oxxa23
Regular
Your numbers are fine, it's just that the company ordinarily would wind up or do a capital buyback to assist realising the majority of your capital loss.... yo be used against future capital gains..... the tax still sucks for sure but.Having an unfranky divvy could really suck, depending on your situation.
Assuming an investor is on a highest marginal tax rate is 50% for round numbers:
Example 1 - 100% increase in value from original purchase.
- Cost base is $500K (eg. bought for 50c/share)
- Value of return is $1M. (eg. equivalent of $1/share)
Returned as capital
If $1M returned as capital (shares etc) and sold, CGT discount of 50% on $500K gain is $250K.
Tax paid is $125K and Investor keeps $875K.
Overall profit from original $500K investment is $375K.
Returned as divvy
If $1M returned as divvy, then tax is $500K, and Investor keeps $500K.
No profit on original $500K cost base, and Investor has still has a $500K unrealised capital loss from the unsold and unlisted shares.
Example 2 - 400% increase in value
Even at a cost base of $250K and returned value of $1.25M:
Return as capital would mean tax of $250K and Investor keeps $1M with a $750K profit
Return as divvy would be $625K in tax, Investor keeps $625K with a $375K profit and a $250K unrealised capital loss.
Example 3 - 50% increase in value
At a cost base of $500K and returned value of $750K:
Return as capital would mean tax of $75K and Investor keeps $675K with a $175K profit
Return as divvy would be $375K in tax, Investor keeps $375K with a $125K loss and a $500K unrealised capital loss.
Unless I'm missing something, if you are on the top marginal tax rate (again, using 50% for round numbers) not being able to use your cost base as a deduction when you get the proceeds as a dividend (which is income and not capital gain), means you need to make at least a 100% profit just to break even.
Is this correct?