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Change year: 2010

Section 657 Averaging of farm profits

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(1) In this section―

"an individual to whom subsection (1) applies" means an individual carrying on farming in a year of assessment and―

(a) who at any time in the year of assessment is also carrying on either solely or in partnership another trade or profession,

(b) whose spouse, in a case where the individual is a married person, is at any time in the year of assessment also carrying on either solely or in partnership another trade or profession, other than a trade consisting solely of the provision of accommodation in buildings on the farm land occupied by the individual, the provision of such accommodation being ancillary to the farming of that farm land,

(c) who at any time in the year of assessment is a director of a company carrying on a trade or profession and is either the beneficial owner of, or able, either directly or through the medium of other companies or by any other means, to control, more than 25 per cent of the ordinary share capital of the company, or

(d) whose spouse, in a case where the individual is a married person, is at any time in the year of assessment a director of a company carrying on a trade or profession and is either the beneficial owner of, or able, either directly or through the medium of other companies or by any other means, to control, more than 25 per cent of the ordinary share capital of the company,

but paragraphs (b) and (d) shall not apply in a case where the wife of an individual is treated for tax purposes as not living with her husband;

"company" means a company within the meaning of the Companies Act, 1963;

"director" includes a person holding any office or employment under a company.

Is income averaging available to me if I am a part-time farmer?

(1) No. You are classed as a part-time farmer if:...

to read the full commentary

(2) The definition of "an individual to whom subsection (1) applies" shall apply in the case of a married person whose wife is carrying on farming, and shall apply in such a case as if the references to the individual were references to the individual's wife.

Is income averaging available to me as a jointly assessed individual whose spouse is a part-time farmer?

(2) No.

(3) For the purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of the definition of "an individual to whom subsection (1) applies", ordinary share capital which is owned or controlled in the manner referred to in those paragraphs by a person, being the spouse or a minor child of a director, or by the trustee of a trust for the benefit of a person or persons, being or including any such person or such director, shall be deemed to be owned or controlled by such director and not by any other person.

What ordinary share capital am I deemed to own for this section?

(3) In the context of (1), ordinary share capital that is owned (or controlled) by the director's spouse, minor child, or the trustee of a trust for the benefit of the director's spouse or child is regarded as owned (or controlled) by the director.

(4)(a) Subject to paragraph (b), where an assessment in respect of profits or gains from farming is made for any year of assessment on an individual, other than an individual to whom subsection (1) applies, the individual may on giving notice in writing to that effect to the inspector within 30 days after the date of the notice of assessment elect to be charged to income tax for that year in respect of those profits or gains in accordance with subsection (5), and―

(i) the Income Tax Acts shall apply in relation to the assessment as if the notice given to the inspector were a notice of appeal against the assessment under section 933, and

(ii) the assessment shall be amended as necessary so as to give effect to the election so made by the individual.

(b) This subsection shall not apply as respects any year of assessment where for either of the 2 immediately preceding years of assessment the individual was not charged to tax in respect of profits or gains from farming in accordance with section 65(1).

When can a full-time farmer elect for income averaging?

(4) A full-time farmer (i.e., a farmer other than a part-time farmer within (1)) may elect for income averaging within 30 days of the date of the notice of assessment. The farmer's election is to be treated as an appeal against the assessment notice,...

to read the full commentary

(5)(a) Where you are to be charged to income tax for a year of assessment in respect of profits or gains from farming in accordance with this subsection, you shall be so charged under Case I of Schedule D on the full amount of those profits or gains determined on a fair and just average of the profits or gains from your farming in each of the 3 years ending on the date in the year of assessment to which it has been customary to make up accounts or, where it has not been customary to make up accounts, on [31 December]1 in the year of assessment.

[(aa) As respects the year of assessment 2001, this subsection shall apply as if in paragraph (a) "74 per cent of the full amount of those profits or gains" were substituted for "the full amount of those profits or gains".

(ab) For the purposes of paragraph (a), where an individual makes up annual accounts to a date in the period from 1 January 2002 to 5 April 2002, those accounts shall, in addition to being accounts made up to a date in the year of assessment 2002, be treated as accounts made up to a date in the year of assessment 2001.]2

(b) Any profits or gains arising to, and any loss sustained by, the individual in the 3 years referred to in paragraph (a) in the carrying on of farming shall be aggregated for the purposes of this subsection.

