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Change year: 2010

Section 549 Transactions between connected persons

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(1) This section shall apply for the purposes of the Capital Gains Tax Acts where a person acquires an asset and the person making the disposal is connected with the person acquiring the asset.

Where do the rules regarding transactions between connected persons apply?

(1) These capital gains tax rules apply where you are disposing of an asset and you are connected with the person acquiring the asset.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of section 547, the person acquiring the asset and the person making the disposal shall be treated as parties to a transaction otherwise than by means of a bargain made at arm's length.

How is a disposal to a connected party treated?

(2) Where you dispose of an asset and you are connected with the acquirer, the transaction is treated as a non-arm's length transaction....

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(3) Where on the disposal a loss accrues to the person making the disposal, the loss shall not be deductible except from a chargeable gain accruing to that person on some other disposal of an asset to the person acquiring the asset mentioned in subsection (1), being a disposal made at a time when they are connected persons.

Can I use a loss on a disposal to a connected party?

(3) A loss on the disposal of an asset that is acquired by a connected person may only be set against a gain on a disposal by the same disponer of another asset to that same person....

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(4) Subsection (3) shall not apply to a disposal by means of a gift in settlement if the gift and the income from it are wholly or primarily applicable for educational, cultural or recreational purposes, and the persons benefiting from the application for those purposes are confined to members of an association of persons for whose benefit the gift was made, not being persons all or most of whom are connected persons.

Is there any exception to the loss offset restriction?

(4) The restriction on the set off of a loss against disposals to the same person (see (3)) does not apply in the case of a gift in settlement to an association for educational, cultural or recreational purposes, provided all or most of the associati...

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(5) Where the asset mentioned in subsection (1) is an option to enter into a sale or other transaction given by the person making the disposal, a loss accruing to a person acquiring the asset shall not be an allowable loss unless it accrues on a disposal of the option at arm's length to a person not connected with the person acquiring the asset.

When is a loss on the disposal of an option acquired from a connected person allowed?

(5) Where you dispose of an option, and you and the acquirer are connected, a loss on the disposal of the option by the acquirer is not allowable unless it is disposed of at arm's length to a person not connected with the acquirer.

(6) Where the asset mentioned in subsection (1) is subject to any right or restriction enforceable by the person making the disposal or by a person connected with that person, then that market value shall, where the amount of the consideration for the acquisition is in accordance with subsection (2) deemed to be equal to the market value of the asset, be what its market value would be if not subject to the right or restriction, reduced—

(a) by the lesser of—

(i) the market value of the right or restriction, and

(ii) the amount by which its extinction would enhance the value of the asset to its owner, or

(b) by the market value of the right or restriction, where the market value referred to in paragraph (a)(i) and the amount referred to in paragraph (a)(ii) are equal.

Amendments

Subs (6) substituted by Finance (No. 2) Act 2008 section 43(1)(a) applying to disposals made on or after 20 November 2008.

What is the market value of an asset disposed to a connected person where I return rights or restrictions over the asset?

(6) Where you dispose of an asset, and you are connected with the acquirer, if the asset remains subject to a right (or restriction) enforceable by you, the asset's market value is reduced by the lesser of:...

to read the full commentary

(7) Where the right or restriction referred to in subsection (6)-

(a) is of such a nature that its enforcement would or might effectively destroy or substantially impair the value of the asset without bringing any countervailing advantage either to the person making the disposal or a person connected with that person,

(b) is an option or other right to acquire the asset, or

(c) in the case of incorporeal property, is a right to extinguish the asset in the hands of the person giving the consideration by forfeiture or merger or otherwise,

then, the market value of the asset shall be determined, and the amount of the gain accruing on the disposal shall be computed, as if the right or restriction did not exist.

Can any rights or restrictions be ignored in calculating the market value?

(7) The following rights or restrictions may be ignored when calculating the market value of the asset being disposed of:...

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(7A)(a) This subsection applies where the asset mentioned in subsection (1) is subject to any right or restriction enforceable by the person making the disposal or by the person connected with that person, and the market value of the asset at the date of its acquisition (without reference to any right or restriction) is greater than the consideration, in money or money’s worth, given in payment for that asset.

(b) Where, on a subsequent disposal of an asset to which paragraph (a) applies by the person who acquired that asset, subsection (7) has the effect (without taking account of this subsection) of―

(i) increasing a loss, or

(ii) substituting a loss for a gain,

then that subsection shall not apply.

Amendments

Subs (7A) inserted by Finance (No. 2) Act 2008 section 43(1)(b) applying to disposals made on or after 20 November 2008.

Can I create an artificial loss by subjecting an asset to rights or restrictions enforceable by me?

(7A) No. If the asset's value, ignoring the right or restrictions, is greater than the consideration paid for it, the following rule applies:...

to read the full commentary

(8)(a) Where a person disposes of an asset to another person in such circumstances that-

(i) subsection (7) would but for this subsection apply in determining the market value of the asset, and

(ii) the person is not chargeable to capital gains tax under section 29 or 30 in respect of any gain accruing on the person's disposal of the asset,

then, as respects any subsequent disposal of the asset by the other person, that other person's acquisition of the asset shall for the purposes of the Capital Gains Tax Acts be deemed to be for an amount equal to the market value of the asset determined as if subsection (7) had not been enacted.

(b) This subsection shall apply-

(i) to disposals made on or after the 25th day of January, 1989, and

(ii) for the purposes of the determination of any deduction to be made from a chargeable gain accruing on or after the 25th day of January, 1989, in respect of an allowable loss, notwithstanding that the loss accrued or but for this section would have accrued on a disposal made before that day.

How is a right or restriction treated if I am not within the charge to CGT for that disposal?

(8) A right or restriction is not ignored if you are not within the charge to CGT as regards that disposal.

(9) Subsections (6) and (7) shall not apply to a right of forfeiture or other right exercisable on breach of a covenant contained in a lease of land or other property, or to any right or restriction under a mortgage or other charge.

Can a right exercisable on breach of a property lease or under a mortgage be ignored when calculating market value?

(9) No.

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