This thesis analyses the Australian approach to taxation of goodwill and related intangibles. It asks the questions: 'Is the current Australian approach to taxation of goodwill coherent?'; and 'Could a different approach minimise any distortions?' The thesis identifies the increasing importance of goodwill and other intangible property in a modern information-based economy. It identifies benchmarks for a 'good' tax system ??? such as efficiency, simplicity, and equity. It emphasises the criteria of simplicity and efficiency but includes other criteria and specifically considers the issue of alignment of accounting and legal concepts. It concludes that the current misalignment makes it difficult for the tax system to deal with goodwill coherently. The thesis criticises the treatment of goodwill under various Australian taxes, including stamp duty; Goods and Services Tax; taxation of capital gains; and income tax. It specifically considers the treatment of intangible sources of goodwill and their relationship with goodwill itself. The discussion of income tax pays particular attention to the role of goodwill and other intangibles in international transfer pricing. The thesis draws conclusions about the treatment of goodwill in Australia and whether the Australian approach meets the benchmarks established at the outset. The thesis demonstrates that the current Australian approach leads, inter alia, to tax avoidance. The current approach also offends a number of other criteria of a 'good' system. The thesis considers the UK tax treatment of intangibles held by resident companies and considers this model for Australia. It also considers the abandoned 'Tax Value Method' previously proposed for Australia. From this and other material, it suggests possible new directions and an alternative approach to taxing goodwill in Australia. These include a consistent and coherent definition of goodwill for tax that is compatible with law and accounting. The thesis also urges the development of a consistent approach to taxing goodwill at both the state and federal levels; and suggests greater reliance on the existence of goodwill as a means to establish jurisdiction to impose tax in international tax situations.

Magister Legum - LLM / The utilisation of trusts has become a popular trend among taxpayers, especially high net worth individuals1 (hereafter HNWI) who wish to reduce potential estate duties. The SARS Strategic Plan stated that there is a ‘compliance risk posed by HNWI and the use of trusts to conceal their income’.2 The SARS Strategic Plan announced that trust reform would be prioritised. Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan (hereafter Gordhan) referred in his 2012/2013 budget speech3 to various measures proposed to protect the tax base and limit the scope for tax leakage and avoidance. Gordhan reiterated the state’s position regarding the abuse of trusts by indicating that reforms will be made regarding the taxation of both local and offshore trusts which have long been a problem for global tax enforcement due to their flexibility and flow-through nature. National Treasury and SARS are concerned about trusts, largely because of the income-splitting opportunities that trusts afford taxpayers. There are envisaged tax amendments which will impact South Africa’s (hereafter SA) trust landscape and could derail many carefully drafted trust structures. It will thus be important for estate owners to consider these envisaged tax amendments when they come into operation, in order to ascertain the full extent of the implications and then it can also further be determined what the impact of these 1 Income in excess of R7 million, alternatively R75 million in assets. South Afican Revenue Service (hereafter SARS) Strategic Plan (2012/13- 2016/17) 19 available at http://www.sars.gov.za (accessed 6 November 2013) (hereafter SARS Strategic Plan). 2 SARS Strategic Plan 19. 3 2012-2013 budget speech 22 available at http://www.sars.gov.za (accessed 6 November 2013) (hereafter budget speech). 11 changes will be on the effectiveness of the discretionary family trust as an estate planning vehicle in SA in the future. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the impact of the current statutory anti-tax avoidance provisions on the effectiveness of the discretionary family trust as an estate planning vehicle in SA, especially due to the fact that the trust form has been abused in the past for tax avoidance purposes.

Section 12N, introduction into the Income Tax Act by way of Taxation Laws Amendment Act and which became effective on 2 November 2010, provides for allowances on the leasehold improvements on government-owned land and land leased from certain tax exempt entities as stipulated in section 10 (1) (cA) and (t). As section 12N deems the lessee to be the owner of the leasehold improvement, the lessee now qualifies for capital allowances which were previously disallowed.

