Category: Offshore Companies
High Court confirms ATO can use information from data leaks
Today the High Court confirmed that the ATO may use information obtained from data leaks, even if leaked from a law firm. Second Commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn said today’s decision in Glencore International v. Commissioner of Taxation means the ATO can continue to use the ‘Paradise Papers’ and other similar data… – Continue reading
Minister’s proposal of corporate tax reforms causes strong reaction from Cyprus business community
NICOSIA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) — Cypriot Finance Minister Harris Georgiades’ proposal of a major reform of corporate taxation has triggered strong objections from entrepreneurs, who fear that it would lead to an increase of their total tax burden. Georgiades said on Wednesday that his proposal, which included taxation on offshore… – Continue reading
Cyprus: The True Impact Of BEPS On International Business Structures
In the last decade, OECD officials have recommended measures to combat tax avoidance, culminating first in the BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) initiative in 2015 and then the MLI (Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to Prevent BEPS) effective from July 2018 – yet have all their… – Continue reading
Tax authorities mount raids on 19 German banks and houses
Investigation is linked to Panama Papers and part of money laundering allegations Eleven banks and eight private homes and offices across Germany have been raided by police and tax investigators as part of a wide-ranging investigation into tax evasion. The raids, which began at dawn on Wednesday and went on… – Continue reading
Assad’s uncle ‘Butcher of Hama’ to stand trial on graft charges in France
Assad’s uncle ‘Butcher of Hama’ to stand trial on graft charges in France The uncle of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is to stand trial in France on charges of building up a big property empire in the country using funds from Syrian state coffers, legal sources said on Wednesday. An investigating… – Continue reading
How to Register Offshore Company in United Arab Emirates
Opening a company on the other side of the world is no longer a dream, but a reality touched by many businessmen from different countries. An offshore company in the UAE today is one of the best opportunities for legal earnings in a developed country with low taxes. The opening… – Continue reading
Money trail must for offshore assets’ owners: Asad
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance Asad Umar Thursday made it abundantly clear that those having offshore properties had no option but to give the trail of their money. Addressing a post-mini budget press conference at the P-block here, he said the government had obtained assistance from friendly countries, including Saudi… – Continue reading
Jersey puts forth economic substance legislation
Jersey has tabled new laws to address the EU’s concerns over ‘economic substance’, the degree of real business activity carried out by companies registered in the Island. The new proposed requirements for an economic substance test for Jersey tax-resident entities have been published and are set to come into force… – Continue reading
UK court refuses to extradite former Trust Bank owner to Russia
Magistrates’ Court ruled that Ilya Yurov persecution was politically motivated because of his connections with Khodorkovsky. Westminster Magistrates’ Court refused to extradite Ilya Yurov, the former part owner of Trust Bank, who is on the international wanted list, RBC reported. The court believes that the extradition would violate human rights…. – Continue reading
Putin Signs ‘Tax Havens Bill’ to Shield Russian Companies From Foreign Sanctions
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a package of laws allowing Russia-controlled foreign offshore companies to be re-registered in offshore financial centers (OFCs) established in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region and Primorsky Territory in order to minimize the possible consequences of sanctions and political risks from foreign countries. The legislation establishes the procedure… – Continue reading
Federation Council Approves ‘Russian Tax Havens Laws’ to Thwart Sanctions
The Russian parliament’s upper chamber approved a package of laws enabling Russia-controlled foreign offshore companies to be re-registered in offshore financial centers (OFCs) established in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region and Primorsky Territory in order to minimize the possible consequences of sanctions and political risks from foreign countries. The legislation establishes the… – Continue reading
Macau | Monetary Authority revoked 13 offshore permits this year
The Monetary Authority of Macao has revoked offshore authorisation for 13 companies in the first half of this year with no new offshore permits being provided Macau (MNA) – Some 13 offshore companies saw their authorisation to operate in Macau revoked in the first half of this year by the… – Continue reading
BVI: Financial services workers mull relocating to Crown Dependent countries
(BVI NEWS) – Stakeholders in the local financial services sector are said to be considering Crown Dependent countries such as the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey to relocate their businesses. That’s according to Executive Director of BVI Finance, Lorna Smith. Smith made the disclosure during a public forum at… – Continue reading
Who owns most of offshore companies
ISLAMABAD: If Panama Papers documents are any guide, Saifullahs of Lakki Marwat has the highest number of offshore companies owned by any Pakistani family and majority of them are in British Virgin Islands. Seychelles and Panama are two other jurisdictions where they have set up companies. While source of wealth… – Continue reading
New Legislation impacts Offshore Property Companies
