Foreign currency amounts - conversion to New Zealand dollars (for the 12 months ending 31 March 2013)

This article provides the exchange rates acceptable to Inland Revenue for converting foreign currency amounts to New Zealand dollars under the controlled foreign company (CFC) and foreign investment fund (FIF) rules for the 12 months ending 31 March 2013.

The Income Tax Act 2007 ("2007 Act") requires foreign currency amounts to be converted into New Zealand dollars applying one of the following methods:

• actual rate for the day for each transaction (including close of trading spot exchange rate on the day), or
• rolling 12-month average rate for a 12-month accounting period or income year (see the table Currency rates 12 months ending 31 March 2013 - rolling 12-month average), or
• mid-month actual rate as the basis of the rolling average for accounting periods or income years greater or lesser than 12 months (see the table Currency rates 12 months ending 31 March 2013 - mid-month actual).

The 2007 Act sets out specific currency conversion rules and also permits the Commissioner to set currency rates and approve methods of calculating exchange rates (sections YF 1 and 2). The Commissioner can set rates for general use by taxpayers or for specific taxpayers. The Commissioner's ability to set rates and approve methods applies in all circumstances, ie, where the Act does not contain a specific currency conversion rule (sections YF 1(5) and (6)), or in circumstances where the Act provides a rate or method for currency conversion (section YF 2).

Inland Revenue uses wholesale rates from Bloomberg for rolling 12-month average, mid-month actual and end of month. These rates are provided in three tables.

You must apply the chosen conversion method to all interests for which you use the FIF or CFC calculation method in that and each later income year.

To convert foreign currency amounts to New Zealand dollars for any country listed, divide the foreign currency amount by the exchange rate shown. Round the exchange rate calculations to four decimal places wherever possible.

If you need an exchange rate for a country or a day not listed in the tables, please contact one of New Zealand's major trading banks.

Note: All section references relate to the Income Tax Act 2007.

Actual rate for the day for each transaction 

The actual rate for the day for each transaction can be used in the following circumstances:

• Where the 2007 Act does not provide a specific currency conversion rule, then foreign currency amounts can be converted by applying the close of trading spot exchange rate on the date that the transaction which is required to be measured or calculated occurs (section YF 1(2)).
• Where a person chooses to use the actual rate for the day of the transaction when calculating their FIF income or loss when applying either: the comparative value method, fair dividend rate method, deemed rate of return method or the cost method (section EX 57(2)(a)).
• Where a person chooses to use the close of trading spot exchange rate to convert foreign income tax paid by a CFC (section LK 3(a)) or a FIF for which they use the attributable FIF income method (section EX 50(9)).

Unless the actual rate is the 15th or the last day of the month, these rates are not supplied by Inland Revenue.

The table Currency rates 12 months ending 31 March 2013 - month end provides exchange rates for the last day of the month. These are provided for convenience to assist taxpayers who may need exchange rates on those days.

Currency rates 12 months ending 31 March 2013 - rolling 12-month average table

This table is the average of the mid-month exchange rate for that month and the previous 11 months, ie, the 12-month average. This table should be used where the accounting period or income year encompasses 12 complete months.

This table can be used to convert foreign currency amounts to New Zealand dollars for:

• FIF income or loss calculated under the comparative value method, the fair dividend rate method, the deemed rate of return method or cost method (section EX 57(2)(b))
• attributed CFC income or loss and FIF income or loss (where the attributable FIF income method is adopted) calculated under the CFC and FIF rules (section EX 21(4)) for accounting periods of 12 months
• foreign tax credits calculated where a taxpayer derives attributed CFC income (section CQ 1) or where the taxpayer derives FIF income (section CQ 4) and applies the attributable FIF income method.  Section LK 3(b) applies to attributed CFC income and FIF income (section EX 50(9)) for accounting periods of 12 months.

Currency rates 12 months ending 31 March 2013 - mid-month actual table

This table sets out the exchange rate on the 15th day of the month, or if no exchange rates were quoted on that day, on the preceding working day on which they were quoted. This table can be used as the basis of the rolling average where the accounting period or income year is less than or greater than 12 months (see Example 4). You can also use the rates from this table as the actual rate for any transactions arising on the 15th of the month.

This table can be used as the basis of the rolling average for calculating:

• attributed CFC income or loss and FIF income or loss (where the attributable FIF income method is adopted) calculated under the CFC and FIF rules (section EX 21(4)) for accounting periods of less than or greater than 12 months
• a person's FIF income or loss under: the comparative value method, the fair dividend rate method, the deemed rate of return method or cost method (section EX 57(2)(b)) for accounting periods or income years of less than or greater than 12 months
• foreign tax credits calculated where a taxpayer derives attributed CFC income (section CQ 1) or where the taxpayer derives FIF income (section CQ 4) and applies the attributable FIF income method. Section LK 3(b) applies to attributed CFC income and FIF income (section EX 50(9)) for accounting periods of less than or greater than 12 months.