Apple Inc. is pushing back against an European tax investigation that could force the iPhone maker to pay more than $8 billion in back taxes. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook met with the European Commission’s antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager in Brussels on Thursday to press the company’s case. After the… – Continue reading
As from 1 January 2016, new rules have become effective in the Netherlands that require multinational enterprises (“MNEs“) to comply with new transfer pricing documentation requirements, including the obligation to prepare a Country-by-Country Report (“CbC Report“), a Master File and a Local File. These rules essentially implement Action 13 of… – Continue reading
Best positioned firms will upgrade technology infrastructure Financial institutions across Asia-Pacific are behind the curve when it comes to being prepared for evolving global tax reporting regulations. That’s according to a recent survey by Wolters Kluwer Financial Services and the GRC Institute, which indicates that more than 90% of financial… – Continue reading
Budget to implement some of OECD’s standards on profit-shifting NEW DELHI, JANUARY 21: Large multinational enterprises (MNEs) may be required post-Budget to furnish to Indian tax authorities information on their global incomes and taxes. This move — a fallout of India agreeing to OECD’s Action Plan on Base Erosion and… – Continue reading
The Yomiuri Shimbun Four international organizations will join forces to devise unified global tax rules aimed at preventing tax evasion by multinational companies. The four entities involved are the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The OECD — whose… – Continue reading
THE Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has a new program that offers rewards to individuals who provide precise details about Canadians hiding money or assets offshore and not paying the taxes they owe. It is not illegal to invest money or hold accounts offshore but Canadian residents must report their worldwide… – Continue reading
The IRS believes it is owed millions of dollars from golf clubs taking tax deductions for environmental protections that are not appropriate. The Internal Revenue Service may never be able to get all of the tax dollars it expects from wealthy investors or corporations due to tax loopholes or offshore… – Continue reading
Having companies pay their tax where they make their profits is the best way to resolve unfair tax competition between member states, Competition Commissioner Margarita Vestager said yesterday. She was responding to a European Parliament reporting calling for countries to forfeit tax that the Commission say companies should pay when… – Continue reading
Ireland’s emergence from economic meltdown provides a model for other nations, the Taoiseach has told the World Economic Forum. Enda Kenny also defended his country’s tax arrangements with multinational companies, telling the audience past claims that it was a tax haven for big businesses were without foundation. Mr Kenny took… – Continue reading
We all know that foreigners have been snapping up real estate in the United States for a while, but are they taxed the same way? Since the introduction of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, called FIRPTA, in 1980, Congress has had a way to tax foreigners who… – Continue reading
MUMBAI: In what could lead to an increase in domestic tax liabilities of many Indian conglomerates and multinationals, the government is set to introduce a framework for Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), a global agreement to check tax avoidance by multinationals, in the upcoming Budget. Industry sources expect the… – Continue reading
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
People using trusts to shelter income and thereby avoid tax could be hit with higher bills under a review by the Australian Taxation Office. The agency has told Fairfax Media it is conducting a pilot program to determine whether trusts are complying with tough anti-avoidance rules when they distribute income… – Continue reading
European Union countries will have to introduce rules from 2017 to speed up tax refunds on cross-border investments, part of a drive to improve the working of financial markets and lift economic growth, according to an EU document seen by Reuters. The executive European Commission wants to simplify “withholding tax”… – Continue reading
The Financial Services Council (FSC) is calling for the company tax rate to be cut by eight percentage points to 22 per cent in order to boost growth, investment and employment. The FSC has released a tax reform package, which it said would turn around Australia’s sagging competitiveness and flat… – Continue reading
The American dream can turn into a nightmare for expats wanting to switch their UK pensions to a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS). Thousands of expats cross the Atlantic both ways with London home to Americans in sectors such as finance, entertainment and media, while Florida is a popular… – Continue reading
The proceeds from illegal tax breaks brokered between an EU state and a multinational company, known as clawbacks, should be returned either to the EU budget or to the coffer of other states unfairly deprived of the money, according to MEPs. The idea was endorsed by the European parliament in… – Continue reading
On 1st January 2016, an amendment to the Mutual Legal Assistance (Tax Matters) Act, 2003 came into force which implements the Organisation for Economic Co-Operating and Development (OECD) Common Reporting Standard for the exchange of tax information (CRS) in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Globally this means that participating jurisdictions… – Continue reading