Thesis deals with the accounting and tax environment for business in the Netherlands and seeks to highlight the differences in legislation in comparison with the European trend. The work describe regulation of business and the related accounting and tax legislation. It focuses on group and tries to provide the answer to the question why the Netherlands is regarded as tax haven. There is obvious growing pressure of the European Union, the Netherlands implements IFRS principles to national accounting standards known as DAS. Although some issues still keep the original national treatment. Fiscal adjustments have a distinctive character, the country is an attractive destination in terms of taxation of dividends, interest, royalties and other capital gains.

From all over the globe the inequality between the rich and the poor is a topic that is debated politically and socially. Wealth tax is often mentioned as an easy solution to reduce this inequality effectively. Even in South Africa cries for a wealth tax have been heard following Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s comments that such a tax can help reduce the effect of past injustices. The imposition of a wealth tax has various advantages and disadvantages that are strongly debated by the proponents and opponents of the tax. The impact of these advantages and disadvantages has however not been measured and quantified up to date. Although the disadvantages seem to outweigh the advantages, it seems that there is some scope for a wealth tax to be politically motivated. The dawning of the modern era has however changed the landscape for tax policies. Global mobility has resulted in individuals being able to choose where they work, live and invest. Taxes have been proved to be a factor that influences these decisions of individuals on where to live and invest. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to have tax policies that are competitive in comparison to peer countries. This study focused on determining how competitive South Africa’s tax policies are, relating to wealthy individuals, compared to the equivalent taxes in other African countries with similar sized economies. The study consists of qualitative, non-empirical research performed in the form of a literature review. The study’s finding is that South Africa has more types of taxes imposed on wealthy individuals than any other of the sampled countries. In addition, the taxes imposed are more often than not substantially higher than the equivalent charged by its peers. This could have a detrimental effect when investors start to realise that they could optimise the resources available to them by choosing not to work and live in South Africa, but would rather select one of its neighbouring countries. Not only will potential new investors be discouraged from investing, but the question also arises at which point South African residents will start to seek their fortune elsewhere. Based on these findings, it seems that there is no scope for imposing yet another wealth tax in South Africa at present. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / lmchunu2014 / Taxation / unrestricted

Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas in Effekte ("KBS in Effekte") en Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas in Eiendom ("KBS in Eiendom") is besigheidstrukture wat baie gewild is in Suid-Afrika. Desondanks bestaan daar nog heelwat onsekerhede rondom die belastinghantering van hierdie twee tipes Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas ("KBS"). Die Suid-Afrikaanse KBS industrie is In multi biljoen rand industrie hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die feit dat dit uitstekende beleggingsgeleenthede vir Jan en alleman asook groot finansiële instellings soos versekeraars bied. Dit is dus logies om te verwag dat die belastinghantering van KBS met redelike sekerheid gereguleer word. In KBS kan of as In trust opgerig word of as In oop beleggingsmaatskappy. Die belastinghantering van In KBS hang dus daarvan af of dit as In trust of oop beleggingsmaatskappy opgerig is. Die Inkomstebelastingwet No. 58 van 1962 ("die Inkomstebelastingwet") bevat inkomsteen kapitaalwinsbelastingbepalings wat uitdruklik die belastinghantering van KBS in Effekte en KBS in Eiendom reguleer ("die spesiale belastingreels"). In KBS in Effekte word vir belastingdoeleindes as In maatskappy beskou en so hanteer. Dit is nie maklik om vas te stel wat die wetgewer se onderliggende bedoeling was toe daar besluit is om In KBS in Effekte as In maatskappy te hanteer. Dit blyk wei dat hierdie besluit van die wetgewer nie deeglik deurdink is nie na aanleiding van die verskeie praktiese en teoretiese probleme wat met die belastinghantering van KBS in Effekte bestaan. Meeste van hierdie probleme is In direkte gevolg van die besluit om In KBS in Effekte vir belastingdoeleindes as In maatskappy te hanteer. Een die probleme wat in die konteks van KBS in Effekte bestaan hou verband met die vraag of die geleibuisbeginsel, wat bepaal dat inkomste wat deur In trust aan sy