International taxation

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International taxation is the study or determination of tax on a person or business subject to the tax laws of different countries, or the international aspects of an individual country's tax laws as the case may be. Governments usually limit the scope of their income taxation in some manner territorially or provide for offsets to taxation relating to extraterritorial income. The manner of limitation generally takes the form of a territorial, residence-based, or exclusionary system. Some governments have attempted to mitigate the differing limitations of each of these three broad systems by enacting a hybrid system with characteristics of two or more.

Contents

Many governments tax individuals and/or enterprises on income. Such systems of taxation vary widely, and there are no broad general rules. These variations create the potential for double taxation (where the same income is taxed by different countries) and no taxation (where income is not taxed by any country). Income tax systems may impose tax on local income only or on worldwide income. Generally, where worldwide income is taxed, reductions of tax or foreign credits are provided for taxes paid to other jurisdictions. Limits are almost universally imposed on such credits. Multinational corporations usually employ international tax specialists, a specialty among both lawyers and accountants, to decrease their worldwide tax liabilities.

With any system of taxation, it is possible to shift or recharacterize income in a manner that reduces taxation. Jurisdictions often impose rules relating to shifting income among commonly controlled parties, often referred to as transfer pricing rules. Residency-based systems are subject to taxpayer attempts to defer recognition of income through use of related parties. A few jurisdictions impose rules limiting such deferral ("anti-deferral" regimes). Deferral is also specifically authorized by some governments for particular social purposes or other grounds. Agreements among governments (treaties) often attempt to determine who should be entitled to tax what. Most tax treaties provide for at least a skeleton mechanism for resolution of disputes between the parties.

Introduction

Systems of taxation vary among governments, making generalization difficult. Specifics are intended as examples, and relate to particular governments and not broadly recognized multinational rules. Taxes may be levied on varying measures of income, including but not limited to net income under local accounting concepts (in many countries this is referred to as 'profit'), gross receipts, gross margins (sales less costs of sale), or specific categories of receipts less specific categories of reductions. Unless otherwise specified, the term "income" should be read broadly.

Jurisdictions often impose different income-based levies on enterprises than on individuals. Entities are often taxed in a unified manner on all types of income while individuals are taxed in differing manners depending on the nature or source of the income. Many jurisdictions impose tax at both an entity level and at the owner level on one or more types of enterprises. [1] These jurisdictions often rely on the company law of that jurisdiction or other jurisdictions in determining whether an entity's owners are to be taxed directly on the entity income. However, there are notable exceptions, including U.S. rules characterizing entities independently of legal form. [2]

In order to simplify administration or for other agendas, some governments have imposed "deemed" income regimes. These regimes tax some class of taxpayers according to tax system applicable to other taxpayers but based on a deemed level of income, as if received by the taxpayer. Disputes can arise regarding what levy is proper. Procedures for dispute resolution vary widely and enforcement issues are far more complicated in the international arena. The ultimate dispute resolution for a taxpayer is to leave the jurisdiction, taking all property that could be seized. For governments, the ultimate resolution may be confiscation of property, incarceration or dissolution of the entity.

Other major conceptual differences can exist between tax systems. These include, but are not limited to, assessment vs. self-assessment means of determining and collecting tax; methods of imposing sanctions for violation; sanctions unique to international aspects of the system; mechanisms for enforcement and collection of tax; and reporting mechanisms.

Taxation systems

Systems of taxation on personal income
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No income tax on individuals
Territorial
Residence-based
Citizenship-based Individual Taxation Systems.svg
Systems of taxation on personal income
  No income tax on individuals
  Territorial
  Residence-based
  Citizenship-based

Countries that tax income generally use one of two systems: territorial or residence-based. In the territorial system, only local income – income from a source inside the country – is taxed. In the residence-based system, residents of the country are taxed on their worldwide (local and foreign) income, while nonresidents are taxed only on their local income. In addition, a small number of countries also tax the worldwide income of their nonresident citizens in some cases.

Countries with a residence-based system of taxation usually allow deductions or credits for the tax that residents already pay to other countries on their foreign income. Many countries also sign tax treaties with each other to eliminate or reduce double taxation. In the case of corporate income tax, some countries allow an exclusion or deferment of specific items of foreign income from the base of taxation.

Individuals

The following table summarizes the taxation of local and foreign income of individuals, depending on their residence or citizenship in the country. It includes all United Nations member states and observer states, their inhabited dependent territories (most of which have separate tax systems), and other countries with limited recognition. In the table, income includes any type of income received by individuals, such as work or investment income, and yes means that the country taxes at least one of these types.

