The Government has moved to boost the Revenue’s powers to tackle tax evaders and it is closing off loopholes used by companies, landlords and individuals to reduce their tax payments. The new measures are included in the Finance Bill, published on Thursday morning, which gives legislative effect to Budget 2016…. – Continue reading
Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that at 39%, the U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate among the 20 most developed economies. Yet, the average rate of taxation imposed on the 100 biggest S&P corporations was 28.4% in 2014. Apple and Alphabet paid even lower… – Continue reading
Luxembourg and the Netherlands lost a bit of luster as tax havens for some of the world’s biggest companies this week, as the European Union fired its latest salvo aimed at multinational tax dodging. Yet the Netherlands is on pace to maintain its attractiveness as a tax-friendly address for multinationals,… – Continue reading
The Vietnamese arm of U.S. soft drink giant Coca-Cola has paid its 2014 corporate tax, worth some US$20 million, for the first time in two decades due to losses, according to a report the firm submitted to Ho Chi Minh City authorities in May. The taxable profit of the company… – Continue reading
Foretelling significant changes in tax structures around the world, newly released PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC) report reveals that the future of businesses is dependent on how well their asset managers deal with this emergent tax risk. Titled, ‘Asset Management 2020 and beyond: Transforming your business for a new global tax world’, the… – Continue reading
The yuan rose the most in almost a week in offshore trading on speculation Chinese authorities will prevent depreciation as President Xi Jinping promotes the currency’s use in global trade and finance during a trip to the U.K. this week. The People’s Bank of China sold debt overseas for the… – Continue reading
Indian equity markets retaining their early gains were trading in a range in early noon session, on value buying activities by market-participants. Sentiment got boost with the statement of finance ministry that the country will grow by 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal, slightly higher than international rating agency… – Continue reading
Tunis, — The process of returning Tunisian property and assets frozen in a number of foreign banks in general and in Switzerland, in particular, has not moved an inch. More than four years have elapsed since the fall of former President Ben Ali without any hope of progress on the… – Continue reading
Apple Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. got a preview of what the European Union may have in store for them after regulators ordered Starbucks Corp. and a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV unit to repay millions of euros in back taxes. The EU said the coffee company and the Italian carmaker were… – Continue reading
James Packer defended his gambling empire on Wednesday, calling the casino owner Crown Resorts a “role model” business that meant more to him than anything except his family. Speaking at the annual general meeting, Mr Packer said Crown paid more tax as a percentage than any other business in Australia’s… – Continue reading
What has happened? On 5 October 2015 the OECD issued its final paper on BEPS Action 12 Mandatory Disclosure Rules, Action 12 – 2015 Final Report (Paper). In this Alert we highlight the main issues and recommendations for taxation reform raised in the Paper. The Australian Treasurer’s BEPS Press Release… – Continue reading
The European Commission today announced a decision that Luxembourg and the Netherlands granted selective tax advantages to two multinational corporate entities, and as such, these “tax advantages” are illegal under EU state aid rules. The EC concluded that the tax rulings granted by the tax authorities in Luxembourg and in… – Continue reading
Companies who have been accused of shifting profits to low-tax jurisdictions or those seeking tax shelters need to beware—these practices are coming under fire, and could possibly come to an end. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) just released details of their far-reaching plan that would require companies… – Continue reading
Zambia Revenue Authority-ZRA- Commissioner General Berlin Msiska says Africa needs to work together to address illegal Financial Flows. Mr Msiska says international cooperation is required because illegal financial flows affect all regions of the continent. He says African Tax administrations can achieve a more effective and efficient relationship through initiatives… – Continue reading
Life was different in the 1990s. Back in ‘93, a lucky few used dial-up Internet to access one of 800 websites available worldwide. Smart phones were a distant dream. The TV dinosaur Barney had just started “edutaining” America’s children. And gas cost about $1.30 a gallon — including 18.4 cents… – Continue reading
“He hath founded it upon the seas…” Psalm 24:2 From an ancient decree The motto on the Cayman Islands flag has profound meaning for all residents, whether indigenous or not. At 3:00am on 7 February 1794 the Royal Navy Frigate HMS Convert and its convoy of nine merchant ships were… – Continue reading
Wealthy investors have snapped up at least £100 billion of property across London using overseas companies in the past six years, new figures reveal today. Official data seen by the Standard shows that since 2008 there have been 27,989 purchases of homes, buildings and land in the capital by shadowy… – Continue reading
