Non-arm's length transactions

When you acquire property in a non-arm's length transaction, there are special rules to follow to determine the property's cost. These special rules do not apply if you get the property because of someone's death.

You can acquire depreciable property in a non-arm's length transaction from:

If you pay more for the property than the seller paid for the same property, calculate the capital cost as follows:

Capital cost calculation – Non-arm's length transaction with a resident of Canada

The seller's cost or capital cost

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 1

The seller's proceeds of disposition

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 2
 

Amount from line 1

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 3
 

Line 2 minus line 3 (if negative, enter "0")

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 4
 

Enter any capital gains deductions claimed for the amount on line 4Footnote 1

$ Blank space for dollar value
×    2   =
$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 5
 

Line 4 minus line 5 (if negative, enter "0")

$ Blank space for dollar value
× 1/2  =
$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 6

Capital cost: line 1 plus line 6

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 7
 

You can also buy depreciable property in a non-arm's length transaction from:

If you pay more for a property than the seller paid for it, calculate the capital cost as follows:

Capital cost calculation – Non-arm's length transaction with a non-resident of Canada

The seller's cost or capital cost

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 1

The seller's proceeds of disposition

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 2
 

Amount from line 1

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 3
 

Line 2 minus line 3 (if negative, enter "0")

$ Blank space for dollar value
× 1/2 =
$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 4

Capital cost: line 1 plus line 4Footnote 2

$ Blank space for dollar value
Line 5
 

If you buy depreciable property in a non-arm's length transaction and pay less for it than the seller paid, your capital cost is the same amount as the seller paid. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers you to have deducted as CCA the difference between what you paid and what the seller paid.

Example

Rachel bought a pickup truck from her father, Marcus, in her 2023 fiscal period for $4,000. Marcus paid $10,000 for the truck in 2014. Since the amount Rachel paid is less than the amount Marcus paid, the CRA considers Rachel's cost to be $10,000. It also considers Rachel to have deducted CCA of $6,000 in the past ($10,000 − $4,000).

There is a limit on the cost of a passenger vehicle you buy in a non-arm's length transaction. The cost is the least of either the following three amounts:

The cost amount can vary depending on what the seller used the vehicle for before you bought it. If the seller used the vehicle to earn income, the cost amount will be the undepreciated capital cost (UCC) of the vehicle when you buy it. If the seller did not use the vehicle to earn income, the cost amount will usually be the original cost of the vehicle.

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