Broadly, stamp duty is payable on the transfer of (certain) assets and property in all States and Territories based on the higher of the consideration paid for, or unencumbered value of, the property acquired. The maximum stamp duty rate can be as high as 6.75 per cent (depending on the jurisdiction).
One of the many factors to consider in entering into a transaction is stamp duty. The earlier the stamp duty implications are considered, the better the opportunities for more favourable stamp duty outcomes. However, not all may be lost if the transaction is already under-way.
For example, the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Stamp Duty team was asked to provide assistance with a transaction that had already commenced. Not only did the team identify further significant stamp duty savings in the implementation of the transaction (the savings were in the millions of dollars), they also negotiated successful outcomes with various revenue authorities.
