This Month
- 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
- 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
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
- 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
- Tax reform
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
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
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
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
Banks to opt for dividends after buyback crackdown
The Albanese government’s crackdown on share buybacks could cause banks to resort to paying more special dividends to distribute franking credits.
- John Kehoe
Share buybacks hit in $550m crackdown
A tax loophole used by big companies will be plugged to stop the “streaming” of franked dividends, in a move estimated to raise hundreds of millions of dollars.
- John Kehoe
Geoff Wilson takes anti-tax campaign to 130,000 shareholders
The fund manager is urging his investors to lobby MPs to stop planned changes to tax rules for franked dividends funded by capital raisings.
- John Kehoe
Labor signals delay to franked dividend hit
Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has signalled the government may delay the start date of its crackdown, but won’t back down on the “tax integrity” measure.
- John Kehoe
