Franking credit Definition
A franking credit is a nominal unit of tax paid by companies paying tax in countries that have a dividend imputation system. Franking credits are passed on to shareholders along with dividends. Shareholders include in their assessable income not the dividends received but the grossed-up amount back-calculated from that dividend and the current tax rate, then have their income tax payable calculated thereupon, then use franking credits to offset tax payable at the rate of a dollar per credit. In Australia and New Zealand the end result is the elimination of double taxation upon company profits.