The walls continue to close in on Offshore property holding companies in Portugal. Once a popular solution for home ownership, these structures are based in low-tax jurisdictions that allow shareholders to take advantage of certain “loopholes” to avoid paying Capital Gains tax when selling. Over the past 15 years, successive… – Continue reading
Gibraltar—Marbella. Russian oligarchs hide their Spanish assets offshore
It emerged that Russian oligarchs, members of ‘Russian mafia’, and many other owners of real estate in Spain have neither Spanish citizenship nor residential permit and successfully evade national taxes. Mansions in Marbella purchased by Russians officially belong to offshore companies incorporated in Gibraltar, a tiny British Overseas Territory. The… – Continue reading
West Africa Leaks: How Billions are Leaving Africa for Offshores
Multinationals, politicians, corporate moguls, and European consuls all used offshore companies and bank accounts to hide money and avoid taxes in West Africa, according to an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released Tuesday. Senegal is one of the poorest countries in the world, but this didn’t stop… – Continue reading
Keith Schembri Once Again Contradicts His Own Statements Regarding His Offshore Company Network
His story has changed somewhere along the line Keith Schembri’s latest explanation today of his network of offshore companies flies in the face of his original statement when the Panama scandal first broke out two years ago. Reacting to stories published today by German paper Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Times… – Continue reading
Saeima committee amends bill banning offshore companies from bidding for public contracts
RIGA – The Saeima national economic, rural, environment and regional policy committee today supported amendments to Public Procurement Law, deleting the ban for the companies registered in low-tax or tax-free countries, or the so-called offshore countries, from taking part in public tenders in Latvia. As reported, the Latvian parliament on… – Continue reading
UK property tax changes affect GCC nationals
PROPERTY in the UK, particularly London, has always been popular with GCC investors for many years. It has remained a safe haven and an attractive destination for investors and their families from the GCC region perhaps more than any other major city. Depending on the level of investment, well… – Continue reading
Foreign groups in India have to provide country-by-country report, clarifies govt
All international groups operating in the country will have to provide a country-by-country (CbC) report as per the revised Income tax Act, the government clarified in a finance ministry release issued today. The CbC report is to be furnished by the ultimate parent entity of an international group in the… – Continue reading
Ukraine and Qatar sign agreement on avoiding double taxation
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin and Finance Minister of Qatar Ali Shareef Al-Emadi have signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation and preventing income tax evasion between the government of Ukraine and Qatar. According to a Thursday posting on the website of the Finance Ministry of Ukraine, avoiding double… – Continue reading
Peru: President Admits Using Offshore Firm to Avoid Taxes
Peru’s under fire President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, admitted using an offshore company to avoid paying US taxes ahead of an impeachment vote on Thursday. The septuagenarian leader’s disclosure came during a marathon seven hour testimony to a congressional investigative committee on Friday as he attempted to disentangle himself from an… – Continue reading
Island tax haven firms own 23,000 UK properties
A quarter of property in England and Wales owned by overseas firms is held by entities registered in the British Virgin Islands, BBC analysis has found. The Caribbean archipelago is the official home of companies that own 23,000 properties – more than any other country. They are owned by 11,700… – Continue reading
Australia Adds To Diverted Profits Tax Guidance
The Australian Tax Office on February 7 released draft Practical Compliance Guideline 2018/D2 on the operation of Australia’s Diverted Profits Tax for consultation. In the 2016-17 Budget, the Government announced that it would introduce a diverted profits tax (DPT), intended to ensure that the tax paid by significant global entities… – Continue reading
ROHQ workers lose tax privileges
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) said employees of regional operating headquarters (ROHQ) who used to enjoy preferential tax rates, will no longer be able to avail them beginning this year. In a tax advisory, the BIR said in view of the recent amendment of the provisions of Section 25(B),… – Continue reading
Russia Drafts Bill to Create Offshore Companies to Trade Cryptocurrencies
The Russian Ministry of Finance is drafting a bill to allow the creation of offshore companies to trade cryptocurrencies. This follows the bill which the ministry recently published on the legal framework for cryptocurrencies. Crypto Trading Offshore “The Ministry of Finance proposed to create offshore companies in Russia for trading… – Continue reading
NAB seeks details of offshore firms held by Aleem Khan, Moonis Elahi
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written to several state institutions seeking record and details of offshore companies reportedly established in tax havens abroad by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aleem Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi, DawnNews has reported. The Supreme Court had in November last… – Continue reading
Apple Could Get a $4 Billion Boost From Tax-Law Quirk
Microsoft, Cisco might also benefit from GOP bill ‘loophole’ Law gives some firms edge in paring offshore cash tax tab Companies that stockpiled trillions of dollars offshore free of U.S. income tax may get one last break before paying up — provided their fiscal years don’t follow the calendar year…. – Continue reading
The tide continues to turn for offshore companies.
