Category: Australian Taxation Office
Int’l task force sees success in cracking down on tax crimes
The tax crime-fighting group including the Australian Taxation Office (ATO, the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), the Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) from the U.K. and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) from the U.S sees a silver lining regarding its purpose. ... - Continue reading
ATO cracks down on crypto tax dodgers
A '28 days' countdown' starts for taxpayers to clarify their information on cryptocurrency. ... - Continue reading
$10bn tax bill for resources
The Australian Taxation Office releases data on the top 10 corporate taxpayers in Australia. ... - Continue reading
Google to pay A$481.5m in major win for Australian Tax Office
Search engine giant’s settlement brings to A$1.25bn the amount collected from ecommerce players ... - Continue reading
ATO data reveals one third of large companies pay no tax
Of 2,214 entities covered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data for 2017-18, 710 did not pay any tax. ... - Continue reading
Australia: Simplified Transfer Pricing Record Keeping Options In Australia
Australian entities that meet certain requirements can shortcut the usual lengthy and expensive transfer pricing record keeping process. ... - Continue reading
Australians owe record levels of tax: commissioner
Australians are avoiding their tax responsibilities in record numbers. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) announced at a Senates Estimates hearing that the debt owed by Australians to the tax man has recently hit 45 billion Australian dollars (31 billion U.S. dollars), a record figure, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation… – Continue reading
Australian tax office advises on transfer pricing for offshore drilling
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on September 27 set out its approach to analyzing transfer pricing issues associated with the use in Australian waters of non-resident owned mobile offshore drilling units such as drill-ships, drilling rigs (including but not limited to submersibles, semi-submersible and jack-up rigs), pipe-laying vessels, and heavy-lift vessels. ... - Continue reading
Australia: Glencore’s ‘big win’ for taxpayers on transfer pricing
The Federal Court of Australia on 3 September issued its much-anticipated judgement Glencore Investment Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia [2019] FCA 1432, herein referred to as the Glencore decision. ... - Continue reading
CRS reveals Australians holding $100bn in offshore accounts: reports
Australians are holding more than $100bn in undisclosed offshore accounts, according to new taxation office data collected under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), British newspaper the Guardian has reported. ... - Continue reading
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
Tax cheats no longer safe from Australian Taxation Office
The good old days of buying and acquiring cryptocurrency without having to worry about government intervention have come to an end. This is the case in Australia, where cryptocurrency investors will likely soon receive a letter from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) informing them that they owe back taxes on… – Continue reading
Australian tax agency to crack down on lawyers protecting tax-evading clients
CANBERRA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) — Australia’s tax collector has announced a crackdown on lawyers who misuse legal privilege to protect their clients. In a post on its website, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) said it was preparing to launch “range of (legal) cases in the short to medium term” against… – Continue reading
Australian corporate tax takes up 20 percent: data
CANBERRA, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — The amount of tax paid by Australia’s biggest companies has risen 20 percent in a single year, data has revealed. According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) ‘s corporate tax data for financial year 2016-17, which was released on Thursday, the nation’s 1,470 biggest companies… – Continue reading
Tax Avoidance Taskforce helps net $5.6 billion in first two years
The more detailed scrutiny of the tax affairs of multinationals, large corporations and wealthy individuals, made possible by the formation of the Tax Avoidance Taskforce, has collected $5.6 billion in extra tax in just two years. Deputy Commissioner Mark Konza said “the $679.9 million the Government funded the ATO for… – Continue reading
Don’t make extra income a tax time headache
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is increasing its efforts to identify taxpayers who fail to report all their income this tax time, as it strives to recover an annual tax shortfall of nearly $1.4 billion caused by individuals who leave income out of their return. “Tax lost from under-reported income… – Continue reading
Australia to Fight Crypto Tax Avoidance with Bilateral Data Sharing
Australian Tax Authority will use bilateral data sharing agreements to collect taxes on cryptocurrency income. The Australian Tax Authority (ATO) will seek international cooperation to tackle hiding of cryptocurrency income, ATO acting deputy commissioner Martin Jacobs told local media on Friday. This year Australian traders must file tax declarations about… – Continue reading
Australia: Experts Say Tax Office on ‘Warpath’ Against Crypto Investors
Australian tax experts have confirmed that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is cracking down on cryptocurrency investors this year, local news outlet The New Daily reports Friday, June 15. The ATO had said in early March that they would be using a combination of data matching and “100-point identification checks”… – 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
Australia Provides Update On International Tax Enforcement
In comments to the TPMinds International Conference in late March, Deputy Commissioner Mark Konza outlined the Australia Taxation Office’s priorities in the area of international tax enforcement, with an especial focus to be placed on the energy and resources sector and pharmaceutical industry. His comments, published by the ATO on… – Continue reading
Decade in jail for Australia’s biggest tax fraud
A former Gold Coast property developer has been jailed for more than a decade in the largest prosecuted tax fraud case in Australia’s history. Glitter Strip businessman Michael Issakidis was sentenced to 10 years and three months in prison by the Supreme Court of New South Wales for his involvement… – Continue reading
Australian Tax Office Seeks Input On Cryptocurrency Tax Obligations
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has launched a community consultation to seek feedback on practical compliance issues arising from complying with taxation obligations in relation to cryptocurrency transactions. On March 13, the ATO updated its web guidance tax treatment of cryptocurrencies to address some of the common enquiries in relation… – Continue reading
Australia Warns Of Bitcoin Tax Scam
