Changes are coming for tax on rental income.
Residential rental
For the year ending 31 March 2024 the interest deduction allowed for those who owned properties on 27 March 2021 will be reduced to 50%. However, while the government have categorically said they would increase this to 60%, we don’t have draft legislation yet. It shouldn’t be too much longer.
Hopefully, this will increase to 80% for the following year and 100% thereafter.
Presumably, there will be no more need for the proposed build-to-rent exclusion for those building 20 or more dwellings on one or adjoining sites.
We would hope that anyone who has bought a property since 27 March 2021 or buys between now and when the government changes the law will be able to claim interest again. We will have to wait to see what the rules are going to be.
Commercial rental
The depreciation deduction, which is allowed on commercial buildings but not residential, is going to be withdrawn from 1 April 2024.
Bright line
Residential property sold within 10 years (in some cases five years) of purchase is subject to the Bright Line Test. This means the profit made forms part of taxable income. The government has announced the time limit for holding property to avoid the profit on sale becoming taxable is going to be reduced to two years from 1 July 2024. This has retrospective effect such that any property purchased two years or more prior to this date will automatically be outside the bright line period.
Reminder: The profit made on property bought with the intention of selling for a profit is still taxable income and always has been.
Purchasing a rental property for the purpose of ongoing rental income, with the knowledge you will get a capital gain in the long run, is not considered purchase with the intention of selling for a profit. We all know property goes up in value over time.