There will be no end to the inequality crisis until world leaders end the era of tax havens, once and for all, according to a report from charity Oxfam. In its report, “An Economy for the 1%”, published ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Oxfam has challenged world… – Continue reading
The change in definition of an Indian resident company under the Income-Tax Act—from one whose affairs are wholly controlled and managed in India to one whose Place of Effective Management (PoEM) is in India—and the subsequent draft guidelines are giving anxious moments to votaries of simplifying the investment climate in… – Continue reading
The government is ready to restrict British expatriates’ tax benefits in a bid to get agreement with the European Union over renegotiating the UK’s terms of membership, according to press reports. The Guardian has reported that expats could be banned from claiming tax credits for up to four years as… – Continue reading
Plans to restrict the generous tax treatment of interest costs — a key aspect of Britain’s business-friendly taxation regime — are unnecessary and potentially damaging, companies have told the Treasury. Professional bodies and business groups are voicing fears about the restrictions that are set to be introduced as part of… – Continue reading
The Financial Services Council has proposed a new tax package calling for company tax to be cut to 22% from its current 30%. The industry body also wants to see “lower, flatter, indexed” income tax rates. The FSC said its tax reform package is designed to “grow the economy and… – Continue reading
The beneficiaries included Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, BP Plc, BASF SE, Proximus SA, Atlas Copco AB, Wabco Holdings, and Celio France SAS. proximus SE This estimate does not include any benefits associated with a successful appeal of the decision, nor does it reflect guidance we expect to receive from the Belgian… – Continue reading
KARACHI: Recently, under the context of the Article IV consultation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a report on Pakistan’s overall economy. The report started on a positive note highlighting the macroeconomic gains made over the past couple of years which included the increase in growth rate from 3.7% in… – Continue reading
PM Narendra Modi also announces a Rs.10,000 crore fund to provide support to innovation driven enterprises New Delhi:In an effort to give a fillip to the start-up ecosystem in the country, the government on Saturday announced its intention to exempt capital gains tax on investments in start-ups and a Rs.10,000… – Continue reading
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), the world’s company by market capitalization, may face more than $8 billion tax bill in connection with the investigation of the European Commission regarding its tax policies, according to Bloomberg. Matt Larson, a litigation analyst Bloomberg Intelligence analyzed the European Commission’s investigation against Apple, which was accused… – Continue reading
European Commission is due to rule on Apple’s tax affairs in March But recent rulings suggest that report is likely to go against tech giant Probe investigating if firm negotiated low tax rate with Irish authorities If taxes are recalculated at higher rate, Apple could end up owing $8bn Apple… – Continue reading
The introduction of government measures to clamp down on tax avoidance could cost the UK development sector as much as £600m, according to a new study Plans to restrict the tax deductibility could harm investment in debt-reliant industries, the British Property Federation (BPF) warned. Despite supporting the initiative, the BPF… – Continue reading
The Netherlands will be at the forefront of efforts to combat multinationals’ tax avoidance, its finance minister has said. The comments come amid a dispute with the European Commission over his country’s tax treatment of Starbucks. The Commission, the EU’s executive arm, will propose a new set of binding rules… – Continue reading
The European Commission has ordered Belgium to recover €700 million from 35 large companies in back taxes in the EU executive’s biggest move yet to crack down on tax avoidance by multinationals. The Commission said Belgium’s “excess profit” tax system, whereby multinationals’ economies of scale can enable them to reduce… – Continue reading
The Netherlands will prioritize action against corporate tax avoidance during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from now until the end of June. In a report detailing its plans for its six-month term, the Dutch Government said: “The Netherlands Presidency will prioritize action against tax evasion and… – Continue reading
UK property companies are seeking changes to the proposed implementation of a global agreement to fight tax avoidance that is set to add £660m to their annual tax bill. Private equity and infrastructure companies are also among those groups facing additional payments under OECD rules on base erosion and profit… – Continue reading
The government of the British Virgin Islands (“BVI“) has amended the Mutual Legal Assistance (Tax Matters) Act, 2003 in order to enact domestic legislation implementing the OECD Common Reporting Standard (“CRS“) which was published on 31 December 2015 (the “BVI CRS Legislation“). It is not currently intended to issue guidance… – Continue reading
