Overview

This unit aims to foster an understanding of the policy, principles and practice that underpin the Australian taxation system. The main emphasis is on taxation principles associated with the Income Tax Assessment Act, 1936 and 1997 as amended, together with those acts which are complementary to the Assessment Act. The unit provides students with the skills and expertise to tread more confidently through the tax law maze and enhance student’s ability to identify and evaluate taxation issues and tax planning opportunities.

Requisites

Prerequisites
ACC80012 Taxation Principles and Planning

Rules

Pre-requisite
Admission into one of the following Courses
GC-FINPL Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning
OR
GC-FINPLS Graduate Certificate of Financial Planning
OR
GD-FINPL Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
OR
GD-FINPLS Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning
OR
MA-FINPL Master of Financial Planning
OR
MA-FINPLS Master of Financial Planning
OR
Concurrent Pre-requisite
ACC60005 Accounting Principles
OR
ACC60008 Accounting Systems and Reporting

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
11-March-2024
09-June-2024
Last self-enrolment date
24-March-2024
Census date
05-April-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
26-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Critically evaluate the various principles of taxation based on the taxation legislation and landmark taxation decisions issued by the courts and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the application of the key administrative provisions of the Australian taxation system.
  • Apply advanced knowledge of the principles that distinguish between the concepts of income, capital and gifts and general and specific deductions; and incorporate these into a tax planning environment
  • Critically analyse the complexities of taxation principles in relation to various taxable entities and analyse and critically address the key issues related to tax planning opportunities
  • Apply a knowledge of research principles to work individually or collaboratively in groups to research and develop appropriate and relevant solutions to taxation issues and problems

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class
2.00 12 weeks 24
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
9.50 12 weeks 114
Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,3 
Research AssignmentGroup 20 - 30% 1,2,3,4 
TestIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2 

Content

  • Fundamental income tax principles
  • Tax administration (TPB & TASA – Ethical Responsibilities)
  • Concepts of income, specific income types
  • Income and capital
  • Capital gains tax
  • Fringe benefits tax
  • Source, residency and derivation
  • International tax agreements (DTA’s)
  • General deductions and non-deductions
  • Specific deductions
  • Taxation of companies and shareholders
  • Taxation of individuals and partnerships
  • Taxation of Trusts and Superannuation and Tax Strategies in Financial Planning

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.