begunstigdes uitgekeer word hul aard en karakter behou, in die konteks van In KBS in Effekte (wat as In trust opgerig is) toepassing vind. Alhoewel die KBS in Effekte as In trust opgerig is, word dit vir belastingdoeleindes as 'n maatskappy hanteer en dit is duidelik dat die geleibuisbeginsel nie in die konteks van 'n maatskappy geld nie. Na oorweging van die regsaard van 'n KBS in Effekte wat as 'n trust opgerig is asook die gevolge van die vrystellingsbepalings in artikel 10 van die Inkomstebelastingwet wat ten opsigte van KBS in Efekte geld, word daar aan die hand gedoen dat die geleibuisbeginsel wei toepassing sal vind in die geval van 'n KBS in Effekte was as 'n trust opgerig is. Die gevolge van die vrystellingsbepalings in artikel 10 van die Inkomstebelastingwet is sodanig dat die inkomste wat die KBS in Effekte (wat as 'n trust opgerig is) aan sy begunstigdes uitkeer op dieselfde basis as die geleibuisbeginsel belas word. Gevolglik blyk dit of voorgenoemde standpunt van die skrywer in ooreenstemming met die bedoeling van die wetgewer is. Soortgelyke probleme kom voor in die konteks van die 'verbonde persoon' definisie in artikel 1 van die Inkomstebelastingwet sowel as die terugkoop van 'n deelnemende belang deur 'n KBS in Effekte, veral waar daardie KBS in Effekte as 'n trust opgerig is. Daarteenoor word 'n KBS in Eiendom nie as 'n maatskappy vir belastingdoeleindes hanteer nie. Indien "n KBS in Eiendom dus as 'n trust opgerig is word dit vir belastingdoeleindes soos "n trust hanteer. Ewe-eens, indien 'n KBS in Eiendom as "n oop beleggingsmaatskappy opgerig is, is dit vir aile doeleindes In maatskappy en sal so hanteer word vir belastingdoeleindes. Die belastinghantering van KBS in Eiendom bied ook sekere probleme veral waar die KBS in Eiendom wat as 'n oop beleggingsmaatskappy opgerig is sy aandele terugkoop. In hierdie verband bepaal die Wet op Beheer van Kollektiewe Beleggingskemas No. 45 van 2002 ("die Wet op Beheer van KBS") dat artikel 85 van die Maatskappywet No. 61 van 1973 ("die Maatskappywet") nie ten opsigte van 'n terugkoop van 'n deelnemende belang deur 'n oop beleggingsmaatskappy geld nie. Dit beteken egter nie dat 'n oop beleggingsmaatskappy nie sy eie aandele mag terugkoop nie. Vir belastingdoeleindes sal daar vasgestel moet word of bepalings in die Inkomstebelastingwet wat na artikel 85 van die Maatskappywet verwys, soos paragraaf (c) van die 'dividend' definisie, steeds met betrekking tot sodanige terugkoop toepassing sal vind siende dat die terugkoop nie ingevolge artikel 85 van die Maatskappywet gedoen word nie. Na oorweging van die wye omvang van paragraaf (c) van die 'dividend' definisie, word daar aan die hand gedoen dat paragraaf (c) van die 'dividend' definisie steeds toepassing sal vind om die terugkoop van aandele deur "n oop beleggingsmaatskappy te reguleer, nieteenstaande die feit dat artikel 85 van die Maatskappywet nie op die terugkoop van toepassing is nie. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Notwithstanding that Collective Investment Schemes in Securities ("CISS") and Collective Investment Schemes in Property ("CISP") are common business vehicles in the South African economy, there remains uncertainty with regard to the tax treatment of these business structures. The South African Collective Investment Scheme ("CIS") industry is a multibillion rand industry as it offers attractive investment vehicles for the general public as well as for big financial institutions such as insurers. One would therefore think that the tax treatment thereof would be fairly tightly regulated. A CISS and CISP may either be constituted as a trust or as an open ended investment company ("OEIC"). The tax treatment of a CIS differs depending on whether it is constituted as a trust or as an OEIC. The Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962 ("the Income Tax Act") contains specific income tax and capital gains tax provisions that regulates the tax treatment of CISS and CISP (the "special tax provisions"). For tax purposes, a CISS is deemed to be a company and treated as such. It is difficult to ascertain what the intention of the legislature was in deciding to treat a CISS as a company. It does however seem as if this decision was not thoroughly considered by the legislature based on the fact that the application of the special tax provisions to CISS presents many practical and theoretical problems. Most of these problems are directly attributable to the legislature's decision to treat CISS as companies for tax purposes. For example, one difficulty relates to the question whether the conduit pipe principle, which determines that income distributed by a trust during a year of assessment will retain its nature and character, will find application in respect of a CISS constituted as a trust. For although the CISS is constituted as a trust, it is deemed to be company for tax purposes and it is clear that the conduit pipe principle cannot find application in the instance of a company. However, considering the legal nature of a CISS constituted as a trust, as well as the