The case of Development Securities (No. 9) Ltd and other v HMRC [2017] UKFTT 0565 is the latest in a line of cases concerning the UK corporate tax residence of offshore companies. The case once again highlights the difficulties in preserving an offshore company’s non-UK tax resident status, whilst giving… – Continue reading
Belgian Authorities Raid Bank Linked To Offshore Companies Found In Panama Papers
Belgian police raided the offices of state bank Belfius as part of a probe into possible tax avoidance by companies exposed in the Panama Papers. Belgian police raided the offices of state bank Belfius on Tuesday as part of a probe into possible tax avoidance by companies exposed in the… – Continue reading
Paradise Papers: ICIJ releases another database revealing offshore companies
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released a database of around 13.4 million documents revealing over 25,000 companies owned by the world’s rich and influential individuals. The ICIJ coordinated the Panama Papers investigation into offshore companies. The latest files have disclosed the financial details of politicians, corporations, and… – Continue reading
NAB reviewing cases of all offshore companies for probe
ISLAMABAD: The NAB is presently examining all cases of offshore companies, including those unearthed by the Panama Papers to ensure across-the-board accountability. NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal told The News here on Monday that he was presently studying the cases of offshore companies to see what wrong had been… – Continue reading
Report: Huge Mass. companies keep billions of dollars offshore
General Electric, Boston Scientific and other major Massachusetts-based companies are accused of keeping billions of dollars in offshore accounts to avoid taxation in 2016, according to a new report. In fact, the practice extends to 366 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, according to the Massachusetts Public Interest… – Continue reading
Concealment of offshore companies intended at hiding wealth: Justice Bandial
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked on Wednesday that the motive behind hiding an offshore company is to hide wealth. He made the observation while hearing a disqualification petition against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Jehangir Tareen. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and… – Continue reading
Latvian Bank Fined Heavily Over Laundering Scheme in France
A Paris court fined a Latvian bank Thursday for laundering hundreds of millions of euros through a vast scheme allowing French taxpayers to avoid paying their dues. The court fined Rietumu Banka 80 million euros ($91 million) for facilitating a scam to “democratize” tax evasion among ordinary taxpayers and small… – Continue reading
Footballers’ advisers under scrutiny over tax evasion
Madrid (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo under suspicion, Radamel Falcao investigated, Lionel Messi sentenced… Spain’s courts have been busy tackling the alleged and real multi-million-euro tax evasion of football’s greatest stars. But while they may be aware of what they are doing, footballers rely on expert go-betweens like big banks to… – Continue reading
Declare Offshore Wealth? Russia Tycoons Would Rather Ship Themselves Off Shore
MOSCOW — Some of Russia’s super-rich have given up residency to escape a 2014 law requiring them to disclose offshore assets, wealthy businessmen told Reuters, a practice that could keep billions of dollars hidden from Moscow’s tax authorities. Interviews with more than a dozen people familiar with the practice —… – Continue reading
This Caribbean Bank Wants Chinese Money No One Else Will Touch
The global campaign against money laundering combined with the Panama Papers made the Caribbean islands of sun, sand and offshore banking a near no-go zone for the world’s biggest banks. So the British Virgin Islands has a solution: a bank to service offshore companies, many of them from China, locked… – Continue reading
Row Ignites After Germany Slams ‘Tax Haven’ Malta
Norbert Walter-Borjans has been busy turning himself into the public scourge of German tax cheats and foreign tax havens. Having already riled Switzerland by buying CDs with stolen bank account data – and then accusing the Alpine state of spying on his tax offices – North Rhine-Westphalia’s finance minister criticized… – Continue reading
Data leak reveals details of 70,000 offshore firms in Malta, German state minister claims
Malta denies claims A data leak has revealed information about 70,000 offshore companies in Malta, a German state minister claimed this morning. North Rhine-Westphalia finance minister Norbert Walter-Borjans said the data also included information about several German corporations and up to 2,000 German taxpayers. Tax authorities in the city of… – Continue reading
UK: The UK Company: A New Alternative For International Investors?
This article is the first of a series of articles that looks at tax aspects of the UK company which make it an attractive international business company, or “IBC”. This generic label, and its acronym, are normally associated with the BVI company, and its international competitors. An essential feature of… – Continue reading
Trust Companies, Banks Should Be Main Haven Targets: EU Report
New measures targeting trust companies and banks in their role of helping to create offshore companies, such as the more than 200,000 exposed in the year-old Panama Papers, should be the priority for EU legislators in their efforts to crack down on the use of tax haven intermediaries, according to… – Continue reading
Sharif’s finances in foreign tax havens not accessible to JIT
ISLAMABAD: Even before the formation of a seven-member joint investigation team (JIT) on the money trail of assets owned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court, new questions have arisen over its supposed modus operandi. The JIT team will not… – Continue reading
Combatting Foreign Tax Evasion With New Filing Requirements for Foreign-Owned Disregarded Entities: Tax Update, Volume 2017, Issue 2
The new regulations expand the filing requirements for Form 5472 to include disregarded entities with foreign owners when there are certain reportable transactions. If a non-U.S. person (individual or corporation) owns 100 percent of the stock of a U.S. corporate subsidiary, the subsidiary needs to obtain an employer identification number… – Continue reading