Country or territoryTaxes local incomeTaxes foreign income ofNotes and sources
residentsnon-resident citizens
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [3] [4]
Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of Brunei.svg  Brunei NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg  Cayman Islands NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [6]
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of the Pitcairn Islands.svg  Pitcairn Islands NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [7]
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of France.svg  Saint Barthélemy NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [8] [Note 1]
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  Saint Kitts and Nevis NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [11]
Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands.svg  Turks and Caicos Islands NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [12]
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [5]
Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [13]
Flag of the Vatican City (2023-present).svg  Vatican City NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [14]
Flag of France.svg  Wallis and Futuna NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [15]
Flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.svg  Western Sahara NoNoNoNo personal income tax. [16]
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea No*No**NoNo tax on income of resident citizens, [17] residence-based taxation of foreigners, territorial taxation of nonresident citizens. [18]
* Except foreigners and nonresident citizens. ** Except foreigners.
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Anguilla.svg  Anguilla YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [19]
Flag of Belize.svg  Belize YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [20]
Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [21] [22]
Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg  Bolivia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [23] [24]
Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg  British Virgin Islands YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Djibouti.svg  Djibouti YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [25]
Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
* Note: In many circumstances, if money is received from abroad, it is considered a Georgian source income and thus subject to taxation. [26]
Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada YesNoNoTerritorial Taxation. [27]
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [28] [29]
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5] [30]
Flag of Macau.svg  Macau YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg  Marshall Islands YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [31]
Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg  Micronesia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [32]
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Nauru.svg  Nauru YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [33]
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Palau.svg  Palau YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [34]
Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [35] [36] [37] [Note 2]
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [38]
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [39]
Flag of Tokelau.svg  Tokelau YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [40]
Flag of Tuvalu.svg  Tuvalu YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [41]
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia YesNoNoTerritorial taxation. [5]
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners. [42]
* Except foreigners.
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners. [43]
* Except foreigners.
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners. [5]
* Except foreigners.
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia Yes*Yes**NoResidence-based taxation of citizens, territorial taxation of foreigners. [5] [Note 3]
* Only from business activities. ** Only from business activities of citizens of GCC countries.
Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg  Abkhazia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [44]
Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Akrotiri and Dhekelia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [45]
Flag of Albania.svg  Albania YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of American Samoa.svg  American Samoa YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [46]
Flag of Andorra.svg  Andorra YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [47]
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Aruba.svg  Aruba YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia (including Flag of Christmas Island.svg  Christmas Island, Flag of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.svg  Cocos Islands and Flag of Norfolk Island.svg  Norfolk Island [48] [49] )YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation. [5] * Except temporary residents.
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [50]
Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Benin.svg  Benin YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [51]
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [52] [53] [Note 4]
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [54]
Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [55]
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Cape Verde.svg  Cape Verde YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  Central African Republic YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [56]
Flag of Chad.svg  Chad YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [57] [58]
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [59]
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Congo YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [60]
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [61]
Flag of Curacao.svg  Curaçao YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Dominica.svg  Dominica YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [62]
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of East Timor.svg  East Timor YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [63]
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [64] [65]
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg  Equatorial Guinea YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg  Falkland Islands YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [66]
Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [67]
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland (including Flag of Aland.svg  Åland [68] )YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except former residents, temporarily. [69]
Flag of France.svg  France (including overseas departments [9] )YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except in Monaco. [9]
Flag of French Polynesia.svg  French Polynesia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [70]
Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [71]
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Gibraltar.svg  Gibraltar YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Greenland.svg  Greenland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [72]
Flag of Guernsey.svg  Guernsey YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [Note 5]
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Guyana.svg  Guyana YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [74] [75]
Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [76]
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of India.svg  India YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Isle of Man.svg  Isle of Man YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except in tax havens. [77]
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation. [5]
* Only citizens and permanent residents.
Flag of Jersey.svg  Jersey YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Kiribati.svg  Kiribati YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [78]
Flag of Kosovo.svg  Kosovo YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Kyrgyzstan (2023).svg  Kyrgyzstan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [79]
Flag of Laos.svg  Laos YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [80]
Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation. [81]
* Only if the income is received in Malaysia, and was not subject to tax by the jurisdiction of source. [81] [82]
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [83]
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [84]
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation. [5]
* Only if domiciled in Malta or if the income is remitted to Malta.
Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except in tax havens, temporarily. [85]
Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Montserrat.svg  Montserrat YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [86]
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [87]
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands (including the Caribbean Netherlands [5] )YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [Note 6]
Flags of New Caledonia.svg  New Caledonia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [88]
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [89]
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Niue.svg  Niue YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [90]
Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg  Northern Cyprus YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [91]
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except former residents, temporarily. [92]
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except in tax havens, temporarily. [93]
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [Note 7]
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Saint Lucia.svg  Saint Lucia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of France.svg  Saint Martin YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [94] [Note 8]
Flag of France.svg  Saint Pierre and Miquelon YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [96]
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [97]
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [98]
Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [99]
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg  São Tomé and Príncipe YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [100]
Flag of Sint Maarten.svg  Sint Maarten YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [101]
Flag of Somaliland.svg  Somaliland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [102]
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of South Ossetia.svg  South Ossetia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [103]
Flag of South Sudan.svg  South Sudan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except in tax havens, temporarily. [104]
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [105]
Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Norway.svg  Svalbard YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [106]
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except former residents, temporarily. [107]
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Taiwan YesYesNoTerritorial taxation in general, but residence-based taxation under the alternative minimum tax. [5]
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand YesYes*NoResidence-based taxation. [5]
* Only if the income is remitted to Thailand.
Flag of Togo.svg  Togo YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [108]
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [109]
Flag of Transnistria (state).svg  Transnistria YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [110]
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey YesYesNo*Residence-based taxation. [5]
* Except income not taxed by other countries of employees of Turkish government or companies. [111]
Flag of Turkmenistan.svg  Turkmenistan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg  United States Virgin Islands YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5] [Note 9]
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay YesYesNoTerritorial taxation in general, but residence-based taxation for certain investment income. [112] [113] [114]
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [115]
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe YesYesNoResidence-based taxation. [5]
Flag of Eritrea.svg  Eritrea YesNoYesTerritorial and citizenship-based taxation. [116] [117] Foreign income of nonresident citizens is taxed at a reduced flat rate. [118]
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary YesYesYes*Residence-based and citizenship-based taxation. Nonresident citizens not satisfying exceptions are taxed in the same manner as residents. [5]
* Except dual nationals and residents of countries with tax treaties. [119]
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar YesYesYesResidence-based and citizenship-based taxation. Foreign income of nonresident citizens is taxed at a reduced flat rate. [5]
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan YesYesYesResidence-based and citizenship-based taxation. Nonresident citizens are taxed in the same manner as residents. [120] [121]
Flag of the United States.svg  United States (including Flag of Guam.svg  Guam and the Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg  Northern Mariana Islands [46] )YesYesYesResidence-based and citizenship-based taxation. Nonresident citizens are taxed in the same manner as residents, but with a limited exemption for foreign income from work. [5] [Note 10]

Residency

Taxing regimes are generally classified as either residence-based or territorial. Most jurisdictions tax income on a residency basis. They need to define "resident" and characterize the income of nonresidents. Such definitions vary by country and type of taxpayer, but usually involve the location of the person's main home and number of days the person is physically present in the country. Examples include:

  • The United States taxes its citizens as residents, and provides lengthy, detailed rules for individual residency of foreigners, covering:
    • periods establishing residency (including a formulary calculation involving three years);
    • start and end date of residency;
    • exceptions for transitory visits, medical conditions, etc. [122]
  • The United Kingdom, prior to 2013, established three categories: non-resident, resident, and resident but not ordinarily resident. [123] From 2013, the categories of resident are limited to non-resident and resident. Residency is established by application of the tests in the Statutory Residency Test. [124]
  • Switzerland residency may be established by having a permit to be employed in Switzerland for an individual who is so employed. [125]

Territorial systems usually tax local income regardless of the residence of the taxpayer. The key problem argued for this type of system is the ability to avoid taxation on portable income by moving it outside of the country. This has led governments to enact hybrid systems to recover lost revenue.

