While Congress has been obsessing about tax inversions, it turns out another—potentially more important–tax avoidance technique is getting increased attention from the business community: Spinning off tangible assets into Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). If these deals become widespread, they’d be another nail in the coffin of the corporate income… – Continue reading
Dear Reader, This is a really timely question. Renting vacation homes, or even a part of your primary residence, is becoming more common thanks to a variety of online sites that make it easy to market property and attract renters. The pluses are obvious. Not only can a vacation home… – Continue reading
MONTREAL — Changing a liquidator and the tax consequences of owning two properties were among the topics raised in the latest batch of reader questions. Here’s what they wanted to know. Q: “My father recently passed away. He named a financial institution as co-liquidator but they tell me their fee… – Continue reading
Tax avoidance, the American way. Little Rock, Arkansas-based telco Windstream has caused a stir by announcing a novel scheme to reduce the amount of federal taxes it has to pay. It intends to spin off certain network assets into a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT). In so doing,… – Continue reading
Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance is focusing on real estate as a key area of taxation, writes our sister paper Commercial Times. From August, the ministry will strive to eliminate cases where properties are sold separately to individuals from a parcel of land that belongs to a single person, understood to… – Continue reading
THE Ministry of Finance and Planning has given an assurance that it will withdraw some of the measures proposed in the Tax Collection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and the Tax Penalties (Harmonisation) Act which are aimed at facilitating increased tax revenues. In response to growing opposition over one of the most… – Continue reading
Taiwan’s Ministry of Finance is focusing on real estate as a key area of taxation, writes our sister paper Commercial Times. From August, the ministry will strive to eliminate cases where properties are sold separately to individuals from a parcel of land that belongs to a single person, understood to… – Continue reading
BOSTON (CBS) – The real estate market has been busy this year. And if you sold your house this spring or have it on the market you may get a tax break when you sell your home. If your home has been your primary residence for two of the last… – Continue reading
The county Department of Finance is taking a dim view of a proposal by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille to give some homeowners a bigger tax break on their primary residence. Wille, at a meeting Monday of the Real Property Tax Stakeholder’s Task Force, said she wanted to increase the base… – Continue reading
On June 30, the United States and Israel signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) regarding FAT CA. FAT CA became effective in the US and other countries on July 1 and will officially take effect in Israel once the Knesset passes enabling legislation. But the Bank of Israel has already instructed… – Continue reading
Commissioners have yet to decide how much will be exempt from the tax. Officials in Lower Macungie for months have talked about their desire to give a break to people who pay taxes on residential properties. It’s looking more likely that will happen in 2015. Township commissioners last week continued… – Continue reading
Canada Revenue Agency says Metlege collected $110,077 in HST from tenants, but didn’t report it One of the most prominent commercial developers in Halifax has been fined $82,544 for income tax evasion. Anthony Joseph Metlege, also known as Tony Metlege Jr., was issued the fine Thursday in Halifax Provincial Court… – Continue reading
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Charleston County has hired an outside company to help it track down tax dodgers. The Post and Courier of Charleston reports (http://bit.ly/1nNzgzG ) that officials think hundreds of millions of dollars of property in the county may be undertaxed. That’s because some people may be claiming… – Continue reading
The taxman has doubled collections from property developers and landlords in the fiscal year ended June 30, as efforts targeting the sector’s tax avoidance yield result. The Kenya Revenue Authority yesterday said it has collected Sh2.1 billion from the sector from Sh1 billion in the previous year. KRA had accused… – Continue reading
As per the estimates, in last six months Rs.150 crore of value added tax was evaded by giving wrong declaration in imports only on JNPT port Trade circles have alleged a surge in tax evasion by importers of vegetable oils. According to an official from the Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA),… – Continue reading
British expats living in Spain will have to be on their toes to keep up with the new Spanish tax rules There are a number of changes afoot which could trip you up faster than a flamenco dance. These include: · A new double tax treaty · New disclosure rules… – Continue reading
To energise capital markets, the government today proposed a slew of measures, including tax benefits and easier regulations for foreign investors and corporate bonds besides creating a new instrument Bharat Depository Receipts, helping BSE benchmark Sensex to jump 434 points. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely in his maiden budget also annouced… – Continue reading
