Category: Delaware

Rivers seeks support from US senators

(CNS): Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers was in Washington, DC, last week, trying to persuade US Senators and others that Cayman’s financial services industry is well regulated and adhering to tax transparency standards. Picking up from an earlier visit, the minister spoke with American lawmakers about the industry here and… – Continue reading

US imposes reporting rules on Delaware Companies

Revamped rules for Delaware Companies create new reporting obligations for owners and eliminate any vestiges of confidentiality that once made these offshore structures attractive for many property buyers. Effective since the beginning of 2017, Delaware Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) that are wholly owned by a non-resident, now become subject to… – Continue reading

EU Lawmakers Visit IRS, Delaware as Tax Haven Concerns Mount

The European Parliament’s Panama Papers investigative committee is preparing for a “fact-finding” visit with counterparts in the U.S. Congress, as well as officials from the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service. The European Union lawmakers’ four-day U.S. trip, which begins March 21, will include a visit to Delaware for meetings… – Continue reading

Wolf proposal to eliminate Delaware loophole

Creating a fairer tax system is on the state budget agenda again with a proposal from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf to eliminate a business tax loophole. Wolf wants to close the Delaware loophole — a mechanism that allows businesses headquartered in other states to avoid paying taxes on their operations… – Continue reading

Significant Change In CRA Policy Harms Canadian Investors In US LLPs And LLLPs

Earlier this year the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) announced its new administrative position that limited liability partnerships (“LLPs”) and limited liability limited partnerships (“LLLPs”) formed under the laws of Delaware and Florida are properly viewed as corporations for Canadian income tax purposes. It is widely expected that LLPs and LLLPs… – Continue reading

Facebook pays just £4million in tax while lavishing British staff with £165MILLION

Accounts show each of the firm’s 682 workers took home average of £242,000 each in 2015 Facebook lavished £165million on its UK staff last year, while handing the taxpayer just £4million. Accounts show each of the firm’s 682 workers took home average of £242,000 each in 2015. The bumper payout… – Continue reading

Tax Havens Impact Canadians Too

Tax havens have become increasingly formidable players in the global economy. With increased globalization and financialization of the global economy, tax havens have become important players in the world economy. According to a report by Tax Justice Network, $21 to $32 trillion is stashed offshore. According to the World Bank, the GDP… – Continue reading

Why Indonesia’s domestic tax haven is a bad idea

In the latest move to revamp the tax system in Indonesia, the government is considering setting up tax haven areas to entice home money that was stashed abroad. The idea was initiated by former finance minister Bambang Brodjonegoro who believed that the distinct region could facilitate the investment of funds… – Continue reading

«Delaware» Crackdown: All Bark and No Bite?

The U.S. has used judicial might to successfully pursue offshore tax cheats all over the world. A little-noticed new rule introduced by Barack Obama’s administration gets tough on U.S. states such as Delaware and Nevada, which are notorious for murky shelters often used for illicit purposes. But there is a… – Continue reading

Practically Untouchable: Going Offshore Still Has Benefits

THE RECENT LEAK of millions of documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca served as a reminder of what wealthy Americans should already know: Hiding assets offshore can be risky and hiding them from Uncle Sam is a crime. Yet law-abiding folks continue to stash money offshore for reasons that… – Continue reading

Tax havens accuse US of ‘hypocrisy’ over tax avoidance

A group of tax havens have accused larger countries like the United States of “hypocrisy” when it comes to cracking down on tax avoidance. With the issue of offshore finance high on the agenda in light of the fall out from the so-called Panama Papers scandal, world leaders convened in… – Continue reading

US should be added to tax haven blacklist, says EU report

Tensions between the EU and the US over tax follow investigations into Apple in Ireland The US should be added to a new European blacklist of tax havens being drawn up by the European Commission, according to a report commissioned by the Green group in the European Parliament. The report,… – Continue reading

Governor of U.S Tax Haven Delaware Launches Blockchain Initiative

Governor Jack Markell will extend Delaware’s hospitality (home to more corporations than people) to Blockchain firms. Speaking at the Bitcoin community’s event in New York, Consensus 2016, Democratic Governor Jack Markell announced an initiative by the U.S State of Delaware to embrace the blockchain industry. His plan is to provide… – Continue reading

Why We Should Be Really Worried About the Panama Papers

History shows us that tax evasion can have terrible effects, from economic inequality to societal collapse. In a world seemingly inured to financial scandals, the Panama Papers leak has reminded us of their capacity to shock. This huge document dump, which has revealed thousands of offshore accounts held in the… – Continue reading

Once A Tax Haven, Gibraltar Now Says It’s Low-Tax

Gibraltar, a tiny British territory at Europe’s southern tip, is famous for its geography — a huge limestone rock — that appears on the Prudential logo. It’s a global center for offshore banking, with the trappings of wealth to prove it: Luxury high-rises tower over super yachts in Gibraltar’s marina. The… – Continue reading

Apple, Microsoft among top 50 U.S. corporations using offshore tax havens

Less than two weeks after publication of the Panama Papers, a year-long investigation by hundreds of news organizations around the world, including the Star, cast a bright light on the world of offshore tax havens, a new report from Oxfam reveals how much money the 50 largest U.S. corporations have… – Continue reading

