Slump Sale

Tax queries 4271 views 8 replies

Hi Friends,

There is a financial service company which is engaged in 3 different business activities. Now the promoters intend to sell one of the business activity alongwith the assets and liabilities attached with that business activity as a bundle sale. The company has not maintained separate books of accounts for these activities till now and has huge accumulated business losses in all the 3 activities.

Now for the purpose of Income-tax above sale will be considered as a slump sale. The NAV of the business activity being sold is positive and due to sale consideration there will be long term capital gain on this transaction.

I have the following questions in mind:
1.    To effect this sale does the company required to create separate books of accounts for different activities for earlier years.
2.    How does the accumulated losses will be carried forward post this sale (considering most of the losses are related to the activity being sold).
3.    Does the company need some kind of approval for this transaction?

Need your expert views and advise in this matter

Replies (8)

Brief answer to the queries -


Prior Condition-

The unit or division which is being transferred should constitute  as  business activity as whole.

1. Separate Books of Accounts:

Net worh of business being transferred is required to be ascertained. It will require seggregation of various items of assets and liabilities. To avoid further litigations in the matter, and for the purpose of simplicity , creation of separate books of account of the unit  is preferred. From these , proper accounting effect could be made in the existing accounts after the slump sale takes place.

2. In case of slump sale accumulated losses  and depreciation will be carried forward by the transferor.

3. The company may pass the necessary resolution at its level. However, as per Income Tax Act A report of CA in Form No 3CEA ( certifying the correctness of Net Worht) is required to be submitted alongwith the ROI.

1) If books were not maintained separately, not to worry, it will not deny the fact that there existed a separate division. 

2) Unabsorbed depreciation/carry forward of business losses will still be available to the company only, as the transferee is not eligible to claim the same. So the benefit wil be to transferor only

Also make sure form 3CEA (IT rules 1962) is signed by the auditor of the company

3) In case of a public ltd co or a pvt ltd co which is a subsidiary of public ltd co, will have to take the consent of shareholders in a general meeting (section 293) 

Thanks Paras & Sunny for this quick reply.............


Don't you think that the carried forward losses will be allowed only to the extent it relates to the business activities being retained by the Company.

Though I understand that long term capital gains are not allowed to adjusted against business losses but is there a way to plan / structure this transaction to minimize the tax impact as the company is in huge losses..............

No. We do not compute losses based on each division of a company.. It is a loss of the company as a whole.. so no question of loss pertaining to particular division.. though we disclose the same as loss pertaining to a division due to requirement of accounting standards, i do not think there is any problem in income tax act.. 

I am sorry, i do not know any tax planning in this case. 

wait for other members to reply.. 

Good day

Against the LTCG you can adjust current year's business loss, if there be any.

Friends


One more clarification I need for this query. The period of holding is calculated form the date of start of this business activity and the date of addition of various assets (which are being sold as part of this slump sale) in this business division has no impact n detarmination of LTCG / STCG.

 

Thanks in advance

You are Right Vikas.

Do any one have judgement or some department clarification on the point that unabsorbed Depreciation or accumalated losses is available to transferor Company not to transferee company in case of Slump Sale.

 

Thanks and Regrads

Anuj Jindal


CCI Pro

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