Citizenship

In the vast majority of countries, citizenship is completely irrelevant for taxation. Very few countries tax the foreign income of nonresident citizens in general:

  • Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary considers all of its nonresident citizens as tax residents, except those who hold another nationality. It taxes the worldwide income of its nonresident citizens using the same tax rates as for residents. However, it may not tax the foreign income of those who reside in countries that have tax treaties with Hungary, based on the type of income and provided all other treaty requirements are met, which usually infer legal residence in a single treaty country for most of the year. [Note 11] [119] [133] Nonresident citizens who do not satisfy these exceptions are taxed in the same manner as residents, at a flat rate of 15% on worldwide income, in addition to mandatory contributions of up to 18.5% on certain types of income. [5] There is no minimum allowance or its equivalent in Hungary, meaning that all income is taxed. With its citizenship-based taxation, universal filing requirements and no allowance policy, the Hungarian tax regime is unique in the world. [134]
  • Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar taxes the salaries of its nonresident citizens in the same manner as for residents, with deductions and progressive rates up to 25%, or with no deductions and a flat rate of 2%, whichever results in a lower tax. It also taxes their foreign income other than salaries at a flat rate of 10%. Tax paid to other countries on the same income may be used as a credit against the tax imposed by Myanmar. [135] [136]
  • Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan considers all of its citizens as residents for tax purposes, and taxes the worldwide income of its residents. [120] [121] However, it may not tax the foreign income of those who reside in countries that have tax treaties with Tajikistan. [Note 12]
  • Flag of the United States.svg The United States taxes the worldwide income of its nonresident citizens using the same tax rates as for residents. To mitigate double taxation, nonresident citizens may exclude some of their foreign income from work from U.S. taxation and take credit for income tax paid to other countries, and those residing in some countries with tax treaties may also exclude a few types of foreign income from U.S. taxation, but they must still file a U.S. tax return to claim the exclusion or credit even if they result in no tax liability. [138] [139] U.S. citizens abroad, like U.S. residents, are defined as "U.S. persons" and thus are also subject to various reporting requirements regarding foreign finances, such as FBAR, FATCA, and IRS forms 3520, 5471, 8621 and 8938. The penalties for failure to file these forms on time are often much higher than the penalties for not paying the tax itself. [140] [141] [142] [143]
Like Eritrea, enforcement tactics used by the U.S. government to facilitate tax compliance include the denial of U.S. passports to nonresident U.S. citizens deemed to be delinquent taxpayers and the potential seizure of any U.S. accounts and/or U.S.-based assets. The IRS can also exert substantial compliance pressure on nonresident citizens as a result of the FATCA legislation passed in 2010, which compels foreign banks to disclose U.S. account holders or face crippling fines on U.S.-related financial transactions. Unlike Eritrea, the U.S. has faced little international backlash related to its global enforcement tactics. For example, unlike their response to Eritrea's collection efforts, Canada and all EU member states have ratified intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) facilitating FATCA compliance and supporting the U.S. global tax regime in place for U.S. citizens (including dual nationals). The implementation of these IGAs has led to a substantial increase in U.S. citizenship renunciations since 2012, with wait times for renunciation appointments at the U.S. consulate in Toronto exceeding one year in early 2016. [144]

Several countries tax based on citizenship in specific situations:

  • Flag of Finland.svg  Finland continues taxing its citizens who move from Finland to another country as residents of Finland, for the first three years after moving there, unless they demonstrate that they no longer have any ties to Finland. After this period, they are no longer considered residents of Finland for tax purposes. [69]
  • Flag of France.svg  France taxes its citizens who move to Monaco as residents of France, according to a treaty signed between the two countries in 1963. [9] However, those who have lived in Monaco continuously since 1957 or since their birth, or who also hold Monégasque nationality, among other cases, are not subject to taxation as residents of France. [145]
  • Flag of Italy.svg  Italy continues taxing its citizens who move from Italy to a tax haven [Note 13] as residents of Italy, unless they demonstrate that they no longer have any ties to Italy. [77]
  • Flag of Japan.svg  Japan levies inheritance and gift taxes on a worldwide basis for a period of 10 years after residence in Japan ends. These "look back" wealth taxes apply to Japanese citizens and certain other prior residents of Japan. [146]
  • Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico continues taxing its citizens who move from Mexico to a tax haven [Note 14] as residents of Mexico, for the first five years after moving there. After this period, they are no longer considered residents of Mexico for tax purposes. [85]
  • Flag of the Netherlands.svg The Netherlands taxes the worldwide inheritance and gifts left by its citizens for the first 10 years after moving from the Netherlands to another country, as if they remained residents of the Netherlands. [148]
  • Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal taxes its citizens who move to a tax haven [Note 15] as residents of Portugal, for the first five years after moving there. After this period, they are no longer considered residents of Portugal for tax purposes. [93]
  • Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore requires its citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents born in 1980 or later to pay CareShield Life premiums no matter where they reside. CareShield Life is a government-operated disability insurance program. Severely disabled claimants can receive monthly cash benefits for life. The premiums (social insurance taxes) are owed from age 30 (or age of entry if later) to age 67 and are reduced or waived for low income Singaporean citizens. If Singaporean citizenship or Singapore Permanent Residence ends (is lost or terminated) then the CareShield Life coverage also ends, and there are no premium refunds. [150] Singapore also requires its citizens and Permanent Residents to pay MediShield Life (basic hospitalization insurance) premiums no matter where they live, but Singaporean citizens can opt out of MediShield Life after 5 years of overseas residence. [151]
  • Flag of Spain.svg  Spain continues taxing its citizens who move from Spain to a tax haven [Note 16] as residents of Spain, for the first five years after moving there. After this period, they are no longer considered residents of Spain for tax purposes. [104]
  • Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden continues taxing its citizens (as well as foreigners who lived there for at least ten years) who move from Sweden to another country as residents of Sweden, for the first five years after moving there, unless they demonstrate that they no longer have essential connections to Sweden. After this period, they are no longer considered residents of Sweden for tax purposes. [107]
  • Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey taxes its citizens who are residing abroad to work for the Turkish government or Turkish companies as residents of Turkey, but exempts their income that is already taxed by the country of origin. [111]

A few other countries used to tax the foreign income of nonresident citizens, but have abolished this practice:

  • Flag of Romania.svg  Romania used to tax the worldwide income of its citizens regardless of where they resided, but abandoned this practice some time between 1933 and 1954. [153] [154]
  • Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico used to tax its citizens in the same manner as residents, on worldwide income. A new income tax law, passed in 1980 and effective 1981, determined only residence as the basis for taxation of worldwide income. [155] However, since 2006 Mexico taxes based on citizenship in limited situations (see above). [156]
  • Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria used to tax its citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they resided. [157] A new income tax law, passed in 1997 and effective 1998, determined residence as the basis for taxation of worldwide income. [158]
  • Flag of the Philippines.svg The Philippines used to tax the foreign income of nonresident citizens at reduced rates of 1 to 3% (income tax rates for residents were 1 to 35% at the time). [159] It abolished this practice in a new revenue code in 1997, effective 1998. [160]
  • Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam used to tax its citizens in the same manner as residents, on worldwide income. The country passed a personal income tax law in 2007, effective 2009, removing citizenship as a criterion to determine residence. [161]

In Iran, Iraq, North Korea, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, citizenship is relevant for the taxation of residents but not for nonresidents.

Other

There are some arrangements for international taxation that are not based on residency or citizenship:

  • Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom imposes global income tax on anyone who owes UK student loans. These are not true loans, but borrowings to be repaid through an additional 9% income tax, levied above a certain income threshold, until the balance of the loan expires in 30 years. The interest rate is expressed as a punitive addition to the UK Retail Price Index inflation rate (e.g. RPI + 3%), so the value of the loan cannot be inflated away. The loan cannot be repudiated by declaring bankruptcy. The income tax is imposed irrespective of citizenship or residency, which means the UK HMRC must track the location and income of all loan holders, wherever they are in the world, for several decades.

Corporations

Countries do not necessarily use the same system of taxation for individuals and corporations. For example, France uses a residence-based system for individuals but a territorial system for corporations, [162] while Singapore does the opposite, [163] and Brunei and Monaco taxes corporate but not personal income. [164] [165]

Exclusion

Many systems provide for specific exclusions from taxable (chargeable) income. For example, several countries, notably the United States, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Spain, have enacted holding company regimes that exclude from income dividends from certain foreign subsidiaries of corporations. These systems generally impose tax on other sorts of income, such as interest or royalties, from the same subsidiaries. They also typically have requirements for portion and time of ownership in order to qualify for exclusion. The United States excludes dividends received by U.S. corporations from non-U.S. subsidiaries, as well as 50% of the deemed remittance of aggregate income of non-U.S. subsidiaries in excess of an aggregate 10% return on tangible depreciable assets. The Netherlands offers a "participation exemption" for dividends from subsidiaries of Netherlands companies. Dividends from all Dutch subsidiaries automatically qualify. For other dividends to qualify, the Dutch shareholder or affiliates must own at least 5% and the subsidiary must be subject to a certain level of income tax locally. [166]

Some countries, such as Singapore, [167] allow deferment of tax on foreign income of resident corporations until it is remitted to the country.

Individuals versus enterprises

Many tax systems tax individuals in one manner and entities that are not considered fiscally transparent in another. The differences may be as simple as differences in tax rates, [168] and are often motivated by concerns unique to either individuals or corporations. For example, many systems allow taxable income of an individual to be reduced by a fixed amount allowance for other persons supported by the individual (dependents). Such a concept is not relevant for enterprises.

Many systems allow for fiscal transparency of certain forms of enterprise. For example, most countries tax partners of a partnership, rather than the partnership itself, on income of the partnership. [169] A common feature of income taxation is imposition of a levy on certain enterprises in certain forms followed by an additional levy on owners of the enterprise upon distribution of such income. For example, the U.S. imposes two levels of tax on foreign individuals or foreign corporations who own a U.S. corporation. First, the U.S. corporation is subject to the regular income tax on its profits, then subject to an additional 30% tax on the dividends paid to foreign shareholders (the branch profits tax). The foreign corporation will be subject to U.S. income tax on its effectively connected income, and will also be subject to the branch profits tax on any of its profits not reinvested in the U.S.[ citation needed ] Thus, many countries tax corporations under company tax rules and tax individual shareholders upon corporate distributions. Various countries have tried (and some still maintain) attempts at partial or full "integration" of the enterprise and owner taxation. Where a two level system is present but allows for fiscal transparency of some entities, definitional issues become very important.

Source of income

Determining the source of income is of critical importance in a territorial system, as source often determines whether or not the income is taxed. For example, Hong Kong does not tax residents on dividend income received from a non-Hong Kong corporation. [170] Source of income is also important in residency systems that grant credits for taxes of other jurisdictions. Such credit is often limited either by jurisdiction or to the local tax on overall income from other jurisdictions.

Source of income is where the income is considered to arise under the relevant tax system. The manner of determining the source of income is generally dependent on the nature of income. Income from the performance of services (e.g., wages) is generally treated as arising where the services are performed. [171] Financing income (e.g., interest, dividends) is generally treated as arising where the user of the financing resides. [172] [ citation needed ] Income related to use of tangible property (e.g., rents) is generally treated as arising where the property is situated. [173] [ citation needed ] Income related to use of intangible property (e.g., royalties) is generally treated as arising where the property is used. Gains on sale of realty are generally treated as arising where the property is situated.

Gains from sale of tangible personal property are sourced differently in different jurisdictions. The U.S. treats such gains in three distinct manners: a) gain from sale of purchased inventory is sourced based on where title to the goods passes; [174] b) gain from sale of inventory produced by the person (or certain related persons) is sourced 50% based on title passage and 50% based on location of production and certain assets; [175] c) other gains are sourced based on the residence of the seller. [176]

In specific cases, the tax system may diverge for different categories of individuals. U.S. citizen and resident alien decedents are subject to estate tax on all of their assets, wherever situated. The nonresident aliens are subject to estate tax only on that part of the gross estate which at the time of death is situated in the U.S. Another significant distinction between U.S. citizens/RAs and NRAs is in the exemptions allowed in computing the tax liability. [177]

Where differing characterizations of an item of income can result in differing tax results, it is necessary to determine the characterization. Some systems have rules for resolving characterization issues, but in many cases resolution requires judicial intervention. [178] Note that some systems which allow a credit for foreign taxes source income by reference to foreign law. [179]