Amendments

1 Substituted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(a)(i).

2 Paras (aa)-(ab) inserted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(a)(ii).

What does income averaging mean?

(5) Income averaging means your farming profits for a tax year are taken to be the average annual profits over three tax years, i.e., the average profits of the basis periods (ending on the same date) in the current tax year and the two immediately p...

to read the full commentary

(6)(a) Subject to paragraph (b) and subsection (7), where as respects a year of assessment an individual duly elects in accordance with subsection (4), the individual shall be charged to income tax for that year and for each subsequent year of assessment in respect of profits or gains from farming in accordance with subsection (5).

(b) This subsection shall not apply for any year of assessment in which the individual―

(i) is an individual to whom subsection (1) applies, or

(ii) is not chargeable to tax on profits or gains from farming.

If I elect for income averaging now, will I continue to be taxed on that basis?

(6) Your profits as a farmer who has elected for income averaging continue to be taxed on that basis, unless you become a part-time farmer, or cease to farm....

to read the full commentary

(7) Where for a year of assessment an individual is by virtue of subsection (6) chargeable to income tax in respect of profits or gains from farming in accordance with subsection (5) and the individual was so chargeable for each of the 3 years of assessment immediately preceding the year of assessment, he or she may, [on including a claim in that behalf with the return required under section 951 for the year of assessment]1, elect to be charged to tax for that year of assessment in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 4; but, where in the case of an individual subsection (6) does not apply for any year of assessment by reason of paragraph (b)(i) of that subsection, the individual shall be deemed to be entitled to elect and to have duly elected, as respects that year of assessment, in accordance with this subsection.

Amendments

1 Substituted by Finance Act 2001 section 78(2)(c) for 2001 and later tax years, and for accounting periods ending on or after 1 April 2001.

Can I elect to return to the ordinary basis of assessment?

(7) As a farmer, you may elect in your self-assessment return to revert to the ordinary (current year) basis of assessment if you were assessed on the income averaging basis for three tax years immediately preceding the current year....

to read the full commentary

(8) Where as respects a year of assessment an individual duly elects or is deemed to have elected in accordance with subsection (7)―

(a) the individual shall be charged to income tax for that year and for each subsequent year of assessment in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 4, and

(b) there shall be made such assessment or assessments, if any, as may be necessary to secure that the amount of profits or gains from farming on which the individual is charged for each of the 2 years of assessment immediately preceding the year preceding the year of assessment, as respects which the individual elects or is deemed to have elected in accordance with subsection (7), shall be not less than the amount on which the individual is charged by virtue of subsection (6) in accordance with subsection (5) for the year preceding the year of assessment.

How am I taxed when I opt out of income averaging?

(8) As a farmer who opts out of income averaging, you are taxed in the normal way (i.e., on the basis of profits of an accounts period ending in the tax year) for the year in which you opt out....

to read the full commentary

(8A) Where as respects the year of assessment 2002 an individual duly elects or is deemed to have elected in accordance with subsection (7), subsection (8) shall apply as if the following were substituted for paragraph (b) of that subsection:

"(b) there shall be made such assessment or assessments, if any, as may be necessary to secure that the amount of the profits or gains from farming on which the individual is charged for each of the years of assessment 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 shall be not less than 135 per cent of the amount on which the individual is charged by virtue of subsection (6) in accordance with subsection (5) for the year of assessment 2001.".

Amendments

Subs (8A) inserted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(b).

How do the opt out rules operate for the tax year 2002?

(8A) This subsection adapts subsection (8) to allow for the short tax year 2001....

to read the full commentary

(8B) Where as respects the year of assessment 2003 an individual duly elects or is deemed to have elected in accordance with subsection (7), subsection (8) shall apply as if the following were substituted for paragraph (b) of that subsection:

"(b) there shall be made such assessment or assessments, if any, as may be necessary to secure that the amount of the profits or gains from farming on which the individual is charged for the year of assessment 2000-2001 and the year of assessment 2001 shall be―

(i) in the case of the year of assessment 2000-2001, not less than, and

(ii) in the case of the year of assessment 2001, not less than 74 per cent of,

the amount on which the individual is charged by virtue of subsection (6) in accordance with subsection (5) for the year of assessment 2002.".

Amendments

Subs (8B) inserted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(b).

How do the opt out rules operate for the tax year 2003?

