Category: Tax Laws

Surveys Suggest Taxpayers Satisfied With TCJA, Says Hatch

Both large and small businesses in the United States expect the measures included in the recently enacted tax reform legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, to have a positive effect on their operations, according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT). In a recent statement, Hatch… – Continue reading

Wealthy Kenyans With Billions Hidden in Offshore Accounts Rush to File Returns Ahead of Amnesty Deadline

As June 30th deadline to file returns with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) fast closes in, a section of rich Kenyans who have hidden assets overseas are rushing to return the assets to avoid paying taxes. Tax consultants told Business Daily that the wealthy lot is repatriating the cash to avoid… – Continue reading

Update on Portugal’s Non-Habitual Residence Program

Concerned about the tax implications of buying property in Portugal? Good news! Foreigners who want to buy in Portugal and meet certain criteria may be exempt from paying tax on most forms of overseas income. Here’s how! In a bid to bounce back from the 2008 financial crisis, Portugal has… – Continue reading

Regulator nods GEN Singapore domicile switch to home

Genting Singapore Ltd has gained formal approval from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore to transfer its legal domicile from the offshore tax jurisdiction of the Isle of Man, to Singapore. Genting Singapore runs the Resorts World Sentosa casino resort (pictured) in Singapore. The company made a net… – Continue reading

SMEs are paying more corporation tax than bigger businesses

According to figures released earlier this year, SMEs are in fact paying more corporation tax than larger more complex organisations. Specifically, the rate paid by SMEs in 2016 was 21.7%, while it was 20% for businesses with a turnover of £1billion. The research was conducted by accountancy firm Moore Stephens,… – Continue reading

Peru Ratified OECD’s Multilateral Tax Convention

Peru has completed the necessary steps to become a party to the OECD Multilateral Convention on Mutual Assistance in Tax Matters and also the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. On May 28, 2018, Peru’s Minister of Economy and Finance, David Tuesta, deposited… – Continue reading

OECD Releases First CbC Reporting Peer Reviews

The OECD has released the first peer reviews of the country-by-country (CbC) reporting initiative, reporting that practically all countries that serve as headquarters to large multinationals have introduced new transfer pricing documentation requirements to improve transparency. Country-by-country reporting will see tax administrations worldwide collect and share detailed information on all… – Continue reading

Europe wages war on Russian oligarchs as London and Cyprus tighten regulations for banking operations

London and Cyprus have tightened the regulations for banking operations, and the accounts belonging to Russians face blocking. Last weekend, Britain said it could block the bank accounts of about 100 foreigners. The assets will be frozen unless their owners provide information on the source of the money. At the… – Continue reading

Switzerland set to amend anti-money laundering law

Stepping up efforts to curb illicit fund flows, Switzerland plans to amend its anti-money laundering law wherein financial intermediaries will be required to verify information on beneficial owners. The Alpine nation, known for its banking secrecy practices, has been taking various measures in the fight against black money amid intense… – Continue reading

Jordan to launch nationwide dialogue over controversial income tax bill

AMMAN, June 3 (Xinhua) — A Jordanian official said on Sunday that a nationwide dialogue will be launched to reach a consensus on the controversial income tax bill. “The dialogue will include all segments of the society including professional associations and stakeholders from all segments of society,” the official told… – Continue reading

OECD backs BEPS plan in face of critics

The OECD has endorsed New Zealand’s crackdown on multi-national tax evasion, despite significant criticism from local businesses that it departs from OECD standards, Thomas Coughlan reports. David Bradbury, head of the OECD’s tax policy and statistics division, told Newsroom that the OECD was “very pleased with the strong support that… – Continue reading

Govt to maintain investment climate, tax reform in setting 2019 tax target

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said the government will consider several scenarios in determining its 2019 tax revenue target while adhering to its commitment to maintaining a conducive investment climate and pushing for tax reform. “The tax revenue target will be set in consideration of current global and national… – Continue reading

The CRS cliff edge: turning a challenge into an opportunity

Ever since the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Council approved the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) in 2014, the international economic community has been gradually moving closer to a smoother and more transparent global exchange of financial account data. It is widely acknowledged that the CRS is long… – Continue reading

Tougher tax evasion penalties closer

Existing penalties aren’t enough to stop businesses using software to hide sales and reduce their tax, a federal government minister says. Kelly O’Dwyer says tougher penalties, including fines up to $1 million, will deter those who take part in the black economy. Legislation to create offences and introduce penalties for… – Continue reading

Facebook Facing Shareholder Scrutiny for Its Offshore Tax Avoidance

In recent months, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been hauled before lawmakers in the United States and the European Union to respond to criticism of the company’s privacy policies and sharing of user data. Now the company’s dodgy tax practices are facing increased scrutiny from an even more important source:… – Continue reading

Norway’s Parliament Rejects ‘Google Tax’ Proposal

Norway’s parliament, the Storting, has rejected a legislative proposal for the introduction of a tax on digital business models, labeled the “Google tax,” recommending instead that the Government explore the issue of digital taxation in partnership with the OECD. In rejecting the proposal, introduced by parliamentary commissioner Une Bastholm of… – Continue reading