Since 2002, there has been a steep escalation in transfer pricing disputes in the country, the ‘Taxsutra’s TP Trends Report’, is a perfect compendium which encompasses this escalation. The Chapter under which Transfer Pricing provisions were introduced was with the intent to ensure that there is no avoidance of tax…. – Continue reading
Michigan Tax Attorney, Venar Ayar talks about Amnesty Programs expiring as foreign banks comply with FATCA. Oct. 21, 2015 / PRZen / DETROIT — The unofficial period of grace to reveal foreign bank accounts to the IRS is ending for U.S. taxpayers. Those who don’t comply with the law may… – Continue reading
On June 16 of this year, the California Department of Business Oversight issued a desist and refrain order to Encinitas’s Lawrence (Larry) Freeman and two of his many now-defunct companies, Yeshilkoy Insurance Services and Structured Marketing. In peddling financial products, Freeman made “an untrue statement of material fact to investors,”… – Continue reading
Ireland’s budget statement for 2016 (Budget) was delivered by the Minister for Finance last week. The Budget’s primary focus was on personal tax matters, which is somewhat unsurprising given the general election early next year. However, the Budget also contained two key announcements on Ireland’s corporation tax system. In line… – Continue reading
The new Indian Government, led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, assumed office in May 2014 with the election promise to deliver on reviving economic growth, investor confidence and bringing consumer demand back on track. The key stated goal is to move away from a control-and-command economy towards a market… – Continue reading
Major tax administration reforms are expected after Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General John Njiraini was made to cut short the release of quarter one performance on Monday following a call from State House. KRA has already moved to deepen its capacity by inviting former employees to boost its capacity… – Continue reading
RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has called for a transparent and predictable tax regime. His words are well-timed, coming as they do just before the Budget exercise starts. Investors want certainty and stability in the tax system. Recently, the government dropped all past demands of minimum alternate tax on foreign portfolio… – Continue reading
Carl Icahn, the iconic activist investor, has shifted, if only for today, his cross-hairs of contempt from the boardrooms of corporate America to the nation’s capital. Icahn sends members of Congress a word of warning Wednesday saw Carl Icahn warn several members of Congress a letter laying out his plans… – Continue reading
“FCF did not receive any state aid and … any finding in this matter would be immaterial to the FCA Group’s reported results,” FCA said in a statement. MILAN: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) denied again on Tuesday having received state aid from Luxembourg in a tax-related case, adding any findings… – Continue reading
Former chair of the UK public accounts committee Margaret Hodge, who has repeatedly attacked the use of offshore tax avoidance schemes, has called for an overhaul of the British tax system. Speaking during an annual Professional Fee Protection (PFP) tax investigations conference, Hodge said the current tax regime in the… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI: The government has issued the final rules to incorporate range concept and use of multi-year data in transfer pricing calculations to reduce litigation and bring Indian laws in line with international practices. The Income Tax Department had issued the draft of the rules in May inviting stakeholder comments…. – Continue reading
Following last week’s publication of the various OECD/G20 reports on the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) project, the Irish Budget delivered on 13 October 2015 contains the first Government initiative on implementing some of the recommendations. Key features are the introduction of the first of its kind knowledge development… – Continue reading
Hillary Clinton is repeating the Democrat trope about “offshore tax havens” that immorally divert profits from workers and the taxman. Closing these is a central plank of her promised agenda as President, she explains in an op-ed laying out her economic agenda. Setting aside the economic merits of her plan,… – Continue reading
A recent Thomson Reuters survey report reveals that European companies are outpacing all others in developing their Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) action plans by Dec. 31, 2017 – the deadline set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). But most respondents voiced several concerns about BEPS… – Continue reading
CHINA may implement new rules by the end of this year to prevent tax evasion by multinational companies as the G20 has endorsed a plan to enhance fairness of international tax revenue, Ernst & Young said. The State Administration of Taxation last Friday finished collecting feedback for amendments to a… – Continue reading
On October 5, 2015, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (“OECD”) released its final report on the 15 key elements of international tax rules set out in its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) Action Plan. The OECD launched the BEPS Action Plan in 2013 at the request of… – Continue reading
On 17 September, 2015, China State Administration of Taxation (“SAT”) released the Discussion Draft for the Implementation Measures for Special Tax Adjustments (“Discussion Draft”) to overhaul the existing trial version of the Implementation Measures, i.e., Circular 2. In the chapter of “Contemporaneous Documentation” of Discussion Draft, SAT introduces an entirely… – Continue reading
