Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Income Tax Act 2007

Deductions - Specific rules for expenditure types

DB 7: Interest: most companies need no nexus with income

You could also call this:

"Companies can claim tax deductions for interest paid, with some exceptions."

You can claim a deduction for interest you pay as a company. This means you do not have to pay tax on the interest you pay. You are allowed to do this unless you are a qualifying company.

If your company or another company in the same group gets income that is exempt from tax, you can only claim a deduction for interest if that exempt income is a certain type, such as dividends or income exempted under section CW 58, section CW 59C, or section CW 60.

If you are a non-resident company, you can only claim a deduction for interest if you incur that interest while doing business in New Zealand. You cannot claim a deduction for interest if you are not allowed to under section DB 1.

In some cases, section FM 12 may allow you to claim a deduction even if you are part of a group of companies. Also, subpart DE and subpart DG can override this rule in certain situations, and you should follow section CX 17(4B)(c) if you choose to apply subpart DE instead of the FBT rules.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM1513586.

Previous

DB 6: Interest: not capital expenditure, or

"Interest payments can be claimed as a deduction, even if related to capital spending"

Next

DB 8: Interest: money borrowed to acquire shares in group companies, or

"Claiming interest on money borrowed to buy shares in related companies"

Part DDeductions
Specific rules for expenditure types

DB 7Interest: most companies need no nexus with income

  1. A company is allowed a deduction for interest incurred.

  2. Subsection (1) does not apply to a qualifying company.

  3. If a company (company A) derives exempt income or another company (company B) that is part of the same wholly-owned group of companies derives exempt income, subsection (1) applies to company A only if all the exempt income is 1 or more of the following:

  4. dividends:
    1. income exempted under section CW 58 (Disposal of companies’ own shares):
      1. income exempted under section CW 59C (Life reinsurance claims from reinsurer outside New Zealand):
        1. income exempted under section CW 60 (Stake money) and ancillary to the company’s business of breeding.

          1. If a company is a non-resident company, subsection (1) applies only to the extent to which the company incurs interest in the course of carrying on a business through a fixed establishment in New Zealand.

          2. Subsection (1) does not apply to interest for which a person is denied a deduction under section DB 1.

          3. Section FM 12 (Expenditure when deduction would be denied to consolidated group) may apply to allow a deduction under this section to a company that is part of a consolidated group.

          4. Subpart DE (Motor vehicle expenditure) overrides this section for expenditure to which that subpart relates, if a company is a close company that has chosen to apply that subpart instead of the FBT rules, in accordance with section CX 17(4B)(c) (Benefits provided to employees who are shareholders or investors).

          5. Subpart DG (Expenditure related to use of certain assets) overrides this section for expenditure to which that subpart relates.

          6. Repealed

          7. Repealed

          8. This section supplements the general permission and overrides the capital limitation, the exempt income limitation, and the withholding tax limitation. The other general limitations still apply.

          Compare
          Notes
          • Section DB 7(3)(a): amended (with effect on 1 July 2010 and applying for the income year including 1 July 2010 and later income years), on , by section 45(1) of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2016–17, Closely Held Companies, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 14).
          • Section DB 7(3)(b): amended (with effect on 1 July 2010 and applying for the income year including 1 July 2010 and later income years), on , by section 45(2) of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2016–17, Closely Held Companies, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 14).
          • Section DB 7(3)(bb): inserted (with effect on 1 July 2010 and applying for the income year including 1 July 2010 and later income years), on , by section 45(3) of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2016–17, Closely Held Companies, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 14).
          • Section DB 7(3)(bb): amended, on , by section 9 of the Taxation (Neutralising Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) Act 2018 (2018 No 16).
          • Section DB 7(6BA) heading: inserted, on (applying for the 2017–18 and later income years), by section 69(1) of the Taxation (Business Tax, Exchange of Information, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 3).
          • Section DB 7(6BA): inserted, on (applying for the 2017–18 and later income years), by section 69(1) of the Taxation (Business Tax, Exchange of Information, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 3).
          • Section DB 7(6B) heading: inserted (with effect on 1 April 2013 and applying for the 2013–14 and later income years), on , by section 25(1) of the Taxation (Livestock Valuation, Assets Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Act 2013 (2013 No 52).
          • Section DB 7(6B): inserted (with effect on 1 April 2013 and applying for the 2013–14 and later income years), on , by section 25(1) of the Taxation (Livestock Valuation, Assets Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Act 2013 (2013 No 52).
          • Section DB 7(6C) heading: repealed, on , pursuant to section 36 of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Act 2024 (2024 No 11).
          • Section DB 7(6C): repealed, on , by section 36 of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Act 2024 (2024 No 11).
          • Section DB 7(7) heading: repealed (with effect on 30 June 2009), on , pursuant to section 70(1) of the Taxation (International Taxation, Life Insurance, and Remedial Matters) Act 2009 (2009 No 34).
          • Section DB 7(7): repealed (with effect on 30 June 2009), on , by section 70(1) of the Taxation (International Taxation, Life Insurance, and Remedial Matters) Act 2009 (2009 No 34).
          • Section DB 7 list of defined terms close company: inserted, on (applying for the 2017–18 and later income years), by section 69(2) of the Taxation (Business Tax, Exchange of Information, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 3).
          • Section DB 7 list of defined terms FBT rules: inserted, on (applying for the 2017–18 and later income years), by section 69(2) of the Taxation (Business Tax, Exchange of Information, and Remedial Matters) Act 2017 (2017 No 3).