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Capital Gains Manual

CG76791 - Wasting assets: computation: example 1 using T(1)/L

TCGA92/S46

Mr S purchases from a descendant the copyright over the memoirs of a writer 20 years after the end of the year in which the writer died.  That copyright is, therefore, a wasting asset since it now has a predictable life of fifty years, see CG76723.  He pays the descendant £90,000 for it but does not expect it to have any residual value in fifty years time.

He later sells after twenty years for £80,000.

Subject to any incidental expenses, his Capital Gains computation will be:

          

£

 Disposal Proceeds        80,000
LessAcquisition cost [E(1)]       90,000 
 T(1)=20=2     
 L 50 5     
           
 [E(1)-S]=[90,000-0]= 90,000    
           
 T(1)x[E(1)-S]=2x90,000=36,00054,000
 L   5     
 Gain        26,000

NOTE. Companies and other concerns within the charge to Corporation Tax may be able to claim indexation allowance see CG17200+.