September 2024
- Exclusive
- APRA
Bank investors face $1b franking credit hit
Hundreds of thousands of bank investors stand to lose tax credits under the prudential regulator’s plan to phase out hybrid securities.
- John Kehoe and Jonathan Shapiro
May 2024
‘Super-sized hole’ in budget as Treasury revises tax take
Treasury has cut $11 billion from its four-year estimates of revenue from superannuation taxes, as “overly large tax concessions” keep benefiting the richest retirees.
- Hannah Wootton
March 2024
UK’s new tax slug could force expat Aussies home
Australians living in the UK for more than four years will lose the benefits of negative gearing and franking credits on their property and shares.
- Updated
- Hans van Leeuwen
November 2023
Franking credits deal close in Senate
Reinvested dividends and banks raising capital to bolster their balance sheets will be carved out of a government tax crackdown on franking credits.
- John Kehoe
October 2023
- Opinion
- Opinion
Labor’s franking credit changes raise bigger questions
The government’s planned changes raise a legitimate question about the long-term future of dividend imputation.
- John Kehoe
August 2023
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
PM must pluck up the courage to hold a COVID-19 inquiry
Pandemic royal commission; Woolies’ underpayment consequences; ID copies are risky; AiG/AFR tax calls; Vic gas ban; Ukraine war; the problem with strong leaders; don’t mess with Picasso.
June 2023
Franking credit change will be targeted: Assistant Treasurer
Stephen Jones says the government wants to ensure tax changes to franking credits do not shut down legitimate capital raisings by companies tapping shareholders to fund investments.
- Updated
- John Kehoe
Government to consider amending franking credit changes
A Senate committee wants to tweak the Albanese government’s crackdown on franking credits because it could accidentally hit banks and start-up companies.
- John Kehoe
May 2023
- Opinion
- Opinion
Franking system fiddle will just create bigger problems
Treasury’s proposed changes will have wide and unintended consequences on small businesses and their shareholders, and even risk slashing company tax revenue, damaging the federal budget.
- Jesse Hamilton
Treasury says investors are wrong on franking credit changes
Claims that the government is out to destroy the franking credit system have been rebuffed by Treasury and the Tax Office.
- John Kehoe
- Exclusive
- Commonwealth Bank
Banks and fundies fear franking credit hit
Franked dividends paid to shareholders could be disallowed by the Tax Office under the government’s proposed crackdown on capital raisings and share buybacks.
- John Kehoe
April 2023
Will I lose franking credits from my dividends?
John Wasiliev explains why you shouldn’t be alarmed by the changes to the franking credit rules and what they mean.
- John Wasiliev
Tax investors to pay working mums, Treasury suggests
Assistance to encourage mothers and the jobless to work more may need to be funded by reducing tax breaks for investors, Treasury boss Steven Kennedy has signalled.
- Michael Read and John Kehoe
March 2023
Stephen Jones gaslights retirees on buybacks
The assistant treasurer doesn’t seem to understand the point of the tax minimisation strategy his government is abolishing.
- Myriam Robin
Franking credit crackdown faces Senate inquiry
Shareholders of companies raising capital could have their franked dividends disallowed under a new tax law proposed by the government, advisers have warned.
- John Kehoe
January 2023
Labor’s franking credit proposal will spark ‘return to bad old days’
Angus Barker, a former chief of staff to ex-financial services minister Jane Hume, has joined WAM Capital and warns against chipping away at dividend franking.
- Lucy Dean
December 2022
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
Letters: Let’s drop energy blame game
Energy price cap; climate change; gas industry outcry; franking credits; Australia’s economic direction under Albanese; ‘stubborn’ journalists.
November 2022
- Opinion
- Opinion
Franking credit broken promise is Labor’s retirement tax 2.0
Eliminating the payment of franked dividends to Australian investors through off-market share buybacks is an underhand attempt to destroy the system Paul Keating created.
- Geoff Wilson
‘Back-door attempt to dismantle the franking system’
Fund manager Geoff Wilson has accused the Labor government of breaking an election promise with changes to off-market share buybacks.
- Lucy Dean
October 2022
Angry retirees slam ‘obscene’ changes to retirement income
The federal government is accused of undermining self-funded retirees with two changes to capital raisings and franking credits in a month, despite election promises the system would not be changed.
- Updated
- Duncan Hughes