Definitions of income

Some jurisdictions tax net income as determined under financial accounting concepts of that jurisdiction, with few, if any, modifications.[ citation needed ] Other jurisdictions determine taxable income without regard to income reported in financial statements. [180] Some jurisdictions compute taxable income by reference to financial statement income with specific categories of adjustments, which can be significant. [181]

A jurisdiction relying on financial statement income tends to place reliance on the judgment of local accountants for determinations of income under locally accepted accounting principles. Often such jurisdictions have a requirement that financial statements be audited by registered accountants who must opine thereon. [182] Some jurisdictions extend the audit requirements to include opining on such tax issues as transfer pricing.[ citation needed ] Jurisdictions not relying on financial statement income must attempt to define principles of income and expense recognition, asset cost recovery, matching, and other concepts within the tax law. These definitional issues can become very complex. Some jurisdictions following this approach also require business taxpayers to provide a reconciliation of financial statement and taxable incomes. [183]

Deductions

Systems that allow a tax deduction of expenses in computing taxable income must provide for rules for allocating such expenses between classes of income. Such classes may be taxable versus non-taxable, or may relate to computations of credits for taxes of other systems (foreign taxes). A system which does not provide such rules is subject to manipulation by potential taxpayers. The manner of allocation of expenses varies. U.S. rules provide for allocation of an expense to a class of income if the expense directly relates to such class, and apportionment of an expense related to multiple classes. Specific rules are provided for certain categories of more fungible expenses, such as interest. [184] By their nature, rules for allocation and apportionment of expenses may become complex. They may incorporate cost accounting or branch accounting principles, [184] or may define new principles.

Thin capitalization

Most jurisdictions provide that taxable income may be reduced by amounts expended as interest on loans. By contrast, most do not provide tax relief for distributions to owners. [185] Thus, an enterprise is motivated to finance its subsidiary enterprises through loans rather than capital. Many jurisdictions have adopted "thin capitalization" rules to limit such charges. Various approaches include limiting deductibility of interest expense to a portion of cash flow, [186] disallowing interest expense on debt in excess of a certain ratio,[ citation needed ] and other mechanisms.

Enterprise restructure

The organization or reorganization of portions of a multinational enterprise often gives rise to events that, absent rules to the contrary, may be taxable in a particular system. Most systems contain rules preventing recognition of income or loss from certain types of such events. In the simplest form, contribution of business assets to a subsidiary enterprise may, in certain circumstances, be treated as a nontaxable event. [187] Rules on structuring and restructuring tend to be highly complex.

Credits for taxes of other jurisdictions

Systems that tax income from outside the system's jurisdiction tend to provide for a unilateral credit or offset for taxes paid to other jurisdictions. Such other jurisdiction taxes are generally referred to within the system as "foreign" taxes. Tax treaties often require this credit. A credit for foreign taxes is subject to manipulation by planners if there are no limits, or weak limits, on such credit. Generally, the credit is at least limited to the tax within the system that the taxpayer would pay on income from outside the jurisdiction. [188] The credit may be limited by category of income, [189] by other jurisdiction or country, based on an effective tax rate, or otherwise. Where the foreign tax credit is limited, such limitation may involve computation of taxable income from other jurisdictions. Such computations tend to rely heavily on the source of income and allocation of expense rules of the system. [190]

Withholding tax

Many jurisdictions require persons paying amounts to nonresidents to collect tax due from a nonresident with respect to certain income by withholding such tax from such payments and remitting the tax to the government. [191] Such levies are generally referred to as withholding taxes. These requirements are induced because of potential difficulties in collection of the tax from nonresidents. Withholding taxes are often imposed at rates differing from the prevailing income tax rates. [192] Further, the rate of withholding may vary by type of income or type of recipient. [193] [194] Generally, withholding taxes are reduced or eliminated under income tax treaties (see below). Generally, withholding taxes are imposed on the gross amount of income, unreduced by expenses. [195] Such taxation provides for great simplicity of administration but can also reduce the taxpayer's awareness of the amount of tax being collected. [196]

Treaties

OECD members
Accession candidate countries
Enhanced engagement countries OECD.svg
  OECD members
  Accession candidate countries
  Enhanced engagement countries
Ratio of German assets in tax havens to German GDP, 1996-2008. Havens in countries with tax information sharing allowing for compliance enforcement have been in decline. The "Big 7" shown are Hong Kong, Ireland, Lebanon, Liberia, Panama, Singapore, and Switzerland. German GDP in tax havens.png
Ratio of German assets in tax havens to German GDP, 1996–2008. Havens in countries with tax information sharing allowing for compliance enforcement have been in decline. The "Big 7" shown are Hong Kong, Ireland, Lebanon, Liberia, Panama, Singapore, and Switzerland.

Tax treaties exist between many countries on a bilateral basis to prevent double taxation (taxes levied twice on the same income, profit, capital gain, inheritance or other item). In some countries they are also known as double taxation agreements, double tax treaties, or tax information exchange agreements (TIEA).

Most developed countries have a large number of tax treaties, while developing countries are less well represented in the worldwide tax treaty network. [198] The United Kingdom has treaties with more than 110 countries and territories. The United States has treaties with 56 countries (as of February 2007). Tax treaties tend not to exist, or to be of limited application, when either party regards the other as a tax haven. There are a number of model tax treaties published by various national and international bodies, such as the United Nations and the OECD. [199]

Treaties tend to provide reduced rates of taxation on dividends, interest, and royalties. They tend to impose limits on each treaty country in taxing business profits, permitting taxation only in the presence of a permanent establishment in the country. [200] Treaties tend to impose limits on taxation of salaries and other income for performance of services. They also tend to have "tie breaker" clauses for resolving conflicts between residency rules. Nearly all treaties have at least skeletal mechanisms for resolving disputes, generally negotiated between the "competent authority" section of each country's taxing authority.