WHEN public spending is being slashed in a way that punishes the poor, every firm have a moral obligation to pay their fair share. AMAZON are taking an ever bigger share of the shopping market. Technological advances mean you can order something from their website late at night from your… – Continue reading
For many years, policy makers have criticized the strategies that American corporations use to reduce their taxes by shifting income and capital offshore. The impetus behind these strategies is the U.S. corporate income-tax rate — at 35 percent, the highest of any industrialized nation, easily surpassing countries such as the… – Continue reading
National Treasury has decided to scrap a recently introduced incentive to make South Africa’s service sector more competitive, despite an impassioned appeal from multinational companies not to do so. The special foreign tax credit for service fees has protected companies from double taxation where South Africa’s treaty partners levied withholding… – Continue reading
On Oct. 5, 2015, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a set of final reports on its 15 point action plan to address Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS). In an accompanying explanatory statement, the OECD also included plans for additional work on technical matters and a… – Continue reading
Most of yesterday’s pre-election budget statement for 2016 (the “Budget“) by Ireland’s Minister for Finance (the “Minister“) focused on personal taxation. In the portion of his statement covering corporation tax, two key announcements were made in line with expectations following on from the publication of the final reports under the… – Continue reading
Beijing’s monetary easing has sent onshore yields to multiyear lows, reports the Wall Street Journal. China’s booming domestic debt market is pushing investors to seek higher yields offshore, just as its banks start to expand yuan lending world-wide. The shift comes as China’s central bank is selling its first yuan… – Continue reading
Some might be surprised to learn that certain areas of Richmond and Vancouver, despite being thoroughly decorated with mcmansions, monster homes, and incessantly rising land prices, are actually inhabited by low income residents that make up a surprising per cent of the population. Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, during a… – Continue reading
Offshore companies are established for a variety of reasons including a company’s necessity to restructure, create an international business entity as well as protect the assets of the company. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to three authorities that register International or offshore companies. The three UAE authorities that… – Continue reading
Three years ago, Chinese officials said U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron had “seriously damaged” relations by meeting with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader. As planned talks between the two countries were canceled or failed to take place, worries emerged that Britain would miss out on building deeper economic… – Continue reading
NUMBER OF THE WEEK: 0 The number of House Republicans who want to be speaker and can actually secure the necessary 218 votes as of today. After Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s dramatic exit from the race last week, the House GOP conference is taking the week-long Columbus Day recess to… – Continue reading
The impact of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting action plan is still unclear, but tax executives are planning ahead for changes on the international tax front. Earlier this month, the OECD unveiled its plan for combating tax evasion strategies by multinational corporations (see… – Continue reading
Govt is also in the process of formulating guidance with respect to specified domestic transactions within the group In a bid to promote business-friendly taxation regime, the Centre has issued guidelines for transfer pricing (TP) provisions that are expected to reduce the rising volume of tax litigation. According to the… – Continue reading
The Luxembourg government submitted draft legislative proposals to Parliament—legislation that, if enacted, would both implement certain provisions of the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) actions and provide for certain EU-compliant measures. The proposals also would be intended to improve the competitiveness of the Luxembourg tax system. The proposals… – Continue reading
Sinisa Mali, the Mayor of Belgrade, has dismissed claims that he owns 24 apartments on the Bulgarian coast. Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali has denied a media report that he owns a string of properties in Bulgaria. In a statement, he said he owns only one apartment in Bulgaria, which he… – Continue reading
MUMBAI: There is a sudden, inexplicable surge in money that Indians are sending abroad for ” maintenance of close relatives“. Such fund transfers typically add up to $10-20 million a month. But in July 2015, according to the latest available data, total remittance under this head crossed $124 million. Also,… – Continue reading
AUSTRALIA’S Future Fund has money invested in funds based in a notorious tax haven. FUTURE Fund Management Agency managing director David Neal told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday the fund – which stood at $117.8 billion at the end of September – had money invested in funds that used… – Continue reading