Documentary Evidence European Union lawmakers sitting on the TAXE committee investigating corporate tax evasion in Europe say they have become frustrated at changes to their mandate and the unwillingness of the European Commission to hand over documents for their investigation. The matter is all the more personal as Commission President… – Continue reading
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Bloomberg BNA today announced the publication of the Daily Tax Report’s 2016 Outlook on tax and accounting policy. Dozens of policy experts, along with current and former members of Congress, congressional staffers and federal agency officials provided insights on the year ahead regarding… – Continue reading
Professional landlords are using Airbnb and other home-sharing websites to avoid taxes and evade planning laws, according to Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association (BHA) Ibrahim provided evidence to the Business Innovation and Skills committee this week, where he argued that home-sharing websites like Airbnb are made… – Continue reading
Dominican Republic, in January 2016. The Dominican Republic could soon be part of an initiative of the OECD would force financial institutions of the country to exchange information on the accounts of their customers in other countries that are part of this project. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development… – Continue reading
Pakistan can double its tax revenues by concerted efforts to broaden tax bases, strengthening tax compliance, eliminating distortionary tax expenditures, and rationalizing the tax system in an efficient and equitable manner, says a latest study of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The study, Unlocking Pakistan’s Tax Revenue Potential notes, Pakistan’s… – Continue reading
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) yesterday said there was a need to boost the nation’s internally generated revenue through higher consumption tax. The Director-General of LCCI, Mr Muda Yusuf, told newsmen in Lagos that emphasis on tax revenue generation should shift to consumption tax. He suggested that… – Continue reading
Last year Jersey cemented its position as a leading centre for companies looking to list – as reflected in the rise in volume and value of Jersey companies listed on exchanges around the world. Here are some challenges that lie ahead in this jurisdiction over the next 12 months. In… – Continue reading
Reforms to corporate tax rules and fiscal transparency will be pursued by EU policy makers in 2016, the EU’s tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici has said. “We have a serious problem with tax avoidance and lack of transparency. Too many people have looked the other way,” Moscovici said. Moscovici told a… – Continue reading
Information from Reuters has brought to light the fact that five of the biggest banks operating in the UK (and worldwide) paid not a penny in corporation tax in 2014. Efforts to crack down on this kind of corporation tax avoidance have brought together Westminster’s political right and left. Deutsche… – Continue reading
The Ministry of Finance on 21 December 2015 released for public comment a proposal to revise the transfer pricing documentation rules and introduce country-by-country (CbC) reporting. The proposal—released as a draft bill—includes CbC reporting, master file and local file requirements, and penalty provisions, and generally follows the recommendations of the… – Continue reading
Information will feed into relaunch of the revised common consolidated corporate tax base The European Commission has received more than 170 submissions on its proposal for a revised common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) ahead of its re-launch later this year. The closing date for the commission’s three-month public consultation… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI:The Narendra Modi government, which has pledged a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime, is likely to begin a sweeping revamp of direct taxes in the Budget that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present next month. Simplification and rationalisation will be the two themes driving the overhaul, which is aimed… – Continue reading
NEW DELHI:The Narendra Modi government, which has pledged a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime, is likely to begin a sweeping revamp of direct taxes in the Budget that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present next month. Simplification and rationalisation will be the two themes driving the overhaul, which is aimed… – Continue reading
Filippo Noseda has examined the impact of the OCED’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) on trusts at a time when they are under threat in a number of continental European jurisdictions in an article which was first published in Trust Quarterly Review, Volume 13, Issue 3 2015. Filippo concludes that these… – Continue reading
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s base erosion and profit shifting process will not have significant implications on Luxembourg-based companies, Fitch Ratings has said. The agency on January 8 re-affirmed Luxembourg’s AAA rating, with a stable outlook. According to Luxembourg for Finance, the territory’s financial services promotional agency, the… – Continue reading
The BVI has passed legislation to implement the Organisation for Economic Co-Operating and Development (OECD) Common Reporting Standard for the exchange of tax information (CRS). The amendments to the Mutual Legal Assistance (Tax Matters) Act, 2003, which implement CRS in the BVI, will come into force on 1 January 2016…. – Continue reading
