounts that can be contributed to a superannuation fund. This paper will consider these, and other, changes to the system.
Keywords: Taxation of superannuation
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