EU threatens sanctions on money laundering, tax evasion havens

BERLIN – A European Union official threatened Thursday to sanction Panama and other nations if they don’t cooperate fully to fight money laundering and tax evasion, after a leak of data showed the small country remains a key destination for people wanting to hide money. The 11.5 million documents from… – Continue reading

The biggest loophole of all

Having launched and led the battle against offshore tax evasion, America is now part of the problem DEVIN NUNES raised eyebrows in 2013 when, as chairman of a congressional working group on tax, he urged reforms that would make America “the largest tax haven in human history”. Though he was… – Continue reading

McDonald’s halves its tax bill, back pays $78m

McDonald’s Australia was able to more than halve its tax bill last year after routing payments via the low-tax nation of Singapore. Each year McDonald’s reduces its profit, and thus its local tax bill, by paying McDonald’s Asia Pacific based in Singapore, and registered in Delaware, a “service fee” amounting… – Continue reading

Cayman copies US tax haven’s limited liability law

Cayman Islands has introduced limited liability company (LLC) legislation that combines the key features of a company and a partnership, intended to increase the structuring options for US investment funds. US clients have reportedly been requesting this legislative development for some time to provide a better match with the Delaware… – Continue reading

Expat eyes drift offshore

Offshore Financial Centres (OFCs) are jurisdictions, usually self-governing, which because of their low tax regimes, have specialized in providing commercial services to corporations and individuals, whether or not they are normally resident in that jurisdiction. The better-known offshore financial centres are small and sparsely populated countries or islands, and are… – Continue reading

Dispelling offshore myths

Although the British Virgin Islands is often seen as an offshore tax haven, a closer look shows such opinions may be overstated There is a stereotypical image of the so-called ‘tax haven’ for ‘shady people to put their money’. While it is true that BVI Finance enjoys warm, sunny weather… – Continue reading

How Microsoft moves profits offshore to cut tax bill

SEATTLE — When someone in Seattle buys a copy of Office at a Microsoft Store, that cash doesn’t take the short route to the company’s area headquarters. Instead, after accounting for state taxes, the profit goes to a Microsoft sales subsidiary in Nevada. From there, much of that money begins… – Continue reading

A special relationship

Each year the elected leaders of Britain’s overseas territories (OTs) gather from around the world to meet with British Ministers in London. Their objective is to discuss the continuing partnership with the UK, to establish priorities and to try to resolve differences. For the most part the issues covered at… – Continue reading

How Microsoft moves profits offshore to cut its tax bill

Cash doesn’t flow directly from buyers’ pockets to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Instead, the company operates through three regional sales units, centered in Ireland, Singapore and Puerto Rico. These groups control the rights to profit from Microsoft products around the world. By conducting sales from places with small populations… – Continue reading

Worldwide: A Guide To The Top 20 Offshore Fund Locations

There are a variety of benefits to moving offshore, yet few would argue the assertion that tax neutrality is paramount among them. As anyone familiar with the phrase “tax haven” would surely recognize, many countries offer strongly favorable tax terms as an incentive to draw new business. Written by CT… – Continue reading

Offshore Industry Tipped for Growth, Driven by Demand from Emerging Markets, According to OIL Offshore 2020 Report

HONG KONG, Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire — Demand for asset protection, wealth planning and funds by high net worth individuals in Asian countries will drive continued growth in the offshore industry, according to OIL’s sixth “Offshore 2020” annual market research study. OIL, the leader in international incorporations and corporate services… – Continue reading

United States Ranks Third Among Tax Havens For Foreign Companies On Financial Secrecy Index By Tax Justice Network

Tax Justice Network’s biannual Financial Secrecy Index revealed United States as one of the tax havens for foreign businesses despite its Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). The Huffington Post noted Nov. 2 that the US landed the third spot behind Hong Kong and Switzerland as the tax havens for… – Continue reading

Hong Kong: Offshore Industry Tipped For Growth, Driven By Demand From Emerging Markets, According To Leading Offshore Survey

Greater China, Southeast Asia Seen as Global Leaders in Use of Offshore Vehicles, Drawn by Efficiency & Legal Frameworks Key Highlights: OIL’s sixth annual survey shows: The offshore industry will be a leaner, more resilient and confident member of the global economy by 2020, driven by demand from increasing numbers… – Continue reading

Chevron’s Bermuda companies under scrutiny

Bermuda has been in the spotlight in Australia as senators examine the tax affairs of big business. An Australian senate committee set up to look at the tax affairs of major companies heard that oil giants Chevron had 200 companies registered in Bermuda and a further 200 registered in the… – Continue reading

Why incorporate a startup in the British Virgin Islands?

