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Corporate Tax (LAWS90005)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2020
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
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Corporate Tax is a specialist subject which will give students in-depth knowledge of the Australian tax regimes relevant to transactions between corporate tax entities and their shareholders. In particular, the rules applicable to contributions of capital or debt to companies and to distributions from companies to their shareholders will be examined.
The subject is taught in seminar format through the use of case studies which heavily emphasise real-world scenarios and provide students with insight into the corporate tax advisory issues encountered in practice.
In addition to enabling students to master highly technical content and become specialists in a particular area of law, the subject is largely statute based and will enable students to significantly enhance their skills in statutory interpretation and application.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students will:
- Have an advanced understanding of corporate distributions of profit and capital to shareholders;
- Be able to apply in an integrated manner the different statutory rules relevant to distributions of profit and capital to shareholders;
- Be able to critically assess the practical advantages and disadvantages of profit and capital distributions from the perspective of both companies and shareholders;
- Be able to understand and apply the taxation regime relevant to distributions by private companies;
- Be able to understand and apply the debt-equity rules to complex, real-world scenarios;
- Have an in-depth understanding of the imputation system in Australia and the various complex anti-avoidance rules related to the imputation system;
- Have sophisticated insight into the implications of Australian corporate tax rules in a globalised world particularly in relation to the digital economy and growing concerns regarding base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS);
- Have an advanced ability to undertake statutory interpretation and case analysis through the experience of construing the complex provisions of the various income tax acts and reviewing the cases in which those provisions have been applied; and
- Through the assignment and examination, demonstrate a clear ability to construct and communicate in writing an expert argument based on understanding the facts, identifying issues, analysing the applicable law and applying the law to the facts in a way akin to the process undertaken by taxation lawyers in practice.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject students should have developed and demonstrated expert skills in the following areas:
- Mastery of a complex and ever-changing legal regime;
- The ability to quickly and critically analyse the tax aspects of a commercial problem, and the technical and creative skills to initiate and apply a solution;
- The ability to carry out strategic, commercial and ethical tax planning;
- The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to produce professional advice; and
- The ability to write advice that communicates and justifies a response to a complex issue to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Last updated: 30 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the MC-JURISD Juris Doctor
AND
All of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
June (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50025 | Torts |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations |
May (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50027 | Dispute Resolution | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
LAWS50028 | Constitutional Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50030 | Property |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50031 | Legal Theory |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50046 | Taxation Law and Policy |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS70024 | Corporate Tax A | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 30 January 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Written assignment (to be completed in pairs)
| 30% | |
Open book written examination
| 70% |
Additional details
The due date of the above assessment will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 30 January 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2020
Time commitment details
144 hours
Last updated: 30 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Income Tax Legislation (single, edited volume, current year edition), published alternatively by CCH, ThomsonReuters, or LexisNexis;
- Specialist printed materials will also be made available from Melbourne Law School.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor - Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 30 January 2024