Rory McIlroy, the world’s number one golfer has set up home in Dubai, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The Northern Irishman, who has a long association with Dubai throughout his professional career, has filed documents in Ireland that state his primary residence is now in Dubai. During… – Continue reading
European trade unionists have called for the split-up of the Big Four accountancy firms, PWC, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG, who they say are using their dominant position to help multi-national companies avoid trillions of Euros in tax. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has called for the break-up… – Continue reading
After 2008, BSI has more than 3,000 US accounts on its books The Lugano-based BSI bank has been fined $211 million (CHF203 million) by the United States for aiding and abetting tax cheats. It is the first Swiss-based bank to complete the non-prosecution programme set up in 2013 to clear… – Continue reading
Armenian National Committee of America Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian testified yesterday before a key Congressional panel in support of increased U.S. assistance to Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia, at-risk Middle Eastern Armenian communities, and the Javakhk region of Georgia. In her opening remarks, Nahapetian thanked House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations… – Continue reading
(Bloomberg) — Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc agreed to sell its Coutts International private banking business to Switzerland’s Union Bancaire Privee, as the bailed-out British lender retreats from the Swiss wealth market. RBS is expected to sell Coutts for 350 million francs ($360 million) to 400 million francs, depending… – Continue reading
Dividend payment by an overseas company with related assets in India will not be taxable in India, the govt says New Delhi: The income tax department on Thursday clarified that dividend payment by an overseas company with related assets in India will not be taxable in India, as part of… – Continue reading
THE ICAEW has yet to discipline any members for advising clients on aggressive tax avoidance schemes, despite setting a strong stance against such behaviour three years ago, the institute has confirmed to Accountancy Age. In 2012, the ICAEW announced members advising on schemes that could be interpreted as aggressive could… – Continue reading
Irish economy set to receive financial boost by world number one golfer’s decision to pay tax on earnings. World number one Rory McIlroy is moving his vast business interests to Ireland’s capital city Dublin, according to a report in the Irish Independent. The newspaper says that McIlroy’s decision will boost… – Continue reading
All too often, changes to tax legislation happen at a glacial pace. As a nation, we can’t afford to let that happen with the GST changes required to modernise the law and processes to capture GST from overseas online purchases. Budget 2015 provides a suitable time for the government to… – Continue reading
Public accounts committee advocates legislation making promotion of aggressive tax avoidance illegal and review of government tax relief schemes The next government should introduce new laws to prosecute financial advisers who help wealthy individuals and firms in aggressive tax avoidance, a comprehensive parliamentary report has found. The public accounts committee,… – Continue reading
Virgin Care has won a £280m contract to run NHS healthcare for frail and chronically ill people in the Midlands, it was revealed today. Virgin Care have won a £280 million contract to run NHS healthcare in East Staffordshire, it was revealed today. Virgin will now provide (or sub-contract to… – Continue reading
It has been said taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society. So what happens when some of the wealthiest companies in the world don’t pay toward the upkeep of the societies they operate in? No one likes paying taxes. In my opinion taxes should be as low… – Continue reading
Irish firm featured in Luxleaks coverage has set up a new company: Glanbia Cheesip Ltd In the wake of the Luxleaks controversy last year, then chair of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Feehily said that a company’s tax policies contained the potential for reputational risk if the strategies they were implementing,… – Continue reading
HMRC’s reporting of tax reliefs does not enable Parliament to scrutinise them effectively to determine whether they are providing value for money and the complexity of tax law and the constraints on HMRC’s resources mean that it is fighting an uphill battle against those who are determined to cheat the… – Continue reading
(Reuters) – Developer Sunac China (1918.HK) on Tuesday urged creditors of its takeover target, Kaisa Group Holdings (1638.HK), to accept a plan by the struggling property firm to restructure $2.5 billion in debt or risk the company running out of cash by end-April. Sunac’s comments come days after a group… – Continue reading
(Bloomberg) — A steering committee representing Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd.’s offshore bondholders won’t agree to the company’s proposed debt restructuring by Friday’s early bird deadline. “We are working with the company to agree an acceptable and realistic timeline and process so that we can obtain for you a sensible revised… – Continue reading
(Bloomberg) — Switzerland has frozen $400 million of assets in more than 30 banks as the country’s attorney general probes money laundering related to Petroleo Brasileiro SA’s widening corruption scandal. Nine investigations have been opened since last April based on allegations of corruption involving eight Brazilian citizens, the Bern-based Federal… – Continue reading