Anti-deferral measures

Residency systems may provide that residents are not subject to tax on income outside the jurisdiction until that income is remitted to the jurisdiction. [201] Taxpayers in such systems have significant incentives to shift income outside its borders. Depending on the rules of the system, the shifting may occur by changing the location of activities generating income or by shifting income to separate enterprises owned by the taxpayer. Most residency systems have avoided rules which permit deferring income from outside its borders without shifting it to a subsidiary enterprise due to the potential for manipulation of such rules. Where owners of an enterprise are taxed separately from the enterprise, portable income may be shifted from a taxpayer to a subsidiary enterprise to accomplish deferral or elimination of tax. Such systems tend to have rules to limit such deferral through controlled foreign corporations. Several different approaches have been used by countries for their anti-deferral rules. [202]

In the United States, rules provides that U.S. shareholders of a Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) must include their shares of income or investment of E&P by the CFC in U.S. property. [203] U.S. shareholders are U.S. persons owning 10% or more (after the application of complex attribution of ownership rules) of a foreign corporation. Such persons may include individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, estates, and other juridical persons. A CFC is a foreign corporation more than 50% owned by U.S. shareholders. This income includes several categories of portable income, including most investment income, certain resale income, and certain services income. Certain exceptions apply, including the exclusion from Subpart F income of CFC income subject to an effective foreign tax rate of 90% or more of the top U.S. tax rate. [203]

The United Kingdom provides that a UK company is taxed currently on the income of its controlled subsidiary companies managed and controlled outside the UK which are subject to "low" foreign taxes. [204] Low tax is determined as actual tax of less than three-fourths of the corresponding UK tax that would be due on the income determined under UK principles. Complexities arise in computing the corresponding UK tax. Further, there are certain exceptions which may permit deferral, including a "white list" of permitted countries and a 90% earnings distribution policy of the controlled company. Further, anti-deferral does not apply where there is no tax avoidance motive. [205]

Rules in Germany provide that a German individual or company shareholder of a foreign corporation may be subject to current German tax on certain passive income received by the foreign corporation. This provision applies if the foreign corporation is taxed at less than 25% of the passive income, as defined.[ citation needed ] Japan and some other countries have followed a "black list" approach, where income of subsidiaries in countries identified as tax havens is subject to current tax to the shareholder. Sweden has adopted a "white list" of countries in which subsidiaries may be organized so that the shareholder is not subject to current tax.

Transfer pricing

The setting of the amount of related party charges is commonly referred to as transfer pricing. Many jurisdictions have become sensitive to the potential for shifting profits with transfer pricing, and have adopted rules regulating setting or testing of prices or allowance of deductions or inclusion of income for related party transactions. Many jurisdictions have adopted broadly similar transfer pricing rules. The OECD has adopted (subject to specific country reservations) fairly comprehensive guidelines. [206] These guidelines have been adopted with little modification by many countries. [207] Notably, the U.S. and Canada have adopted rules which depart in some material respects from OECD guidelines, generally by providing more detailed rules.

Arm's length principle: It is a key concept of most transfer pricing rules, that prices charged between related enterprises should be those which would be charged between unrelated parties dealing at arm's length. Most sets of rules prescribe methods for testing whether prices charged should be considered to meet this standard. Such rules generally involve comparison of related party transactions to similar transactions of unrelated parties (comparable prices or transactions). Various surrogates for such transactions may be allowed. Most guidelines allow the following methods for testing prices: Comparable uncontrolled transaction prices, resale prices based on comparable markups, cost plus a markup, and an enterprise profitability method.

Tax avoidance and evasion

Tax avoidance schemes, which are the legal use of rules to reduce taxes, may take advantage of jurisdictions with low or no taxes, known as tax havens. For example, individuals may move their investments or their residence, and corporations may move their headquarters, to jurisdictions with more favorable tax environments. In jurisdictions where corporate movement has been restricted by legislation, it might be necessary to reincorporate into a low-tax company through reversing a merger with a foreign corporation ("inversion" similar to a reverse merger). In addition, transfer pricing may allow for "earnings stripping" as profits are attributed to subsidiaries in low-tax jurisdictions. [208]

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has proposed a two-pillar solution to address tax avoidance schemes used by multinational corporations. The first pillar is mostly focused on reallocating profits to where they have been generated, and would only apply to a few hundred of the world's largest companies. As a result, it is estimated that taxing rights on more than 125 billion euros would be reallocated to market jurisdictions. [209] The second pillar is the global minimum tax, which would introduce a minimum tax rate of 15% on the global income of multinational corporations, including their subsidiaries. It would apply to all multinational corporations with consolidated annual revenue of at least 750 million euros and is expected to bring in around 150 billion euros in taxes. [210] As of 2024, the OECD's two-pillar solution was accepted by 140 jurisdictions, but only 33 would be implementing it immediately. [210] One of the biggest abstentions from implementation is the United States, which is opposed to some aspects of the global minimum tax and favors its proposal of the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI) tax. GILTI involves a minimum tax rate of around 10%, and is targeted more at intangible assets such as patents and intellectual property. [211]

Tax evasion schemes, which are the illegal attempt to reduce taxes, usually through deliberate omission or incorrect reporting, may also take advantage of tax havens with little or no financial reporting. Such schemes became a major issue for governments worldwide during the 2008 recession. Responses to this issue began when the United States introduced the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in 2010, and were greatly expanded by the OECD's Common Reporting Standard (CRS), a new international system for the automatic exchange of tax information, to which around 100 jurisdictions have committed. For some taxpayers, CRS is already "live"; for others it is imminent. The goal of this worldwide exchange of tax information is tax transparency, and has aroused concerns about privacy and data breaches due to the sheer volume of information to be exchanged. [212] [213]

Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) is an element of international taxation created in the wake of tax directives from government tax authorities after the worldwide recession beginning in 2008. At the heart of EWP is a properly constructed Private placement life insurance (PPLI) policy that allows taxpayers to use the regulatory framework of life insurance to structure their assets. These assets can be located anywhere in the world and at the same time can be brought into compliance with tax authorities worldwide. EWP also brings asset protection and privacy benefits that are set forward in the six principals of EWP.[ citation needed ]