(8B) This subsection adapts subsection (8) to allow for the short tax year 2001....

to read the full commentary

(8C) Where as respects the year of assessment 2004 an individual duly elects or is deemed to have elected in accordance with subsection (7), subsection (8) shall apply as if the following were substituted for paragraph (b)of that subsection:

"(b) there shall be made such assessment or assessments, if any, as may be necessary to secure that the amount of the profits or gains from farming on which the individual is charged for each of the years of assessment 2001 and 2002 shall be―

(i) in the case of the year of assessment 2001, not less than 74 per cent of, and

(ii) in the case of the year of assessment 2002, not less than,

the amount on which the individual is charged by virtue of subsection (6) in accordance with subsection (5) for the year of assessment 2003.".

Amendments

Subs (8C) inserted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(b).

How do the opt out rules operate for the tax year 2004?

(8C) This subsection adapts subsection (8) to allow for the short tax year 2001....

to read the full commentary

(9) In determining for any year of assessment what capital allowances, balancing allowances or balancing charges are to be made to or on an individual in taxing a trade of farming in accordance with subsection (5), the individual shall be deemed to be chargeable for that year of assessment in respect of the profits or gains of the trade in accordance with section 65(1).

How are capital allowances and balancing adjustments made on me where I have opted for income averaging?

(9) Capital allowances and balancing adjustments are to be made on you as a farmer who has opted for income averaging as if you were being taxed on the current year basis....

to read the full commentary

(10) Nothing in this section shall prejudice or restrict the operation of section 67 in any case where a trade of farming is permanently discontinued.

Do the normal cessation rules apply if I've opted for income averaging?

(10) Cessation rules (section 67) continue to apply to you as a farmer who has opted for income averaging....

to read the full commentary

(10A) Where the commencement of a partnership to which European Communities (Milk Quota) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. No. 97 of 2002) apply, would otherwise result in the permanent discontinuation of another trade of farming then, notwithstanding subsection (10) and solely for the purposes of the application of this section, the partnership trade shall be treated as a continuation of that other trade.

Amendments

Subs (10A) inserted by Finance Act 2008 section 15 for 2008 and later tax years.

What are the tax implications for my previous farming trade where I commence a milk production partnership?

(10A) If you are a farmer, and you commence a milk production partnership, that event does not give rise to a clawback in respect of your previous farming trade.

(11) Where for any year of assessment a loss is aggregated with profits or gains in accordance with subsection (5)(b) and the amount of the loss is in excess of the profits or gains, one-third of the amount of such excess shall be deemed for the purposes of Chapter 1 of Part 12 to be a loss sustained in the trade of farming in the final year of the 3 years on the average of the profits or gains of which the individual is to be charged to tax for that year of assessment, and any loss so aggregated shall not be eligible for relief under any provision of the Income Tax Acts apart from this subsection.

How are losses treated under the income averaging rules?

(11) Where the aggregation of losses results in a net loss for the income averaging period, one third of that loss is allocated to the last of the three years in the income averaging period....

to read the full commentary

(11A) As respects the year of assessment 2001, subsection (11) shall apply as if in that subsection "74 per cent of one-third of the amount of such excess" were substituted for "one-third of the amount of such excess" and, where this subsection applies, the individual may claim that 26 per cent of one-third of the amount of the excess referred to in subsection (11) shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in that subsection, be carried forward under section 382 for deduction from or set-off against the profits or gains of the individual from farming for any subsequent year of assessment.

Amendments

Subs (11A) inserted by Finance Act 2001 section 77(2) and Schedule 2 para 37(c).

How are losses treated under income averaging rules in 2001?

(11A) For the short tax year 2001, the rule in (11) applies so that relief is given at 74% of one third of the loss for the averaging period, with the 26% balance being carried forward for relief against profits of subsequent years.

(12) The profits or gains from farming on which an individual is to be charged to tax for any year of assessment by virtue of subsection (6) in accordance with subsection (5) shall be deemed to be the profits or gains from farming of that individual in determining his or her total income for that year for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts apart from this section, and any provision of those Acts relating to the delivery of any return, account (including balance sheet), statement, declaration, book, list or other document or the furnishing of any particulars shall apply as if this section had not been enacted.

Do the normal income tax rules for returns apply to farmers who opt for income averaging?

(12) Your income-averaged profits as a farmer who has opted for income averaging are to be treated as your profits for tax purposes. Income tax provisions relating to returns, accounts, statements and documents continue to apply to you as such a farm...

to read the full commentary
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