Family court cases and the Stamps Office

Recent cases have explored various aspects of the Tax Office’s ability to access material lodged as part of family law cases.

The recent family law case of Kern [2014] FCCA 1108 provides an example of where the interest of a State based revenue office can be enlivened. 

If you would like a copy of the decision please email me.

The key components of the case here were as follows:

1. A couple who had a 9-year marriage were engaged in proceedings in relation to the division of matrimonial assets.
2. One of the assets related to some land that was gifted to the wife by her parents.  
3. Stamp duty was paid on the transfer at a value of $110,000.  
4. Evidence given by the wife to the family court was that the true market value of the land at the date it was gifted to by her parents was in the region of $150,000 and indeed, may have been closer to $200,000, particularly given that the final sale price for the land when it was subsequently disposed was $325,000.

While the family court accepted the wife’s arguments that she should receive a disproportionate share of the proceeds of the sale of the land due to the contribution that she made, it was also decided to refer the evidence to the Stamps Office for further investigation.

The family court has the inherent power to make a referral in situations such as this (i.e. effectively fraud) under the Evidence Act 1995.

While that Act does provide some protection for self-incrimination, that protection was not available in this case because:

     (a)  The wife provided the incriminating evidence of her own free will.
     (b)  The evidence provided was done so before a request for immunity was made.


Until next week.


Image credit: Des Daughter cc