As the founder of a startup company, one of the first questions you need to consider is “where should I incorporate my company?” Investors are drawn to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for its flexible and modern corporate regime, tax neutrality, respected legal system, political stability and effective regulatory framework…. – Continue reading

Chevron hits out at ‘tax dodger’ claims at fiery Senate inquiry

Chevron, the US oil giant behind Australia’s biggest liquefied natural gas project, has been hit with claims its tax affairs are a “rort”. We have spent a year trying to find Australia’s biggest tax dodger and we’ve found it. It’s Chevron. Sam Dastyari But the company insists it is the… – Continue reading

UK: Common Reporting Standards: The Governments Want Even More Information– Is It Just Another Form Or Something More Sinister?

Some time ago we wrote an article on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (‘FATCA’) which says that although the FATCA tentacles are fairly intrusive, at the end of the day, it represents just another form for tax payers to complete. Rather to my surprise this article elicited a threat… – Continue reading

As It Turns Out, Every Country Is A Tax Haven

While the United States works to get tax dollars from corporations hiding assets elsewhere, they offer the same opportunity in U.S. states to businesses from other countries. To some, “tax haven’’ is a dirty word, describing as it does a place where wealthy people and large corporations can hide assets… – Continue reading

New Zealand: Foreign Trusts and Cross-Border Planning for Individuals

The New Zealand foreign trust regime – its use in international wealth planning The New Zealand “foreign trust” regime came into being over 25 years ago. It arose from a domestic initiative to make the use of offshore trusts for tax minimisation more difficult for New Zealand residents, by imposing… – Continue reading

Commentary: In face of ‘tax haven’ attack, CARICOM must unite

No member state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ranks among the top 20 jurisdictions worldwide for financial secrecy. The United States of America (at number 3), Germany (8), Japan (12) and Britain (15), all rate as bigger tax havens than any CARICOM jurisdiction, according to the Tax Justice Network (TJN),… – Continue reading

In face of ‘tax haven’ attack, CARICOM must unite | Sir Ronald Sanders

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Friday November 6, 2015 – No member state of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ranks among the top 20 jurisdictions worldwide for financial secrecy. The United States of America (at number 3), Germany (8), Japan (12) and Britain (15), all rate as bigger tax havens than any CARICOM… – Continue reading

US overtakes Caymans and Singapore as haven for assets of super-rich

The US has overtaken Singapore, Luxembourg and the Cayman Islands as an attractive haven for super-rich individuals and businesses looking to shelter assets behind a veil of secrecy, according to a study by the Tax Justice Network (TJN), reports The Guardian. The US is ranked third, behind Switzerland and Hong… – Continue reading

Financial transparency poor in Switzerland, Hong Kong, U.S., study says

TORONTO, Nov 2 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Switzerland, Hong Kong and the United States have the world’s worst records on combating financial secrecy that allows the wealthy to dodge taxes or hide their money, according to a study released on Monday. Most countries’ secrecy score improved in recent years as… – Continue reading

Brazilian wealth seeks Cayman deals in complex environment

(CNS Business): The use of Cayman Islands funds as a wealth management tool for high net worth Latin American families was debated last week at the STEP LatAm Conference in Brazil, where kidnapping is a constant worry for the wealthy and demand for outbound investments is fuelled by privacy and… – Continue reading

Art Collectors Find Safe Harbor in Delaware’s Tax Laws

NEWARK, Del. — It may not summon up a sense of international intrigue like Geneva or Luxembourg, but this small city, just off the Interstate and down the road from Wilmington, can now boast that it has joined those more glamorous locales as a tax haven for art collectors. Fritz… – Continue reading

Chevron loses long-running battle with ATO, faces multimillion-dollar tax bill

Multinational oil giant Chevron has been hit with a tax bill of about $300 million after losing a landmark profit-shifting case that could have global implications for the way tax is assessed. The Australian Tax Office’s case in the Federal Court case has been closely watched by the tax and… – Continue reading

How a company worth billions pays pennies on a million for tax

The company that is not a taxi company, which has drivers that are not taxi drivers, who carry people around that are not clients, Uber, is not only killing the taxi business, it is also avoiding paying taxes. The company uses a trick known as “the double-Dutch.” It is perfectly… – Continue reading

Revealed: How foreign buyers have bought £100bn of London property in six years

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

CLINTON LIBRARY FUNDED BY OFFSHORE TAX HAVEN

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

Sunlight is the best way to disinfect corporate tax havens

Tax havens are by design secretive and opaque. The entire point of their existence is to conceal the wealth hidden within them. And a new book by Gabriel Zucman, The Hidden Wealth of Nations: The Scourge of Tax Havens, reveals, as never before, the extent of their role in the… – Continue reading

“Delaware LLCs and UK Entity Classification: The Fallout From the Curious Case of George Anson”

Fundamental to any developed tax policy is knowing who the taxpayer is (or should be) with respect to any particular transaction. Although that can be relatively straightforward in purely domestic situations, a cross-border dimension can present different answers to this question in the jurisdictions involved and lead to issues over… – Continue reading

HMRC approach to double taxation relief and US companies mostly unchanged after Supreme Court decision

The UK’s tax treatment of US limited liability companies (LLCs) will remain mostly unchanged despite a recent Supreme Court decision in favour of the taxpayer, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.25 Sep 2015 HMRC said that the decision of the UK’s highest court in favour of George Anson, a… – Continue reading