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Thursday, 23 September 2021
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The assumption that being a member of a large pooled fund will protect franking credit refunds, and the lack of concern about the impact of Labor's capital gains tax change, both require greater scrutiny.
Labor thinks disallowing excess franking will generate billions of dollars of additional revenues, but there is growing evidence that behaviour changes will severely limit the amount raised.
An edited extract from the Cuffelinks Facebook page shows how widespread the debate on Labor's franking has become, and the majority of people need a simple, logical explanation on how franking actually works.
Tim Wilson MP, Chair of the House Standing Committee on Economics inquiry into refundable franking credits, has asked Cuffelinks readers to make submissions.
Labor has foreshadowed significant amendments to a wide range of financial policies, and while the new PM has time to make up lost ground, Labor is favourite to win the next federal election.
Cuffelinks has published 15 articles related to Labor's proposed franking policy. In this compendium, each article is summarised and linked to, plus a 'sample letter' to his local member from an aggrieved retiree.
A reader of Cuffelinks sent an email to the Shadow Treasurer complaining about the future loss of franking credit refunds. Here is Chris Bowen's response and a firm stance on the policy.
Labor’s rhetoric of taxing the rich and standing up for women doesn’t match the facts. Their proposed imputation policy, if implemented, will raise little revenue and hurt low- and middle-income widows the most.
A reader asks whether people can stay off the age pension by reducing the amount of money they live on in retirement but not drawing on their capital.
Labor's proposed franking credit policy has already faced a number of unintended consequences, and the inequitable tax treatment of Listed Investment Companies much also be addressed.
The current system is fundamentally fair as domestic shareholders pay tax on fully franked dividends at their own tax rate. This is what imputation should achieve and why we need franking credits refunded.
The Labor proposal to eliminate refunds of excess franking credits will have a significant impact on many retirees who hold Australian shares paying fully franked dividends.
The RBA Governor says rising house prices are due to "the design of our taxation and social security systems". The OECD says "the prolonged boom in house prices has inflated the wealth of many pensioners without impacting their pension eligibility." What's your view?
It's a remarkable statistic. In any year since 1875, if you had invested in the Australian stock index, turned away and come back eight years later, your average return would be 120% with no negative periods.
Never stand between Australian households and an uncapped government programme with $3 billion in ‘free money’ to build or renovate their homes. But excess supply is coming with an absence of net migration.
Picking macro trends is difficult. What may seem logical and compelling one minute may completely change a few months later. There are better rewards from focussing on identifying the best companies at good prices.
Critics of franking credits are missing the main point. The taxable income of shareholders/taxpayers must also include the company tax previously paid to the ATO before the dividend was distributed. It is fair.
Wet streets cause rain. The Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect is a name created by writer Michael Crichton after he realised that everything he read or heard in the media was wrong when he had direct personal knowledge or expertise on the subject. He surmised that everything else is probably wrong as well, and financial markets are no exception.