Category: F-J

From Liberal hero to unwelcome adviser

For almost two decades Peter Costello has been put on a pedestal by his Liberal colleagues. They still regard him as Australia’s greatest treasurer, notwithstanding Labor’s Paul Keating and Wayne Swan won global recognition for their efforts in managing the local economy. Costello’s supporters point to the fact he delivered… – Continue reading

India $6.4 Billion Back-Tax Claim Fails to Dent Foreign Inflows

As foreign portfolio investors balk at India’s claim of $6.4 billion in back taxes, the finance ministry’s latest demand isn’t damping interest in the nation’s stocks and bonds. Foreigners were net buyers of local equities every day barring one since the finance ministry said April 6 it is well within… – Continue reading

First cross-border payment for Canadian RMB Trading Hub

This week, the Royal Bank of Canada became the first bank to complete cross-border Renminbi (RMB) payment using Canada’s new RMB Trading Hub through the hub’s designated clearing bank, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (Canada). On 23 March, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), other Canadian banks and government delegates… – Continue reading

Cameron advisor back in Labour’s crosshairs over Malta companies

Claims of using Malta to reduce tax liability ‘malicious and libellous’ – Lynton Crosby British Prime Minister David Cameron’s electoral guru, Australian Lynton Crosby, has rejected a Labour attack on his personal tax affairs as a “made up negative story”. On Thursday the British Labour Party called on Mr Crosby… – Continue reading

Europe Preparing Another Antitrust Case Against Google

European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager is preparing to reopen the antitrust case against Google following the settlement with the search giant under Joaquin Almunia two years ago. Vestager has been speaking to various advisors both inside and outside of Europe, alongside companies affected by Google’s anti-competitive search results. She… – Continue reading

Wall Street Fees, Swiss Banks, Clydesdale Fined: Compliance

(Bloomberg) — Wall Street banks and other financial firms should pay new fees to bankroll their own government oversight, according to a member of the top U.S. derivatives regulator. Sharon Y. Bowen, a Democrat on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said Congress should let the agency set fees on banks… – Continue reading

Canada: Increasing Corporate Penalties And Risk Management (Update To “Seven Corporate Sins As A Source Of Government Revenue And Economic Stimulus”)

Introduction Soft commodity prices, divergent monetary policies across major economies, high unemployment rates and weak world trade have all conspired to slow down global economic recovery over the past seven years. Consequently, governments have had to cut spending as future revenues remain uncertain. This has led governments to look for… – Continue reading

OFFSHORE TAX HAVENS COST SMALL BUSINESSES $3,244 A YEAR

Washington, D.C. – As tax day approaches, it’s important to remember that small businesses end up picking up the tab for offshore tax loopholes used by many large multinational corporations. U.S. PIRG joined Senator Bernie Sanders, Bryan McGannon of the American Sustainable Business Council, and Bob McIntyre of Citizens for… – Continue reading

Social networking sites to become work places

The Revenue Office will take steps to tax social networking sites and implement other regulations related to e-commerce. After the implementation of this regulation, all such virtual sites will be deemed as “work places” and the advertisers of social networking sites will also be deemed as “electronic tax payers.” Moreover,… – Continue reading

HSBC seeks new non-executive directors in wake of tax evasion scandal

Bank appoints headhunters MWM Consulting after revelations about its Swiss banking arm have brought board composition under intense scrutiny HSBC is preparing to bring in new non-executive directors to overhaul a board that has faced intense scrutiny following revelations of its Swiss arm’s involvement in tax evasion. The appointment of… – Continue reading

Indian banks make a beeline for space in Gujarat’s Gift City

Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, HDFC Bank and many others have signed up for space in Gujarat’s International Finance Tec-City (also known as Gift City). In fact, banks are expected to be the first to kick off operations in 2016/17, when the International… – Continue reading

Central Bank Governor of the Year 2015, Asia Pacific

The ‘Green Governor’ has a reputation for innovative thinking and problem solving. He is renowned for his support of the agriculture sector and his focus on SME as well as green banking. As one of the most progressive and well-respected Central Bank Governors in the world, United World discusses Bangladesh’s… – Continue reading

UK: Tax Issues Update – April 2015 – IP Profit And Protection: Techniques For Future Success

Historically taxpayers have faced difficulty overcoming a presumption against a change in domicile to a foreign jurisdiction. Intellectual property generally will be the most valuable asset held by technology companies and, in fact, many other business entities across all sectors of the economy. A recent analysis of S&P 500 companies… – Continue reading

The escalating costs from the many tax loopholes

Listed companies in developed market could be avoiding as much as $82b annually London: Listed companies in developed markets are avoiding at least $82 billion (Dh301 billion) of tax a year by using tax havens and other minimisation strategies, according to detailed analysis of more than 1,000 businesses. The revelation… – Continue reading

Tax terrorism versus tax haven

The key is to arrive at a Goldilocks mean — rolling out tax-friendly policies while being firm with incorrigible offenders A phrase first used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a group of businessmen in the run-up to the elections last year has now come back to haunt his… – Continue reading