See also

Notes

  1. New residents of Saint Barthélemy are considered residents of France for tax purposes, for the first five years after moving there. [9] After this period, they become residents of Saint Barthélemy for tax purposes. [10]
  2. Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha are separate tax jurisdictions. All of them tax only local income.
  3. Saudi Arabia taxes the local business income of its residents who are not citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and of nonresidents. It also imposes zakat on the worldwide business income and assets of its residents who are citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Saudi Arabia does not impose tax or zakat on income or assets that are not related to business activities.
  4. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brčko District are separate tax jurisdictions. All of them tax worldwide income of residents and local income of nonresidents.
  5. Guernsey and Alderney form one tax jurisdiction, which taxes worldwide income of residents and local income of nonresidents. Sark is a separate tax jurisdiction, which does not tax income but taxes worldwide assets of residents and local assets of nonresidents. [73]
  6. The European and Caribbean Netherlands are separate tax jurisdictions. Both tax worldwide income of residents and local income of nonresidents.
  7. Puerto Rico does not tax foreign income of nonresident citizens. However, Puerto Rican citizens are also United States citizens, and the United States taxes their worldwide income regardless of where they live.
  8. Residents of France who move to Saint Martin are not considered residents of Saint Martin for tax purposes, and continue to be taxed as residents of France, for the first five years after moving there. [9] After this period, they become residents of Saint Martin for tax purposes. [95]
  9. The United States Virgin Islands do not tax foreign income of nonresident citizens. However, citizens of the United States Virgin Islands are also United States citizens, and the United States taxes their worldwide income regardless of where they live.
  10. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands use the same income tax code as the United States, but each territory administers it separately. In the case of nonresident citizens, individuals who acquired United States citizenship by a connection to Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands are taxed by the respective territory, instead of by the United States. [46]
  11. As of 2024, Hungary has tax treaties with the following countries and territories: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. [132]
  12. As of 2024, Tajikistan has tax treaties with the following countries: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Brunei, China, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan. [137]
  13. As of 2024, the following countries and territories are considered tax havens by Italy: Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius), Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Djibouti, Dominica, Ecuador, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey (including Alderney and Sark), Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jersey, Lebanon, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Niue, Oman, Panama, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu. [77]
  14. This provision applies to income whose tax in the new country of residence is lower than 75% of the tax that the person would have paid as a resident of Mexico. [147] However, the provision does not apply if the country has a treaty to share tax information with Mexico.
  15. As of 2024, the following countries and territories are considered tax havens by Portugal: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius), Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Djibouti, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Gambia, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey (including Alderney and Sark), Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Labuan, Lebanon, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Panama, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Qeshm, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, Svalbard, Swaziland, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen, and other Pacific islands (Micronesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna). [149]
  16. As of 2024, the following countries and territories are considered tax havens by Spain: American Samoa, Anguilla, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gibraltar, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States Virgin Islands, Vanuatu. [152]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxation in the United States</span> United States tax codes

The United States has separate federal, state, and local governments with taxes imposed at each of these levels. Taxes are levied on income, payroll, property, sales, capital gains, dividends, imports, estates and gifts, as well as various fees. In 2020, taxes collected by federal, state, and local governments amounted to 25.5% of GDP, below the OECD average of 33.5% of GDP.

An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them. Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Taxation rates may vary by type or characteristics of the taxpayer and the type of income.

A dividend tax is a tax imposed by a jurisdiction on dividends paid by a corporation to its shareholders (stockholders). The primary tax liability is that of the shareholder, though a tax obligation may also be imposed on the corporation in the form of a withholding tax. In some cases the withholding tax may be the extent of the tax liability in relation to the dividend. A dividend tax is in addition to any tax imposed directly on the corporation on its profits. Some jurisdictions do not tax dividends.

A tax treaty, also called double tax agreement (DTA) or double tax avoidance agreement (DTAA), is an agreement between two countries to avoid or mitigate double taxation. Such treaties may cover a range of taxes including income taxes, inheritance taxes, value added taxes, or other taxes. Besides bilateral treaties, multilateral treaties are also in place. For example, European Union (EU) countries are parties to a multilateral agreement with respect to value added taxes under auspices of the EU, while a joint treaty on mutual administrative assistance of the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is open to all countries. Tax treaties tend to reduce taxes of one treaty country for residents of the other treaty country to reduce double taxation of the same income.

Tax avoidance is the legal usage of the tax regime in a single territory to one's own advantage to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law. A tax shelter is one type of tax avoidance, and tax havens are jurisdictions that facilitate reduced taxes. Tax avoidance should not be confused with tax evasion, which is illegal. Both tax evasion and tax avoidance can be viewed as forms of tax noncompliance, as they describe a range of activities that intend to subvert a state's tax system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxpayer</span> Person or organization subject to pay a tax

A taxpayer is a person or organization subject to pay a tax. Modern taxpayers may have an identification number, a reference number issued by a government to citizens or firms.

A capital gains tax (CGT) is the tax on profits realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals, real estate, and property.

A corporate tax, also called corporation tax or company tax, is a type of direct tax levied on the income or capital of corporations and other similar legal entities. The tax is usually imposed at the national level, but it may also be imposed at state or local levels in some countries. Corporate taxes may be referred to as income tax or capital tax, depending on the nature of the tax.

Double taxation is the levying of tax by two or more jurisdictions on the same income, asset, or financial transaction.

For households and individuals, gross income is the sum of all wages, salaries, profits, interest payments, rents, and other forms of earnings, before any deductions or taxes. It is opposed to net income, defined as the gross income minus taxes and other deductions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Income tax in the United States</span> Form of taxation in the United States

The United States federal government and most state governments impose an income tax. They are determined by applying a tax rate, which may increase as income increases, to taxable income, which is the total income less allowable deductions. Income is broadly defined. Individuals and corporations are directly taxable, and estates and trusts may be taxable on undistributed income. Partnerships are not taxed, but their partners are taxed on their shares of partnership income. Residents and citizens are taxed on worldwide income, while nonresidents are taxed only on income within the jurisdiction. Several types of credits reduce tax, and some types of credits may exceed tax before credits. Most business expenses are deductible. Individuals may deduct certain personal expenses, including home mortgage interest, state taxes, contributions to charity, and some other items. Some deductions are subject to limits, and an Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) applies at the federal and some state levels.

The criteria for residence for tax purposes vary considerably from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and "residence" can be different for other, non-tax purposes. For individuals, physical presence in a jurisdiction is the main test. Some jurisdictions also determine residency of an individual by reference to a variety of other factors, such as the ownership of a home or availability of accommodation, family, and financial interests. For companies, some jurisdictions determine the residence of a corporation based on its place of incorporation. Other jurisdictions determine the residence of a corporation by reference to its place of management. Some jurisdictions use both a place-of-incorporation test and a place-of-management test.

Taxation represents the biggest source of revenues for the Peruvian government. For 2016, the projected amount of taxation revenues was S/.94.6 billion. There are four taxes that make up approximately 90 percent of the taxation revenues:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corporate tax in the United States</span>

Corporate tax is imposed in the United States at the federal, most state, and some local levels on the income of entities treated for tax purposes as corporations. Since January 1, 2018, the nominal federal corporate tax rate in the United States of America is a flat 21% following the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. State and local taxes and rules vary by jurisdiction, though many are based on federal concepts and definitions. Taxable income may differ from book income both as to timing of income and tax deductions and as to what is taxable. The corporate Alternative Minimum Tax was also eliminated by the 2017 reform, but some states have alternative taxes. Like individuals, corporations must file tax returns every year. They must make quarterly estimated tax payments. Groups of corporations controlled by the same owners may file a consolidated return.