effect of the exemption provisions in section 10 of the Income Tax Act relating to CISS, it is submitted that the conduit pipe principle will find application in respect of a CISS constituted as a trust. The effect of the exemption provisions is such that the income distributed by a CISS to its investors will be taxed on the same basis as if the conduit pipe principle applied. As such, the aforementioned submission also appears to be in accordance with the intention of legislator. Similar difficulties arise in the context of the 'connected person' definition in section 1 of the Income Tax Act as well as the repurchase of a participatory interest by a CISS, especially where such CISS is constituted as a trust. Contrary to a CISS, a CISP is not deemed to be a company for tax purposes. Thus, where the CISP is constituted as a trust, it will be treated as a trust for tax purposes. By the same token, if the CISP is constituted as an OEIC, it will be a company for all intends and purposes and will therefore be treated as such. The tax treatment of CISP also presents difficulties, especially where it is constituted as an OEIC. In the instance of a repurchase of a participatory interest by a CISP constituted as a OEIC, the Collective Investment Schemes Control Act 45 of 2002 ("CISCA") states that the provisions of section 85 of the Companies Act 61 of 1973 (lithe Companies Act"), does not apply in respect of such repurchase. However, that does not mean that an OEIC may not repurchase its own shares. For tax purposes, one will have to determine whether the provisions in the Income Tax Act relating to section 85 of the Companies Act that governs the repurchase of shares by an OEIC, such as paragraph (c) of the 'dividend income' definition, will still apply to determine the tax consequences of the repurchase. After considering the wide scope of paragraph (c) of the 'dividend' definition, it is submitted that paragraph (c) of the 'dividend' definition will still find application in respect of a repurchase of shares by a OEIC, notwithstanding the fact that the repurchase is not effected in terms of section 85 of the Companies Act.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After many years of speculation about the possible introduction of a capital gains tax in South Africa, the tax is finally with us. Coming on top of the move to a residence basis of taxation, the introduction of the capital gains tax will impose a massive burden on the limited, skilled administrative recourses available to taxpayers and the SARS alike. Amongst investors and even some professional financial advisors such as auditors and attorneys there still is confusion and not a lack of knowledge on CGT. Appropriate planning and structuring is seldom performed. The potential CGT liability escalates every year depending on the growth rate of the particular asset. CGT will therefor be an unavoidable and growing problem for investors. Planning for the CGT goes hand in hand with estate planning and requires decisions to be taken now. The purpose is to position and structure your portfolio to avoid or reduce future tax liability (CGT and estate duty). In this study an Excel program was developed in order to calculate CGT. The model (Estate Advisor) also has a decision function and can calculate and predict future CGT liability. The purpose of the model is to test the result of a range of decisions and assumptions quickly and accurately. This enables the investor to decide on entities and structures that would best suit his situation given the assets under his control. The Estate Advisor is a tool for producing different scenarios of future situations regarding CGT and estate duty. It helps the investor to investigate and consider different options regarding his investments with regard to CGT. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na baie jare van onsekerheid en gissings omtrent die moontlike implementering van Kapitaalwinsbelasting in Suid-Afrika, is hierdie belasting finaal geïmplementeer deur die SAID. Die implementering van KWB val saam met die verskuiwing na "verblyf' as "bron" van inkomstebelasting. Tesame sal dit groot druk uitoefen op die beperkte administratiewe bronne wat aan die belasingbetaler en die SAID beskikbaar is. Tussen gewone beleggers en selfs ook tussen sommige professionele finansiële adviseurs (ouditeure en prokureurs) heers daar in 'n groot mate onsekerheid en onkundigheid met betrekking tot KWB. Die probleem is dat 'n ferm basis van kennis van KWB benodig word om in staat te wees om die berekeninge te doen. 