Senate tax inquiry: Google, Apple, Microsoft policies highlight golden days of tax laxness

There was a moment on Tuesday evening – hours before the first public hearing of the Senate inquiry into corporate tax evasion – when Treasurer Joe Hockey and his advisers should have sensed a firestorm approaching. Sandwiched between a story on a Gold Coast diet blogger accused of pinching other… – Continue reading

Here’s Why HSBC Holdings Plc (ADR) (HSBC) Is In Trouble

Legal problems have caused a serious strain on the credibility of Europe’s biggest bank HSBC Holdings plc (ADR) (NYSE:HSBC), which is currently up by 0.34% and trading at $44.69, has found itself at the center of a series of serious legal and possibly criminal tangles in recent years. Tax evasion,… – Continue reading

Australian Senate tax grandstanding: A preparation for austerity

An Australian Senate parliamentary committee hearing on Wednesday was dominated by the fire and brimstone of Labor and Greens politicians directed against tax avoidance by major corporations. Labor Senator Sam Dastyari called on Australian Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan to “name some of Australia’s worst corporate offenders,” declaring that they “should… – Continue reading

Apple, Google Reject ATO’s Tax Avoidance Claims

Apple Australia follows Australian transfer pricing law and pays all of its taxes due in the Australian market in accordance with the law, Tony King, the Managing Director of Apple Australia, told the Senate Inquiry on corporate tax avoidance and minimization on April 8, 2015. In his opening remarks before… – Continue reading

Big Four firms consistently ‘unaware’ before tax inquiry

Representatives from “Big Four” accounting firm Deloitte were up before the Senate tax inquiry on Friday morning. They were keen to dispel any notion that their firm would have any involvement in tax avoidance. Senator Christine Milne asked if they were aware of the Deloitte document “Investing in Africa though… – Continue reading

Accounting giants say corporate tax advice is within the law

Major accounting firms say they are not doing anything illegal in helping corporations to minimise tax liabilities. KPMG’s managing partner Rosheen Garnon faced the second day of the Senate inquiry into tax avoidance, which has so far heard Australia is missing out on billions of dollars in tax every year… – Continue reading

UK multi-agency anti-money laundering drive will give law enforcement better oversight of suspicious accounts, says expert

A recently-announced joint initiative between the government, banks and law enforcement agencies could give those investigating suspected money laundering offences better oversight of suspicious accounts, an expert has said. However, regulatory law expert Anne-Marie Ottaway of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said that the new intelligence-sharing initiative could… – Continue reading

Auditors are not forensic investigators – Booker

Changes are in the pipeline which will have a dramatic impact on the way that auditing firms handle public-interest entities (PIEs) as from December 2016 – but Deloitte CEO Malcolm Booker is very wary about how this could work in practice. According to the legislation, auditors would have to enter… – Continue reading

Google, Apple and Microsoft defend tax set-up that shifts revenue offshore

Executives tell Senate inquiry paying tax overseas for Australian sales is how the global tax system works, while News Corp Australia demands Netflix pays GST Senior executives from three major tech firms have defended corporate structures which allow most of the revenue from their Australian operations to be taxed in… – Continue reading

Conor Crowley, Managing Director, Vizor Software to Speak at Knowledge Congress’ Live Webcast

New York, NY, April 08, 2015 –(PR.com)– The Knowledge Group/The Knowledge Congress Live Webcast Series, the leading producer of regulatory focused webcasts, has announced today that Conor Crowley, Managing Director, Vizor Software will speak at a 2-hour webcast entitled “FATCA for Government Agencies: What You Need to Know in 2015… – Continue reading

‘Stay tuned’ for more Swiss bank deals over tax evasion: U.S. official

(Reuters) – More Swiss banks that helped wealthy Americans evade taxes will soon strike agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice to avoid prosecution, an official overseeing the U.S. government program told Reuters. “I would stay tuned,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division said… – Continue reading

Experts caution Australia on unilateral ‘Google tax’

Taxation experts have warned against unilateral action on corporate tax avoidance, telling a Senate Economics Committee Australia should be proactive and show leadership in the OECD and G20 tax processes already underway. The inquiry, initiated by Greens leader Christine Milne, is exploring tax avoidance and aggressive minimisation by corporations registered… – Continue reading

Google says give R&D tax breaks to small techies, not big guys

Tax breaks for research and development should be targeted to smaller technology start-ups, rather than big companies that will most likely make the investments regardless of incentives, Google Australia will tell the senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance. Google Australia’s managing director, Maile Carnegie, will be appearing before the inquiry… – Continue reading

Apple, Google and Microsoft grilled over Australian tax avoidance

Apple, Google and Microsoft have faced an Australian Senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance on Wednesday. The tech giants have given evidence to a committee regarding the low amounts of tax paid locally in comparison to their profits. From the coy responses of the big three, one may come to… – Continue reading