Bosanac v. Commissioner of Taxation, High Court of Australia (2022)
Bosanac v. Commissioner of Taxation, decided by the High Court of Australia, concerned the ownership of a residential property in Perth, Western Australia. The husband and wife lived in the property from 2006 until 2015, despite separating in 2012–2013. Although the property was paid for using funds from a joint loan account and secured against properties owned separately by the couple, it was registered solely in the wife's name.
The Commissioner of Taxation, a creditor of the husband, argued that 50% of the property was held on trust for the husband. This claim was based on the presumption of resulting trust, which arises where a person provides purchase money for a property that is put in another’s name, suggesting the purchaser intended to retain a beneficial interest. The High Court rejected this argument and allowed the wife's appeal, finding that she held the full beneficial interest in the property. The Court emphasized that while the couple shared some bank accounts during their marriage, they also maintained significant assets in their own names and did not fully pool their finances.
Importantly, the Court reaffirmed that the presumption of advancement remains part of Australian law. This legal principle provides that where a husband advances money for property registered in his wife's name (or a parent in a child’s name), it is presumed that the property was intended as a gift, not held on trust. The presumption can be rebutted with sufficient evidence, but in this case, it was not displaced.
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- 2022
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