'n Gevolg van hierdie situasie is dat dringend benodigde aandag nie altyd aan beleggers geskenk word nie. Die potensiële KWB aanspreeklikheid eskaleer elke jaar met die betrokke groeikoers van die onderliggende bate. KWB is dus 'n onafwendbare en groeiende realiteit vir beleggers. Die beplanning vir toekomstige KWB gaan hand aan hand met beplanning vir boedelbelasting doeleindes. Die doel is om die belegger se portefeulje te posisioneer en struktureer sodat toekomstige belastingaanspreeklikheid (KWB en boedelbelasting) beperk kan word. In hierdie tesis is 'n eenvoudige Excel model ontwerp om KWB en boedelbelasting te bereken. Die model doen al die berekeninge en haal dus die las van die belegger af om oor detail kennis van KWB te beskik. Die model (Estate Advisor) het ook 'n besluitnemingsfunksie waar die belegger verskillende opsies kan oorweeg en toets. Die model word gebruik om toekomstige KWB te voorspel en bereken. Dit stel die belegger in staat om besluite te maak omtrent entiteite en strukture wat in sy situasie die gepaste antwoord sal wees. Die model moet nie gesien word as 'n instrument om beleggingsbesluite te neem nie en dit kan nie keuses uitoefen tussen verskillende beleggingsbates nie. Die doel van die model is uitsluitlik om die effek van verskillende besluite en aannames te vinnig en akkuraat te bereken. Dit dien as hulpmiddel vir die beplan van KWB en boedelbelasting wat in die toekoms betaal moet word. Die Estate Advisor is 'n instrument vir die produsering van verskillende scenarios van toekomstige situasies met betrekking tot KWB en boedelbelasting. Dit help die belegger om verskillende opsies te oorweeg en die beste beleggingsbesluit te maak.

Inflation, especially recently, has distorted the nominal historical-cost measurement of gains and losses from transactions in assets. This distortion has exacerbated the existing controversy over the federal taxation of such gains and losses realized by individuals. The main purpose of the study was to examine the equity of actual and proposed methods respecting such taxation in view of these inflation distortions. Particularly, the study investigated how the applicable law, as it was in the immediate past (1977 Law), as it is now (1979 Law), and as many have proposed that it should be (the Reform Plan), compared under the traditional ability-to-pay theory of equity. The Reform Plan combines two current and popular tax reform proposals, the comprehensive income tax and indexing. As it was interpreted and applied in this study, gains and losses from transactions in assets were fully included in income, after they were indexed for inflation. Indexing consists of multiplying the historical cost of an asset by the ratio of some price index (herein the CPI) at the time of disposition to the index at the time of acquisition. Subtracting the result from the disposition price gives a gain or loss measured in real, inflation-adjusted terms. The comparisons of the three taxing methods were based upon historical tax-return data of 224 individual taxpayers for 1970-1977. The non-random manner in which the taxpayers were selected precludes the results and conclusions of the study from being statistically extended to the population of U.S. taxpayers. Significantly, however, the tax characteristics of the selected taxpayers indicated that they were more sensitive to effects of inflation than their national counterparts. Provisions of 1979 Law and the Reform Plan were simulated on the historical data, resulting in recomputed incomes and tax liabilities. The historical and recomputed incomes and taxes were then averaged by taxpayer over the eight years. These averages gave better approximations of the normal financial status of the taxpayers than single-year data. Data generated in the Reform Plan simulation indicated that the selected taxpayers' historical gains and losses were substantially distorted by inflation. Moreover, the proportional effects of inflation decreased as taxpayers' income increased. These findings were fully consistent with two published studies. Various procedures measured and compared the horizontal equities and vertical equities (progressivities) of the three disparite taxing methods. None of them exhibited any clear, unambiguous superior ratings. The Reform Plan was only slightly more horizontally equitable and only slightly more progressive than 1977 Law; 1979 Law ranked last in both analyses, but by small margins. Importantly, under all three methods, progressivity was maintained at higher income levels, but only when income was defined in real terms. When income was defined in nominal terms, a marked decrease in progressivity was manifested. This finding suggests that the appearance at these levels of reduced progressivity, and hence of reduced vertical equity, may be an illusion. Given the above findings, perhaps too much historical emphasis has been placed on the equity benchmark in evaluating the taxation of individuals' gains and losses from transactions in assets. If so, then other judgmental criteria would seem to take on relatively greater importance. Four such criteria deemed pertinent were neutrality, simplicity, mitigation of the "lock-in effect" and stimulation of capital information. The Reform Plan appeared to be more neutral than either 1977 or 1979 Law. Whether it is simpler is questionable. Probably less unrealized gains would be locked-in under the Reform Plan. However, with respect to capital formation, considerable theoretical disagreement precluded a conclusion as to which taxing method would be more stimulative.