Property-buyers and expats in Spain should note that a new Double Taxation Convention between the UK and Spain, which was signed in London on 14th March 2013, came into force in June 2014. Richard Way, Editor of www.OverseasGuidesCompany.com, publishers of www.SpainBuyingGuide.com said: “From June 12th, rules for withholding tax on… – Continue reading
South Carolina property owners who rent their homes to vacationers will face more tax-related scrutiny under one new state law, but some could see big tax savings under another new law. The impacts will mostly play out in beach communities where such rental properties are plentiful. The added scrutiny, which… – Continue reading
Minister of Finance Hany Dimian said introducing amendments to some provisions of the tax law on individual’s annual income allow inserting articles to combat tax evasion. The Minister added that this comes within the reform package adopted by his ministry to address the new budget deficit. These amendments, President Abdel… – Continue reading
Players say it amounts to double taxation, prompts companies to refrain from giving dividends As foreign investors once again bet on India ‘story’, stock markets in the country are on a high. They are not running out of steam as predicted by many, but gaining strength by the day. Every… – Continue reading
The federal first-time homebuyer tax credit programs expired near the end of 2011, but there is still tax help out there depending on the state or county where you live. For example, states such as Delaware, Texas, Kentucky and many more states have local homebuyer tax credit programs that you can take advantage of. Other… – Continue reading
An oldie-but-goodie tax strategy is back in the limelight thanks to the Clintons’ much-publicized attempts to soften the blow of estate and gift taxes. The qualified personal residence trust is back. Bill and Hillary Clinton are making headlines for their use of the qualified personal residence trust or QPRT —… – Continue reading
Q. I have lived in my house for 30-plus years. I have been told that if I sell it for more than I paid for it, I will have to pay capital gains tax on the difference between what I paid for it and what I sell it for. Others… – Continue reading
ANYONE with a second residence or holiday home in Co Donegal who has not paid the taxes due on it now have an outstanding bill of €4,220. This amount, accrued from 2009-2013, will rise however to a whopping €7,230 on September 1, 2014. Donegal County Council said it is “actively… – Continue reading
This year, Park City primary residence owners will have to pay $18 more per $500,000 of assessed valuation in property taxes. That is because the Park City School District has imposed a one-time judgment levy to make up for the $760,000 it will have to refund to taxpayers after the… – Continue reading
With regard to business operations, a resident of one country (e.g., Panamanian company) may be taxed in the other country (e.g., Israel) if it has a “permanent establishment” (PE) in the other country. Panama is famous for its canal, colorful history and cool offshore tax regime. To that we can… – Continue reading
As property values around the country continue to recover, many families now list their primary residence and vacation homes among their most valuable assets. As such, these homes may be excellent candidates for beneficial estate planning techniques. One of the more straightforward of these techniques is the use of a… – Continue reading
The Dutch public prosecution department is investigating hundreds of transactions in which residents of other EU countries have used the Netherlands to avoid paying tax, the Financieele Dagblad says on Tuesday. The Financieele Dagblad bases its claims on confidential legal documents and an interview with a main suspect – a Dutch… – Continue reading
Measures to block abuse of ‘transfer of rights’ rules expected to bring in more than £160m, taxman says. Measures to block abuse of ‘transfer of rights’ rules expected to bring in more than £160m, taxman says. The High Court has rejected an attempt to bring a judicial review to challenge… – Continue reading
While the UK government continues its battle against tax evasion and tax avoidance, the authorities have received welcome support from the High Court with a ruling backing last year’s bid to stop investors avoiding stamp duty. In simple terms, savvy investors were transferring ownership of property to an offshore company… – Continue reading
Following the ratification of the double tax treaty (“DTT”) between Cyprus and Spain on March 22nd, the new treaty will come into force three months after the exchange of official notifications and upon completion of the official exchange of the ratified documents between the governments of Spain and Cyprus. Accordingly,… – Continue reading
At present, it is unclear how the rules surrounding Private Residence relief (PPR) will exempt individuals from these new CGT rules. In his 2013 Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne announced an important change to the UK tax system – namely, the extension of capital gains tax (CGT) to non-residents selling their… – Continue reading
The best way to deal with B.C.’s socially and economically harmful Property Transfer Tax would be to scrap it. However, the B.C. Chamber of Commerce is promoting a second-best solution that has a far better chance of winning support from provincial politicians hooked on spending our money. The Chamber’s approach,… – Continue reading