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has warned taxpayers to beware of scammers demanding Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency as a form of payment for fake tax debts. Assistant Commissioner Kath Anderson said that the ATO became aware of scammers seeking payment in Bitcoin in late 2017, with over AUD50,000 (USD38,974) paid… – Continue reading
Australia Announces Upcoming Guidance On Int’l Tax Matters
The Australian Tax Office has updated and added to its list of the guidance on international tax matters it intends to release this year. This month, the ATO intends to release a guide on corporate residency – central management and control in Australia [reference code 3838], to provide the ATO’s… – 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
Top 10 tax developments 2017
Calendar 2017 saw significant advances in the Australian Tax Office armoury, both through Court wins and new or pending legislation. The Tax Commissioner openly now claims the upper hand in corporate and multi-national tax compliance. The Senate seems almost becalmed!? This note outlines our selection of 10 key things that… – Continue reading
Australia Extends CbC Reporting Deadline
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has extended until February 15, 2018, the deadline for “significant global entities” to file their country-by-country (CbC) reports. The extension applies to entities that are December and January balancers filing for the first time. The extension also applies to the filing of local and master… – Continue reading
ATO’s tax gap figures revealed: $2.5 billion missing from corporates, multinationals
An estimated $3.5 billion in revenue from large corporates and multinationals is at risk to the economy, but through audit activity this will reduce to $2.5 billion, according to the Australian Taxation Office. On Wednesday the agency is releasing the first tranche of its long-awaited highly anticipated “tax gap” figures,… – Continue reading
BHP willing to head to court against ATO tax bill
BHP is willing to head to court to fight the Australian Taxation Office on a more than $1 billion tax bill over its Singapore marketing hub. The world’s largest miner has continually defended its Singapore marketing hub, where it is accused of routing profits, and says it is confident of… – Continue reading
Microsoft Reaches Tax Agreement with Australia
Microsoft says iicrosoft says it has settled an Australian tax audit, a deal that follows criticism of the company’s practice of lowering its local tax payments by routing sales made to Australian customers through Singapore. The settlement was disclosed by Daniel Goff, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of worldwide taxes, in… – Continue reading
Australia warns multinationals over tax as Chevron drops appeal
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – US oil and gas major Chevron has withdrawn its High Court appeal over a A$340-million bill from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The withdrawal means that the Full Federal Court decision of April is now final. The company in May turned to the High Court after a… – Continue reading
Company-tax cuts make trusts more attractive as tax minimisation strategy – experts
An ATO ruling is being interpreted as allowing ‘bucket companies’ linked to trusts to be eligible for lower tax rate The federal government’s company-tax reforms are making the use of family trusts even more attractive as a tax minimising strategy, experts have warned. The Coalition’s company tax rate cut from… – Continue reading
ATO’s finance ruling puts companies the ‘red zone’
The Australian Tax Office is preparing to take several companies to court over abuse of thin capitalisation rules and will start a wave of audits of large multinationals with complex cross-border loans, as it continues to take a hardline approach in the wake of its win against Chevron. The ATO… – Continue reading
Family trusts could be eligible for ‘mind-boggling’ tax cut
The Australian Tax Office has tweaked its view about whether companies linked to family trusts are eligible for tax relief, but industry veterans say the situation remains “utterly confused” and “mind-boggling”. A new statement on the ATO website says companies will be eligible for the lower 27.5 per cent rate… – Continue reading
Australia Changes Tax Stance on Employee Share Schemes
The Australian Taxation Office has reversed its stance on the tax treatment of trustee dividend-equivalent payments to participants in employee share schemes. The ATO’s June 8 draft guidance, Draft determination TD 2017/D2, deals with circumstances in which an employer establishes a trust to provide shares to employees under an employee… – Continue reading
Memo to: real estate vendors – if the sale price is $750,000 or more you need a Tax Clearance Certificate for settlement
In Federal Budget 2017, the Government is clamping down on tax avoidance by foreign investors in real estate, by tightening the foreign resident capital gains tax withholding regime. The new laws apply to both Australian resident and foreign resident vendors: Australian resident vendors of real property of $750,000 or more… – Continue reading
Ending secret identities is the ‘new frontier’ in fighting tax evasion: OECD’s head of tax Pascal Saint-Amans
Revealing the secret identifies behind shell companies and opaque trusts is the “new frontier” in fighting tax evasion, says the OECD’s head of tax Pascal Saint-Amans. In an exclusive interview with Fairfax Media, Mr Saint-Amans also spoke about the Turnbull government’s tougher domestic laws aimed at cracking down on multinational… – Continue reading
BHP Billiton defends its Singapore marketing hub, says tax dispute is not about ‘tax avoidance’
BHP has defended its Singapore marketing hub, where it is accused of routing profits, and says it is confident of its position in a $1 billion dispute with the Australian Taxation Office over the amount of taxes payable on the sale of Australian commodities to its Singapore marketing business. BHP’s… – Continue reading
Australian Budget Targets Housing, Tax Compliance
Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison’s 2017 Budget focused on measures to cool the housing market and crack down on tax avoidance. Morrison handed down the Budget on May 9. He said the the budget would return to a surplus in 2020-21 and remain in surplus over the medium term. The Budget… – Continue reading
Budget 2017: “Black economy”, multinationals in spotlight as government focuses on tax integrity
The federal government has pledged to create more fairness for businesses and “level the playing field” through a series of budget measures directed at tackling Australia’s so-called “black economy”. The government gave its “black economy taskforce” the job of investigating how individuals and businesses use cash payments in December 2016,… – Continue reading
Facebook, Google paying more local tax in Australia after tax avoidance crackdown: officials
Multinational companies are now paying tax based on their Australian profits instead of shifting income to low-tax countries, officials say. CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA—Facebook, Google and other multinational companies are now paying tax in Australia based on their Australian profits instead of shifting income to low-tax countries since the government cracked down… – Continue reading
