Ontvangste en toevallings vanaf 'n verskansingsfonds : is dit kapitaal of inkomste van aard?
Date
2009-12
Authors
Kotze, Elzaan
Van Schalkwyk, C. J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontstaan van verskansingsfondse in Suid-Afrika het die afgelope dekade baie reaksie ontlok vanaf reguleerders wat onseker is oor die werking van hierdie fondse. Verskansingsfondse is ‘n nuwe tipe beleggingsinstrument wat gebruik maak van verskeie verskansingstegnieke om beleggers se fondse tot ‘n maksimum te laat groei. Hierdie fondse is uniek in vergelyking met tradisionele beleggings. Die rede hiervoor, is weens die feit dat hierdie beleggingstegnieke die fonds se beleggingswaarde kan laat groei, hoewel die tradisionele belegging oor dieselfde tydperk, ‘n daling mag ervaar gedurende ‘n tydperk wat markte swak presteer. Tans word riglyne aan fondsbestuurders van verskansingsfondse verskaf deur wetgewing, maar die werking van hierdie fondse word nog nie gereguleer nie. Die feit dat die werking van verskansingsfondse nie tans in Suid-Afrika gereguleer word nie lei direk tot die vraag oor die belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse. Die spesifieke probleem wat nagevors word ingevolge die studie is die vraag of ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse kapitaal of inkomste van aard is. Die Raad van Finansiële Dienste is tans in die proses om ‘n beter begrip te verkry rakende die werking van verskansingsfondse en poog om die werking van verskansingsfondse binne die nadere toekoms te reguleer ingevolge wetgewing. Hierdie regulering van die werking van verskansingsfondse kan heel moontlik direk leiding verskaf ten opsigte van die belastinghantering van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse, aangesien daar sprake is dat die Raad van Finansiële Dienste graag verskansingsfondse onder die Wet op Beheer van Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas wil reguleer. Die Inkomstebelastingwet reguleer die belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf kollektiewe beleggingskemas in effekte en indien verskansingsfondse geklassifiseer sou word as ‘n kollektiewe beleggingskema in effekte, sal geen onsekerheid bestaan rakende die belastinghantering daarvan nie. Bogenoemde is egter nog nie Wetgewing in Suid-Afrika nie en die navorsingstudie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die bepaling van belasbaarheid van ontvangste en toevallings vanaf verskansingsfondse gebaseer moet word op regspraak se beginsels neergelê as riglyne vir die bepaling of ontvangste en toevallings kapitaal of inkomste van aard is. Elke situasie en transaksie moet egter op sy eie meriete geëvalueer word, aangesien elke geval sy eie omstandighede teweegbring waarop regspraak se beginsels toegepas moet word om ‘n gevolgtrekking te maak tot tyd en wyl wetgewing die belasbaarheid van verskansingsfondse meer spesifiek reguleer.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of hedge funds in South Africa over the past decade evoked many reactions from regulators who are uncertain of the operations of these funds. Hedge funds are a new type of investment instrument which uses hedging techniques to maximise the growth of the investors’ funds. These funds are unique in comparison to traditional investments. This is due to the fact that the investment techniques used, can establish a growth in the value of the investment fund, whilst the traditional investment, compared over the same period, may experience a decline during a period that markets are performing badly. Currently, fund managers of hedge funds are given guidelines in terms of the law, but the operations of these funds are not regulated. The fact that operations of hedge funds currently are not regulated in South Africa gives rise to the question of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds. The specific problem that is being researched by this study is the question whether the receipts and accruals from a hedge fund are of a capital or revenue nature. The Financial Services Board is currently in the process of getting a better understanding of the operations of hedge funds and strives to regulate the operations of a hedge fund in accordance to the law in the near future. The regulation of the operations of hedge funds can most probably give guidance with regards to the tax treatment of receipts and accruals from hedge funds, due to the fact that there is talk from the Financial Services Board to regulate hedge funds in accordance to the Collective Investment Scheme Act. The lncome Tax Act regulates the taxation of receipts and accruals from collective investments schemes in securities and should hedge funds be classified as a collective investment scheme in securities, there would be no uncertainty with regards to the taxation thereof. The above-mentioned does not form part of any Act in South Africa and the research study arrive to the conclusion that the determination of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds should be based on the principles established by case law to give guidance to the determination of whether receipts and accruals are of a capital or revenue nature. Every situation and transaction should be evaluated on their own merits, seeing that every case can bring about their own circumstances upon which the principles established by case law should be applied until such time that the law more specifically regulates the taxation of hedge funds.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of hedge funds in South Africa over the past decade evoked many reactions from regulators who are uncertain of the operations of these funds. Hedge funds are a new type of investment instrument which uses hedging techniques to maximise the growth of the investors’ funds. These funds are unique in comparison to traditional investments. This is due to the fact that the investment techniques used, can establish a growth in the value of the investment fund, whilst the traditional investment, compared over the same period, may experience a decline during a period that markets are performing badly. Currently, fund managers of hedge funds are given guidelines in terms of the law, but the operations of these funds are not regulated. The fact that operations of hedge funds currently are not regulated in South Africa gives rise to the question of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds. The specific problem that is being researched by this study is the question whether the receipts and accruals from a hedge fund are of a capital or revenue nature. The Financial Services Board is currently in the process of getting a better understanding of the operations of hedge funds and strives to regulate the operations of a hedge fund in accordance to the law in the near future. The regulation of the operations of hedge funds can most probably give guidance with regards to the tax treatment of receipts and accruals from hedge funds, due to the fact that there is talk from the Financial Services Board to regulate hedge funds in accordance to the Collective Investment Scheme Act. The lncome Tax Act regulates the taxation of receipts and accruals from collective investments schemes in securities and should hedge funds be classified as a collective investment scheme in securities, there would be no uncertainty with regards to the taxation thereof. The above-mentioned does not form part of any Act in South Africa and the research study arrive to the conclusion that the determination of taxation of receipts and accruals from hedge funds should be based on the principles established by case law to give guidance to the determination of whether receipts and accruals are of a capital or revenue nature. Every situation and transaction should be evaluated on their own merits, seeing that every case can bring about their own circumstances upon which the principles established by case law should be applied until such time that the law more specifically regulates the taxation of hedge funds.
Description
Thesis (MAcc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
Keywords
Theses -- Accountancy, Dissertations -- Accountancy, Hedge funds -- South Africa