Category: Certification

Q&A: tax issues for private equity funds in Cayman Islands

Under current Cayman Islands law, there are no Cayman Islands taxes on income or gains of the private equity fund (PE fund) or on gains on dispositions of shares or partnership interests, and distributions made by a PE fund will not be subject to withholding tax in the Cayman Islands. ... - Continue reading

Requests for confirmation, tax treaty relief applications and tax sparing applications

IN 2021, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) 14-2021 and Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 77-2021, which streamlined the procedure for the availment of benefits under the applicable tax treaty.  ... - Continue reading

A Huge Tax Break Went to a Politically Connected Company in New Jersey Despite Red Flags

Holtec International told New Jersey regulators that Ohio was competing for its new headquarters. But officials there stripped the firm of past tax awards for failing to create the jobs it promised.n January 2014, as Holtec International explored sites for a new national headquarters and high-tech manufacturing center, the New… – Continue reading

New reporting will be costly and time consuming

Pretoria – South African financial institutions, which include banks, long-term insurers and asset managers, will have to exchange financial account information in terms of the common reporting standard for the first time this year. Financial institutions, although having to do similar exchanges in terms of the US’s Foreign Account Tax… – Continue reading

Regulatory Issues: Financial account information exchange for increased tax compliance

Malaysian individuals and entities that have bank accounts overseas will soon see their financial information being shared with other countries and tax authorities in an effort to boost global transparency and tax compliance. This requirement is part of the automatic exchange of financial account information set out by the Organisation… – Continue reading

Lawyers as “Gate Keepers” – The European Parliament Examines the Roles of Attorneys in Tax Evasion and Laundering Schemes

Starting on April 27, and finishing on May 2, the European Parliament (EP)’s Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion (PANA) is holding two meetings to present several related studies which address the impact of, and the fight against, tax evasion and money laundering, particularly in… – Continue reading

Law Society reaches understanding with IRD on FATCA

The New Zealand Law Society says that following discussions with Inland Revenue and the New Zealand Bankers’ Association it has now reached an understanding with Inland Revenue about application of FATCA to lawyers’ trusts accounts. FATCA is the United States’ Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. Its objective is to reduce… – Continue reading

Cayman Islands: Cayman Islands AEOI Update – Second Tranche of CRS Regulations Released

The Cayman Islands Government issued the second tranche of the Common Reporting Standard (“CRS”) regulations at the end of December 2016. Updated Guidance Notes will be issued in Q1 2017 by the Cayman Islands Tax Information Authority (“TIA”) to assist with the implementation of the regulations. Furthermore, TIA stated in… – Continue reading

Hong Kong to commence automatic exchange of financial account information in tax matters with Japan and UK in 2018

Hong Kong has signed agreements with Japan and the United Kingdom with a view to commencing automatic exchange of financial account information in tax matters (AEOI) with these two tax jurisdictions in 2018, a Government spokesman said today (October 26). In September 2014, Hong Kong indicated its support for the… – Continue reading

BUSINESS MONDAY: NEW AGREEMENT TO BENEFIT B’DOS, USA

AN Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Barbados and the United States will allow for greater co-operation under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). This is according to Julia Tonkovich, of the United States Treasury Department. Ms. Tonkovich stated that FATCA, which was in place since 2010, is part of the… – Continue reading

U.S. tax hunt overseas causes global headaches

There is little that can be done about FATCA and the change has to come from within the U.S. Death and taxes, life’s two certainties according to Keynes, sometimes have a causal relationship. One dies and some taxes are often associated with that event. Alternatively, one encounters so much regulation… – Continue reading

Panama Papers and US initiatives to identify entity beneficial owners

In early April 2016 files leaked from a large Panama-based law firm (known as the ‘Panama Papers’) brought to the attention of many the ways in which offshore companies and structures can be used to obscure the identity of beneficial owners, some of whom have used such entities to avoid… – Continue reading

IRS Proposes New QI Agreement for Foreign Banks to Comply with FATCA

The Internal Revenue Service has released new guidance on how foreign financial institutions can enter into a Qualified Intermediary agreement with the U.S. under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA. Notice 2016-42, released earlier this month, outlines the proposed QI agreement, which revises and updates the current agreement… – Continue reading

U.S. non-participation in the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) will be a challenge

The U.S. is under international criticism because under its Intergovernmental Agreement (known as IGA) reciprocal exchange accords, the U.S. has already transmitted information on those who are tax residents outside the U.S. to respective national tax authorities under the IGA. The spotlight is on the U.S. because the U.S. has… – Continue reading

FATCA documentation for US-based trusts

Introduction Even though a trust may be established under the laws of a US state and have a US trust company serving as trustee (hereinafter a ‘US-based trust’), this does not mean that it is a US domestic trust for income tax purposes. If non-US persons make substantial decisions for… – Continue reading

Cayman Islands Automatic Exchange of Information Update – April 2016

FATCA Notification and Reporting Deadlines Extended The Cayman Islands Department for International Tax Cooperation (“DITC”) has issued an industry advisory advising that it will be adopting a soft approach to the upcoming 30 April notification deadline for US and UK FATCA and 31 May reporting deadline for both US and… – Continue reading

Finomial Delivers Comprehensive Solution For OECD CRS

Finomial Corporation today announced the launch of a comprehensive and automated online investor services and tax reporting platform. This software enables financial institutions to meet the compliance requirements for the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) mandated by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). These new tax regulations require that… – Continue reading

All you need to know about FATCA compliance

With increasing number of people from multiple countries investing in India and vice versa, there is a need to have a system that could track all such financial transactions in a transparent manner. With increasing number of people from multiple countries investing in India and vice versa, there is a… – Continue reading

International and Irish Tax Update – March 2016

Summary The pace of change in international tax is dramatic. Each month brings new initiatives and developments at both national and supra-national levels. In this update, we focus on recent changes which are relevant to our clients. The OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) reports were finalised in October… – Continue reading

Getting CRS: Australian implementing legislation finalised

It is now time for Australian financial institutions to move on CRS. Australian implementing legislation has been finalised. You need to be prepared by 1 July 2017. The scope of CRS and applicable penalties have been expanded The next FATCA reporting deadline is 31 July 2016. The uncertainty around listed… – Continue reading

Canada: Tax Withholding Obligations Of Non-Resident Employers: Further Exemption Details Released

In its 2015 Budget, the Canadian federal government announced its intention to exempt “certified” non-resident employers from the obligation to withhold and remit income tax in respect of certain employees that perform duties in Canada. The Canada Revenue Agency (the “CRA“) recently released the application form that a non-resident employer… – Continue reading

IRS: Banks Get More Time to Certify Accounts Under FATCA

Jan. 19 — Foreign financial institutions will have more time to certify whether their pre-existing accounts are owned by U.S. taxpayers under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, the IRS said in Notice 2016-8. The Jan. 19 notice answers many significant questions raised by taxpayers on compliance with the law…. – Continue reading