Section 343: Deduction for professional membership fees
1485.This section provides for a deduction for fees paid by employees to enable them, lawfully, to pursue their professions or occupations. The section derives from parts of section 201(1), (2) and (5) of ICTA.
1486.Subsection (1) states the basic principle that a deduction from earnings is allowed for certain specified payments. Each such payment is described as a “professional fee”. The requirement in the source legislation that, to be allowable, the payment must have been made “out of the emoluments of the employment” has not been reproduced here. Instead that general requirement is stated in the introduction to the provisions relating to deductions in Part 5 of this Act. See Change 81 in Annex 1.
1487.Subsection (2) defines what is meant by “professional fee”. More fees are listed there than appeared in section 201(2) of ICTA. See Change 84 in Annex 1.
1488.This Act presents the different types of fees payable in a table. The fees are grouped by reference to the occupational sectors to which they relate.
1489.Subsections (3) and (4) together provide a new power for the Board of Inland Revenue to make an order adding a new, qualifying fee to the Table in subsection (2). See Change 85 in Annex 1.