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, March 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — DMS Offshore Investment Services Ltd., (DMS) the world’s largest fund governance firm, is expanding its International Tax Compliance Group to better serve private investment funds in meeting their compliance obligations under various international tax initiatives worldwide. DMS announces the recent addition… – Continue reading
KARACHI: The Pakistan Customs adjudication has forwarded the Q-Mobile tax evasion case to the Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Preventive, Karachi for seeking legal and technical reference from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The adjudication department, during the hearing, has completely redundant the view point of MCC-Multan, because as per… – Continue reading
Irish eyes are smiling in corporate America. The Emerald Isle has emerged as the world’s top recipient of U.S. foreign direct investment, according to a report from the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. In the first nine months of 2014, Ireland beat the likes of Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and… – Continue reading
In a development that will usher in relief to multinational companies and reduce litigation, the central board of direct taxes (CBDT) on Monday notified rules for implementation of roll back provisions of advance pricing agreements (APAs). The provisions for roll back of APAs were announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley… – Continue reading
In 2013, STHL and its subsidiaries generated $38.6 billion in sales of crude oil, after purchasing $38.5 billion in crude and fuel products from third party and other companies from the SOCAR group. Malta has been hosting Azerbaijan’s state oil company (SOCAR) since 2007 thanks to its favourable tax regime… – Continue reading
LONDON, GENEVA — The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) is narrowing the field of bidders for its Coutts International private-banking arm to focus on Switzerland’s Union Bancaire Privée (UBP), people with knowledge of the matter said. UBP is the preferred bidder and an agreement might be reached as early… – Continue reading
PwC expects that UK Chancellor George Osborne’s 2015 Budget will seek to strike a balance between ensuring fiscal responsibility and enticing support from prospective voters. On March 18, Osborne will deliver the Coalition Government’s final Budget ahead of the May 7 general election. PwC pointed out that, crucially, the resultant… – Continue reading
Subsidiaries of Israel’s Delek Group and the Houston-based Noble Energy are suing the state for some $15 million, claiming the government has collected more royalties than permissible on natural gas sales. Accusing the National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Ministry of calculating royalty revenues based on the higher Tamar reservoir gas… – Continue reading
Under a plan baked into the White House’s budget for 2016, U.S. corporations would theoretically be forced to pay hundreds of billions in new taxes on money kept abroad. Levying fees on the $2.1 trillion in funds largely held by shell companies through an accounting trick called deferral, the move,… – Continue reading
You may have noted there’s an election in the offing Worstall on Wednesday As the tech news outlet of record has told us, UK chancellor George Osborne is preparing to bring in the “Google Tax”. Properly known as the Diverted Profits Tax, it is supposed to be a way of… – Continue reading
The Australian Taxation Office should be given the power to ignore multinational transactions that fail to pass the “common sense test” and ensure that technology company profits are taxed where they are earned, the Australia Institute submission to the inquiry into corporate tax avoidance says. The submission takes a swipe… – Continue reading
Amid mounting pressure last year, the US launched a supposed crackdown on tax inversion. But it might not have been as far-reaching as was made out, and with good reason The recent G20 crackdown on tax avoidance by funnelling profits through tax havens has sparked a variety of reactions –… – Continue reading
(Reuters) – Chinese developer Kaisa Group Ltd, mired in crisis since late last year after the local government in its home base of Shenzhen blocked sales at some of its projects, is seeking to restructure its debts, according to an exchange filing in Hong Kong on Sunday. The restructuring plans,… – Continue reading
Sparks are flying after Netflix said it would not charge GST on the Australian version of its online television service which launches next Tuesday. United States-based Netflix, Quickflix, Foxtel Play, Presto and Stan, partly owned by Fairfax Media, are locked in a bidding battle to secure the best programs for… – Continue reading
Microsoft and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have agreed to end their battle over documents used in transfer pricing audits of the tech company. On February 24, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Microsoft reached an agreement which resulted in the dismissal of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit… – Continue reading
The Ministry of Planning and Investment has asked Nokia Vietnam to submit a report on how it has fulfilled its investment commitments so that local authorities can consider whether the firm is eligible to receive tax policy incentives. Nokia Vietnam Co. Ltd., now known as Microsoft Mobile Vietnam Co. Ltd.,… – Continue reading