The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has voiced concern over the proposed withdrawal of the principal residence election for all taxpayers. The authority has responded to HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) plans to extend capital gains tax (CGT) to non-residents in certain circumstances, and fears the proposal could have a significant… – Continue reading
Residential property owners need to be aware of some proposed changes, which will have a significant impact on their CGT liabilities. Final period exemption reduced If a property has, at any point, qualified as an individual’s main residence then the final 36 months would have been covered by relief from… – Continue reading
Puerto Rico’s tax incentive acts are tailor-made for traders, investors, investment managers and financial institutions. Enacted in 2012, Puerto Rico’s Act 22 allows investors and traders with bona fide residence in Puerto Rico to exclude 100% of all short-term and long-term capital gains from the sale of personal property accrued… – Continue reading
The tax man is focussing more on raising money from landlords – but with the latest government figures showing up to half of buy to let landlords live overseas, what are their tax options? HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) likes property investors because houses, land and commercial buildings are stuck… – Continue reading
Significant CGT changes affecting UK residents hidden in government plans to tax non residents. In responding to HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC’s) plans to extend capital gains tax (CGT) to non-residents in certain circumstances, the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has voiced concern over the proposed withdrawal of the principal… – Continue reading
Given the proximity of Canada to the U.S., it is not surprising that many Canadians own real estate south of the border. Some, especially those who are retired snowbirds, also spend a good part of the year in the U.S. It is important to understand what the tax implications are… – Continue reading
Offshore companies can not acquire and have ownership of agricultural land in Bulgaria, according to the latest amendments to the Agricultural Land Ownership and Use Act. The changes to the Agriculture Land Act were passed on second reading, Thursday, Bulgarian BTV reports. The restriction applies to joint-stock companies that have issued bearer shares, as well…. – Continue reading
Offshore finance companies are offering a way around strict new low-deposit mortgage rules, and documents obtained by 3 News reveal the Reserve Bank is keeping a close eye on it. The International Monetary Fund today warned the Auckland housing market is one of the biggest risks to our economy. Low-deposit… – Continue reading
Drowning in a sea of new financial regulations, and with IRS audits on the rise, some American citizens in Israel say they are weighing expatriation. That won’t work Tax attorney JoAnne Adlerstein has received some unusual phone calls of late. They’re from American clients living in Israel who are thinking… – Continue reading
THE PENSIONS INDUSTRY may have been caught on the hop with George Osborne’s unexpected upheaval of the regime, but tax advisers didn’t get away scot-free. While Budgets have been more benign under the coalition government, advisers were caught out with revisions to the taxing of properties purchased within corporate wrappers. The… – Continue reading
LONDON — They are the most expensive and luxurious flats in the whole of London. Their ultramodern bay windows offer an unobstructed view onto Hyde Park. An underground corridor connects them to the Mandarin Oriental, the palace where Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal has one of his prized restaurants. In total, the… – Continue reading
Look before you leap out of Israeli residence. Israel now has tax rates below the OECD average and no estate or inheritance tax. Israeli residents relocate abroad for a variety of reasons, sometimes business, sometimes personal. If the relocation is for a short period, they will typically claim various expense… – Continue reading
As of January 1st 2014, Cyprus entered into five new Double Tax Treaties (DTT’s) with Estonia, Finland, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine expanding its already rich list of DTTs. All the agreements aim to avoid double taxation between the mentioned countries and follow the OECD conventional model on income and capital. The… – Continue reading
New anti-avoidance legislation introduced by HMRC aimed at combating perceived tax evasion in partnerships (including LLPs) takes effect on 6 April 2014. Many property owners could be caught out by these new rules. Including a company in a partnership has become an increasingly popular structure for holding properties, which is… – Continue reading
Recent news stories, past reports and current anecdotal evidence suggest the flight of capital from Nigeria is reaching epidemic proportions. Nigeria is fast becoming a net exporter of students, patients and financial capital. Last week, news about Nigerian millionaires, the freezing of stolen assets, the flying habits of wealthy Nigerians… – Continue reading
SOUTH Africans who have in recent years bought holiday pads in Mauritius, typically with price tags exceeding R10m, have been handsomely rewarded on the capital growth front. While most of the world’s housing markets are still recovering from the credit crisis-induced property slump, average prices in integrated resort scheme developments… – Continue reading
