Newsletter
April 2013 Newsletter
No splitting of rental income for couple
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has refused a husband’s argument that he could split his rental income with his (now estranged) wife even though the commercial property was registered under his name only.
The taxpayer had lodged tax returns on the basis that the property was shared equally between him and his wife. However, the Commissioner formed the view that as the property was in the husband’s name only, the rental income from that property belonged to him alone.
The husband claimed that the property was an asset of a “tax law partnership” between him and his wife. He also argued that the property was a “joint marital asset” held by them on a 50/50 basis, that the property was purchased from joint marital funds, and that both he and his wife each applied the income from the property for their own use.
However, the AAT was not satisfied with the evidence presented before it. It noted the absence of the wife from giving evidence, as well as a lack of written documentation, to prove there was a partnership. The AAT found that there was no evidence to show that the property was “jointly owned” or that the couple was in receipt of income jointly.