AN assertion from Labour’s parliamentary candidate has been called an “unfounded personal attack” by Torridge and West Devon’s MP. Mike Sparling, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Torridge and West Devon, has spoken out about the party’s measures to tackle tax avoidance in the first months of a Labour government. He said… – Continue reading
March 2 (Reuters) – Generic and specialty drugmaker Mylan Inc reported a rise in quarterly profit and revenue, driven mainly by strong demand for its generics in North America. Net profit attributable to the company’s common shareholders rose to $189.2 million, or 47 cents per share, in the fourth quarter… – Continue reading
Though the issue of corporate tax avoidance has long been a topic which would find its home in the business pages, it has recently become a regular fixture on the global news agenda thanks to high profile scandals, such as the recent HSBC news. What’s more, global brands such as… – Continue reading
Foreign subsidiaries may now have to pay tax both in India and the country of their operations At present, a company incorporated outside India is considered a tax resident only if the control and management of its affairs is situated wholly in India. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint New Delhi: A budget… – Continue reading
The British Virgin Islands (BVI), as one of the world’s leading finance centres and meeting the changing needs of international businesses and high net worth individuals (HNWIs), has managed to create a stable, well-regulated and neutral jurisdiction that makes a significant contribution to the liquidity of the global economy. The… – Continue reading
KPMG in India through its survey, has tried to understand the expectations of India Inc. on various parameters such as policy reforms, clarity on indirect transfer tax provisions, applicability of MAT on foreign companies, amendment in the tax regime for REITs/ InvITs, deductions allowed to individuals, etc. Over 200 senior… – Continue reading
Profits outside US exceed non-US sales for company selling $1,000 a pill HepC therapy Gilead Science, whose $1,000-a-pill hepatitis C treatment is one of the world’s most expensive drugs, is avoiding billions of dollars in US taxes by booking profits overseas. The company, which has operations in Ireland, reported foreign… – Continue reading
Tax structure allowed McDonald’s to divert revenue for years, costing European countries over €1 billion in lost taxes between 2009 and 2013. Today in Brussels, a coalition of European and American trade unions, joined by the anti-poverty campaign group War on Want, unveiled a report about McDonald’s deliberate avoidance of… – Continue reading
Antoine Deltour sees himself as “just a little auditor” who copied some tax files. Now he may face jail after those documents helped send a shock wave through Luxembourg that is reverberating across the European Union. (Bloomberg) — Antoine Deltour sees himself as “just a little auditor” who copied some… – Continue reading
Certainty and reduced litigation on transfer pricing (TP) issues will be the cornerstone of creating a non-adversarial tax regime in India. The authors believe that Budget 2015 ought to lay out a roadmap to achieve this goal for TP issues – Recent positive progress on the Advance Pricing Agreement (APA)… – Continue reading
The Business Council of Australia says that the Tax Office is holding company directors and management to account about their tax affairs, despite there only being one company in the nation with a top risk rating. “There is ongoing [Australian Taxation Office] scrutiny of corporate boards,” the BCA said in… – Continue reading
Labour took £386,000 from PricewaterhouseCoopers in last quarter of 2014 Accountancy company accused of helping clients slash tax bills Former Labour minister says it was ‘inappropriate’ to accept donation Ed had said donors accused of tax avoidance not allowed on his watch Labour was accused of hypocrisy last night as… – Continue reading
WHEN the GAAR rule was launched it was one of the government’s first and biggest moves in its battle against tax avoidance, but since its introduction in 2013 the body tasked with enforcing the rule has been distinctly quiet despite claims that companies and their accountants are perpetrating tax avoidance… – Continue reading
CHINA China Releases GAAR Administrative Measures Courtesy of Mr Glen Wei, an attorney at law, certified tax adviser, and CPA based in China.China’s State Administration of Taxation (SAT) on December 12 issued Decree 32 (dated December 2) introducing administrative measures for applying the domestic general anti-avoidance rule to special tax… – Continue reading
The abolition of unfair taxes was one of the foundational principles of Magna Carta, a document that King John assented to on June 15, 1215 at Runnymede, England. Taxation must be fair, and requires the consent of the people. There is no more unfair aspect of fiscal law than retroactive… – Continue reading
Firms need clear rules, certainty to remain in compliance with tax law, says expert Heightened scrutiny of foreign companies’ tax practices is a sign of China’s effort to modernize its taxation system to keep up with the fast-changing international business environment, but there is another dimension that concerns the foreign… – Continue reading
CANBERRA: Australian Tax Office has said that Australia’s corporate tax base is in crisis because of tax relief by multinational companies in the country. The alarming data in these internal documents is at odds with the public position of the Australian Tax Office (ATO), which maintains the tax regime in… – Continue reading
