Mortgage News

Westpac backs CGT proposal

Thursday 22nd of May 2014

In its latest Economic Overview Westpac economists provide a guide to this year's election for financial markets.

It says Labour and the Greens propose broadening the tax base and introducing a CGT, which would be levied at 15%, payable on realisation, but the family home would be exempt.

Labour also proposes to ring-fence losses for residential landlords, meaning losses can't be offset against other income for tax purposes.

"We support the introduction of a CGT, because it will help right the current misallocation of resources to land-based economic activities, and would lift the rate of home ownership."

"By broadening the tax base, a CGT may allow other distorting taxes to be reduced in the future."

Westpac says CGT plus ring-fencing losses would affect house prices by discouraging investors.

"We calculate that a 15% CGT would reduce the value to an investor of a given property by 23%, if rents remained unchanged. Even if we assume a 10% lift in rents, the loss in net present value of the house to the landlord is still 15%."

The ecnomists also say that removing the tax-free status of capital would also impact farm prices.

They also say that if Labour were to led a broad coalition of the centre/left in the next government the market implications would be substantial. Overall there would be a downturn in economic activity and that would mean fewer Official Cash Rate hikes over 2015 and 2016. If National led the next government then it would be business-as-usual and the OCR would continue to gradually rise.

Comments (3)
J I
Of course they support it, add CGT and watch prices increase in the short term, then add more property ownership with even HIGHER mortgages = more profit to the banks. CGT does not work. How about we aim to solve the problem (lack of supply pushing prices up) not the symptom (CGT = yet another tax)
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10 years ago

David Whyte
Chch Landlord - if second and subsequent properties were subject to CGT on disposal and shares were not - would you invest in the NZ share market?
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10 years ago

alan milton
Let's not get obsessed with the possible consequences of a CGT on residential rental property. There are far more things a CGT could affect and few have been mentioned yet - family farms are one which has and share portfolios another. What about pension funds? If a pension fund goes up by 10% in a year will that be taxed too? The proponents of a CGT need to come clean on what will or won't be subject to such a tax.
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10 years ago

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