A foreign tax credit (FTC) is generally offered by income tax systems that tax residents on worldwide income, to mitigate the potential for double taxation. The credit may also be granted in those systems taxing residents on income that may have been taxed in another jurisdiction. The credit generally applies only to taxes of a nature similar to the tax being reduced by the credit and is often limited to the amount of tax attributable to foreign source income. The limitation may be computed by country, class of income, overall, and/or another manner.

Taxation in the British Virgin Islands is relatively simple by comparative standards; photocopies of all of the tax laws of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) would together amount to about 200 pages of paper.

An expatriation tax or emigration tax is a tax on persons who cease to be tax-resident in a country. This often takes the form of a capital gains tax against unrealised gain attributable to the period in which the taxpayer was a tax resident of the country in question. In most cases, expatriation tax is assessed upon change of domicile or habitual residence; in the United States, which is one of only three countries to substantively tax its overseas citizens, the tax is applied upon relinquishment of American citizenship, on top of all taxes previously paid. Australia has "Deemed disposal tax" which in essence is exit tax.

Taxation in Puerto Rico consists of taxes paid to the United States federal government and taxes paid to the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Payment of taxes to the federal government, both personal and corporate, is done through the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS), while payment of taxes to the Commonwealth government is done through the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury.

In Slovakia, taxes are levied by the state and local governments. Tax revenue stood at 19.3% of the country's gross domestic product in 2021. The tax-to-GDP ratio in Slovakia deviates from OECD average of 34.0% by 0.8 percent and in 2022 was 34.8% which ranks Slovakia 19th in the tax-to-GDP ratio comparison among the OECD countries. The most important revenue sources for the state government are income tax, social security, value-added tax and corporate tax.

The organization responsible for tax policy in Ukraine is the State Fiscal Service, operating under the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. Taxation is legally regulated by the Taxation Code of Ukraine. The calendar year serves as a fiscal year in Ukraine. The most important sources of tax revenue in Ukraine are unified social security contributions, value added tax, individual income tax. In 2017 taxes collected formed 23% of GDP at ₴969.654 billion.

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  173. U.S. IRC sections 861(a)(4) and 862(a)(4), supra.
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  176. 26 USC 865(a). (other examples needed)
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  186. 26 USC 163(j) and long proposed regulations thereunder
  187. 26 USC 351.
  188. E.g., Egypt limits Archived 2009-10-07 at the Wayback Machine the credit to the Egyptian income tax "that may have been payable with respect to profits from works performed abroad," but without a thorough definition of terms. Article (54).
  189. U.S. rules limit the credit by categories based on the nature of the income. 26 USC 904. For 20 years prior to changes first effective in 2007, there were at least nine such categories. These included, e.g., financial services income, high-taxed income, other passive income, and other (operating or general) income. UK rules provide for separate limitations based on the schedule of income on which UK tax is computed. Thus, credits were separately limited for salaries versus dividends and interest.
  190. E.g., under U.S. rules, the credit is limited to U.S. tax on foreign source taxable income for a particular category. The rules for determining source for taxation of foreign persons (sections 861-865) apply in computing such credit, and detailed rules are provided in regulations (above) for allocating and apportioning expenses to such income.
  191. Materials from one major accounting firm provide a table of over sixty such countries. Such table is not comprehensive.
  192. E.g., Australia imposes a 10% withholding tax rate on interest, subject to treaty reduction.
  193. E.g., Thailand taxes dividends at 10% and interest at 15%.
  194. E.g., Italy taxes dividends paid to nonresidents having voting rights in the company paying the dividends at 27% but taxes dividends paid to nonresidents not having such rights at 12.5%.
  195. See, e.g., 26 USC 871, 881, and 1441.
  196. "History of the U.S. Tax System". U.S. Department of Treasury. Archived from the original on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2006-10-31.
  197. Shafik Hebous (2011) "Money at the Docks of Tax Havens: A Guide", CESifo Working Paper Series No. 3587, p. 9
  198. Christians, Allison (April 2005). "Tax Treaties for Investment and Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study". Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 05-10; Northwestern Law & Econ Research Paper No. 05-15. SSRN   705541.
  199. "Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital 2014". OECD. October 30, 2015. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  200. Permanent establishment is defined under most treaties using language identical to the OECD model. Generally, a permanent establishment is any fixed place of business, including an office, warehouse, etc.
  201. See, for example, Singapore's provision that income from outside its borders is not taxed until brought onshore.
  202. Anti-deferral and other shifting measures have also been combatted by granting broad powers to revenue authorities under "general anti-avoidance" provisions. See a discussion of Canadian GAAR a CTF article Archived 2010-02-15 at the Wayback Machine .
  203. 1 2 Subpart F (sections 951-964)
  204. Part XVII of Chapter IV ICTA 1988.
  205. "INTM200000 - International Manual - HMRC internal manual - GOV.UK". hmrc.gov.uk.
  206. "Site homepage". www.oecd-ilibrary.org. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  207. E.g., UK ICTA Section 28AA and guidelines thereunder Archived 2009-06-07 at the Wayback Machine
  208. U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2007). Earnings Stripping, Transfer Pricing and U.S. Income Tax Treaties Archived 2013-06-06 at the Wayback Machine .
  209. Chand, V.; Turina, A.; Romanovska, K. (2022-02-21). "Tax Treaty Obstacles in Implementing the Pillar Two Global Minimum Tax Rules and a Possible Solution for Eliminating the Various Challenges". World Tax Journal. 14 (1). doi:10.59403/33wxjhc. ISSN   2352-9237.
  210. 1 2 The Global Minimum Tax and the taxation of MNE profit (Report). Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). 2024-01-09.
  211. "Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI): Overview & FAQs". tax.thomsonreuters.com. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  212. Knight, Andrew (23 November 2016). "Is there room for privacy planning in a tax-transparent world?". International Investment.
  213. Garnham, Caroline (22 July 2016). "HNWIs, FATCA & CRS: Is Privacy Dead?". Private Client Hub.

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