Temporary budget repair levy - FBT implications
22 July 2014
The package of Bills proposing to impose the temporary budget repair levy have been passed by the House of Representatives without amendment and now move to the Senate (the Bills have been referred to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee for consideration and report by 16 June 2014).
The temporary budget repair levy will apply to high-income individuals from 1 July 2014 until 30 June 2017. It will apply at a rate of 2% on an individual's taxable income in excess of $180,000 pa.
A number of other tax rates that are currently based on calculations that include the top personal tax rate will also be increased. With the exception of the fringe benefits tax (FBT) rate, these tax rates will be increased for the same period that the temporary budget repair levy is in place.
The FBT rate will be increased from 47% to 49% from 1 April 2015 until 31 March 2017 to align with the FBT income year. The cash value of benefits received by employees of public benevolent institutions and health promotion charities, public and not-for-profit hospitals, public ambulance services and certain other tax-exempt entities will be protected by increasing the annual FBT caps. In addition, the fringe benefits rebate rate will be aligned with the FBT rate from 1 April 2015.