‘Blacklist Over – But We Must Be Wary Of More Eu Pressure’

SENATOR Dion Foulkes yesterday forecast the country would soon face more pressures from the European Union and should be ready to act quickly to avoid further reputational damage. On Friday, Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest announced the Bahamas had been removed from the European Union’s “blacklist” of non-cooperative jurisdictions for… – Continue reading

Gov’t will ‘fight to ensure tax law is enacted as is’ — official

Cabinet will recommend delay in Parliament extraordinary session to allow more time for dialogue AMMAN — The government will use all its might to defend the income tax draft law as it is presented to the Lower House for approval, a government official said on Monday. “We will use all… – Continue reading

Chinese City to Utilise Blockchain to Fight Tax Evasion

Shenzhen’s tax authority has partnered with Chinese internet giant, Tencent, to combat tax evasions in the city. According to an announcement on Thursday, Tencent and the Shenzhen National Taxation Bureau have been jointly working towards setting up an innovation lab called ‘intelligent tax’, with an aim to introduce technological innovations… – Continue reading

China’s Hong Kong signs tax pact with Finland

HONG KONG, May 24 (Xinhua) — The government of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with Finland, further expanding the HKSAR’s tax treaty network. The HKSAR government’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury James Lau and Consul-General… – Continue reading

Ownership Registry Is ‘Not Set In Stone’

Attorney General Carl Bethel QC. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff Legislation to create a central Beneficial Ownership Registry is “not set in stone”, the Attorney General has revealed, with the Government seeking “urgent” consultation on the issue. Carl Bethel QC, addressing a Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB)-sponsored seminar, said 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

What you need to know about buying Bitcoin from an offshore exchange

When it comes to cryptocurrencies, an area that is often overlooked is that of exchange control, and whether the acquisition or trading in cryptos may (even inadvertently) lead to a transgression under the exchange control regulations. According to Leon Rood, director at Werksmans Attorneys, while the South African Reserve Bank… – Continue reading

Tax Competitiveness in India: Changing Rules, Trends in Taxation

Ease of doing business and tax reforms are at the center of India’s growth agenda as the country pitches itself as the leading investment destination among global emerging markets. Yet, India’s tax competitiveness record remains mixed. At a time when the U.S., U.K., and Japan have slashed their corporate tax… – Continue reading

$1.745m Software Deal To Facilitate Tax Exchange

The Ministry of Finance has embraced a software solution from Vizor AEOI Software to help meet its automatic tax information exchange (AEOI) commitments. The Bahamas will use Vizor’s solution to meet its obligations under the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS), and its Foreign Account… – Continue reading

Bahamas Slips In Half OECD ‘Peer Review’ Criteria

The Bahamas slipped slightly in its latest OECD “peer review”, although it maintained its “largely compliant” ranking amid beneficial ownership and tax information exchange concerns. The just-released full Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) report, produced by its Global Forum on transparency and tax information exchange, showed The Bahamas… – Continue reading

Deloitte: Romania faces growing fiscal competition as 8 EU member states cut corporate tax rates since 2017

Romania will be able to count less on the low taxation advantage in order to attract investments due to growing competition, after eight EU member states have reduced their corporate tax rates since 2017, according to a study released by Deloitte Romania. “Even in the new context, the Romanian corporate… – Continue reading

Cabinet finalises income tax bill after ‘taking feedback into account’

AMMAN — The government on Monday endorsed the income tax draft law and said it will refer it to the Lower House on Tuesday to get it through constitutional channels towards enactment. Meanwhile, the government reasserted that it was earnestly carrying on with economic reforms according to schedule. During a… – Continue reading

Tax raids end in Madhya Pradesh, Bengaluru; Rs 100 crore tax evasion, 12 bogus companies detected

The searches which started at the locations pertaining to the Bhopal-based Asnani Group and its business associates have led to the disclosure of around Rs 100 crores undisclosed income. BHOPAL: Five day long searches at 30 premises related to a Madhya Pradesh-based real estate major and business associates in Bhopal,… – Continue reading

Jubilant Food Works Limited is not a PE of Domino’s Pizza International Franchising Inc: ITAT [Read Order]

In DCIT vs. M/s. Dominos Pizza International Franchising Inc., the Mumbai Bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal ( ITAT ) held that Jubilant Food Works Limited, who holds the Master Franchise for Domino’s Pizza in India is not a Permanent Establishment of the Domino’s Pizza International Franchising Inc. In… – Continue reading

Relying on tax incentives in SEZs may breed unhealthy competition: experts

Clear policies, investment-friendly business environments and streamlined government approval procedures are more important, experts say. Vietnam’s special economic zones (SEZs) should focus more on developing clear policies, fostering investment-friendly environment and streamlining government approval process instead of relying only on tax incentives, a conference heard Friday. Hoang The Long, former… – Continue reading