Bakgrund: I Sverige har 76 % av befolkningen innehav i fonder och den totala fondförmögenheten uppgår till 1 925 miljarder. Kapitalvinstskatten ligger på 30 % och utlöses endast vid en realisation av vinsten. Många svenskar undviker gärna att aktivera denna skatteeffekt och blir därmed inlåsta i sina fonder. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att utifrån intervjuer med privata fondsparare och aktörer inom branschen förklara hur kapitalvinstskatten påverkar privatpersoners resonerande och agerande. Detta beteende kommer sedan att analyseras utifrån befintliga teorier inom beteendeekonomi. Metod: För att nå studiens syfte har vi använt oss av en abduktiv metod. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Totalt har vi intervjuat 10 fondsparare och 6 personer inom branschen. Materialet från intervjuerna har sedan förklarats med hjälp av de teorier vi valt ut. Slutsats: I vår studie har vi kommit fram till att inlåsningseffekten varierar beroende på fondspararens ålder. Den yngre gruppen ställde sig mer likgiltig inför kapitalvinstskatten, med anledning av en kort placeringshorisont. Den äldre gruppen hade en mer ospecificerad placeringshorisont och baserade sina investeringsbeslut utefter skattekonsekvensen. Kapitalvinstskatten hade då en bromsande effekt, eftersom det skulle minska den totala förmögenheten. / Background: In Sweden 76 % of the population has savings in mutual funds, with a combined wealth of 1 925 billion SEK. The tax on capital gains is 30 % and is activated when the profit is realized. Many Swedes avoid triggering this tax effect and is therefore locked-in in their mutual funds. Purpose The purpose of this study is, from interviews with private fund investors and industry players, to explain how the capital gains tax affects individuals’ reasoning and actions. This behavior will then be analyzed in terms of existing theories in the field. Method: We have used an abductive method to achieve the purpose of this study. The empirical material has been collected through semi-structured interviews.  We have conducted 10 interviews with private fund investors and 6 people in the fund industry. The material from the interviews was then explained by means of the theories we have selected. Conclusion: In our study we came to the conclusion that the lock-in effect varies depending on the fund savers age. The younger group was more indifferent to the capital gains tax, due to a shorter investment horizon. The older group had a more unspecified investment horizon and based their investment decisions along the tax consequence. Capital gains tax then had a braking effect, as it would reduce the total wealth.

Estate duty in South Africa is levied in terms of the Estate Duty Act since 1955. Estate duty is currently calculated at a flat rate of 20% on the amount of which the net worth of an estate exceeds a primary rebate of R3,5 million. Statistics show that only a small percentage of estates in South Africa is taxable. Furthermore, many estate owners – particularly those whose estates are liable for estate duty – have the financial means to afford estate planning services to reduce estate duty. This reality has the effect that estate duty is paid by a very insignificant number of estates. Similar to estate duty, capital gains tax has the tax incentive of constituting vertical equity – creating the outcome that taxpayers with greater capability to pay taxes should be taxed more severely. Capital gains tax is also a tax payable (among other instances) at the death of an estate owner. This gives rise to double taxation. Further matters that need to be considered are constitutional justification of estate duty and the question whether the categories of current taxable estates correlate with the taxable estates envisaged by the legislator in 1955. In amending fiscal policy, it is useful to consider international trends. In countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada estate duty has been abolished. This phenomenon demonstrates that estate duty is not an essential element of a tax system. The aim of this study is to investigate the contribution of the abolishment of estate duty to South African tax law. / Thesis (LL.M.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.