'Buying NZ Property – Download the free sample readings!

NZ presents some of the most alluring property in the Western World; particularly given the greater easy of residency, the low cost of property, and the liveability of the country. In addition, there is no capital gains tax, transfer taxes, VAT/GST or wealth taxes in NZ, so rest assured that NZ property is tax-effective! Learn more now!

New Zealand Property Report 2010 - Download the table of contents or buy this 180-page report at our online store for just $US19.95.


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Foreign Income Tax Exemption for new residents

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In 2006 the NZ government made changes to the New Zealand’s income tax code which make immigrating or resettling in NZ particularly attractive for foreigners. New residents will be able to have an exemption on all foreign earnings for four years. This does not strike me as a particularly sensible law because the recession will last 4 years, so people might be prone to just leave the country in 4 years. But hell - who doesn't love a tax break!

New immigrants to New Zealand qualify for the automatic tax exemption on their individual overseas income under the Taxation Act 2006. The tax exemption is targeted to encourage prospective migrants to consider New Zealand as a viable and competitive place to live and work. The exemption also applies to returning New Zealanders who have not been resident for tax purposes for at least 10 years before their arrival.

It operates to exempt all “transitional residents” from New Zealand tax on their foreign-sourced income by treating it as being derived by a non-resident. A person will be deemed a transitional resident if on or after April 1, 2006:
1. They have a permanent abode in New Zealand, and
2. Immediately before acquiring that permanent abode, they were continuously non-resident for at least 10 years, and
3. They have not previously been a transitional resident.

It is possible for a person who has visited New Zealand before acquiring a permanent abode – for example, to attend interviews or to look for housing – and who would otherwise be deemed resident in New Zealand (because they had been in the country for more than a total of 183 days in any 12-month period) to benefit from the exemption.

The transitional resident status will last for four years, ending on the last day of the 48th month after the month in which the person acquired a permanent abode in New Zealand; or the day the person ceases to reside in New Zealand. After expiry of this period, the person is treated as a resident, and their foreign-sourced income becomes liable to income tax in New Zealand.

The only types of foreign income not tax exempt in New Zealand are those derived from overseas employment performed while receiving the exemption, and business income relating to services performed offshore. All other foreign-sourced amounts (including interest, dividends, and employment and bonus income from previous employment) derived by the transitional resident are exempt.

The new legislation also provides that, where a settlor of a foreign trust becomes a transitional resident in New Zealand, they or any beneficiary or trustee of the trust will now have up to five years to elect for the foreign trust to become a qualifying trust. A foreign trust means that no settlor is resident in New Zealand from when the trust is settled until a distribution is made. A foreign trust is not required to pay New Zealand tax on its foreign-sourced income. If the election is not made, the foreign trust becomes a non-qualifying trust, with distributions of accumulated income or capital derived taxed at a penal rate of 45 percent. Previously, if a settlor of a foreign trust became resident in New Zealand, any of the settlor, trustee or beneficiary had only one year to elect to convert the foreign trust into a qualifying trust.

GST on New Zealand property

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GST on NZ property depends on the nature of the property acquisition. GST is an indirect tax, and as such it is treated separately from income taxes, and its imposition is contingent upon the purpose of the property acquisition. There are 4 types of property buyer:

1. Home buyer - buying for residence or occupancy, say home or holiday house. Under the GST Act an home investor is exempt from GST, and need not register for GST, in fact they can ignore it, but they will nevertheless have to pay GST on costs associated with their purchase, e.g. Conveyancing.

2. Property trader - flipping property for capital gain. Property traders will confront GST upon sale of the property unless they can demonstrate that they did not intend to buy it for re-sale. If the property is purchased for on-sale, the buyer can claim back the GST. Refer to the 2nd hand goods provisions. of the Act Refer to the Inland Revenue website for more info.

3. Property investor - holding property for a yield investment return. A further distinction is made here between residential and commercial property investors. There is no GST on residential property, but there is on commercial property.

a. Residential property investors: The investor can claim GST as a management expense, thus as a deduction on their income tax return. With commercial property, GST is payable if the gross annual rental income exceeds $40,000. If the income is less than $40K, then GST registration is optional. You will need to decide upon two methods of payment, whether you use the payment method or invoice method. The payments method, which applies to actual transactions in the period, is the most common method for commercial investors.

b. Commercial property investors: If you are a commercial investor there is another concept - zero rating - that is important to understand, however this is beyond the scope of this blog. Ivestors in serviced apartments need to take particular care.

4. Property developers need to pay GST at the time of settlement, which is deemed to be at the point of settlement. If the developer's turnover exceeds $1.3mil, they must apply the invoice method. Developers expecting to claim a GST deduction need to demonstrate an ongoing pattern of property development. An adjustment is made for developers who cannot sell the property, which allows them to pay GST on the rented portion of the property (refer to (section 21 of the Act) or any portion occupied by them.

The distinction between being a property investor and trader depends on your motives for buying the property. A trader seeks profit, and pays income tax on it. An investor seeks rental yield and pays tax on it at the marginal tax rate. There is no capital gains tax as an investor because any gain is considered incidental or unexpected. A trader however expects to make a gain, so they will pay capital gains tax on that profit. Traders can refer to sections CB5 and CB21 of the Income Tax Act. The onus of proof is on the buyer (not the tax office) to prove their intent for purchasing a property. If you require more information on property tax or buying NZ property, I refer you to the following books:

1. ‘Buying NZ property’ by Andrew Sheldon – buy here for residential investors

2. 'Property Tax - A NZ investor's guide' by Mark Withers – buy here.


'Buying NZ Property – Download the free sample readings!

NZ presents some of the most alluring property in the Western World; particularly given the greater easy of residency, the low cost of property, and the liveability of the country. In addition, there is no capital gains tax, transfer taxes, VAT/GST or wealth taxes in NZ, so rest assured that NZ property is tax-effective! Learn more now!

New Zealand Property Report 2010 - Download the table of contents or buy this 180-page report at our online store for just $US19.95.


Japan Foreclosed Property 2015-2016 - Buy this 5th edition report!

Over the years, this ebook has been enhanced with additional research to offer a comprehensive appraisal of the Japanese foreclosed property market, as well as offering economic and industry analysis. The author travels to Japan regularly to keep abreast of the local market conditions, and has purchased several foreclosed properties, as well as bidding on others. Japan is one of the few markets offering high-yielding property investment opportunities. Contrary to the 'rural depopulation' scepticism, the urban centres are growing, and they have always been a magnet for expatriates in Asia. Japan is a place where expats, investors (big or small) can make highly profitable real estate investments. Japan is a large market, with a plethora of cheap properties up for tender by the courts. Few other Western nations offer such cheap property so close to major infrastructure. Japan is unique in this respect, and it offers such a different life experience, which also makes it special. There is a plethora of property is depopulating rural areas, however there are fortnightly tenders offering plenty of property in Japan's cities as well. I bought a dormitory 1hr from Tokyo for just $US30,000.
You can view foreclosed properties listed for as little as $US10,000 in Japan thanks to depopulation and a culture that is geared towards working for the state. I bought foreclosed properties in Japan and now I reveal all in our expanded 350+page report. The information you need to know, strategies to apply, where to get help, and the tools to use. We even help you avoid the tsunami and nuclear risks since I was a geologist/mining finance analyst in a past life. Check out the "feedback" in our blog for stories of success by customers of our previous reports.

Download Table of Contents here.