GGi Internal News: North America
/Published in GGi Insider No. 81, January 2016 (p.18).
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Publications
Members of Ruchelman P.L.L.C. contribute to publications throughout the world and the Firm’s monthly tax journal, Insights.
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Insights
Publications
Insights Vol. 3 No. 1: Updates & Other Tidbits
/This month, Insights discusses recent events including a Beanie Baby billionaire’s light sentence; a tax reform report by the European Parliament addressing tax rulings, a common consolidated corporate tax base, a crackdown on tax havens, whistle-blower protection, public access to country-by-country (CbC) reports, and a lower threshold to approve E.U. tax legislation; a House Ways and Means Committee action in regard to B.E.P.S., E.U. investigations on State Aid, patent box regimes, and inversions; identity theft risk in I.R.S. proposed regulations regarding charitable deductions; and allowance of accounting non-conformity for foreign-based groups that do not adopt L.I.F.O. accounting when that method is adopted by a U.S. member.
Read MoreInsights Vol. 3 No. 1: F.A.T.C.A. 24/7
/This month, recent developments in F.A.T.C.A. include the D.O.J.’s Swiss bank deferred prosecution program; new instructions for Form 8966, F.A.T.C.A. Report; six new YouTube videos regarding the Online Registration System; extension of time to file F.A.T.C.A. Reports; upgrade to F.F.I. lists, the current I.G.A. partner countries, and more.
Read MoreCorporate Matters: If I Can Make it There, I Can Make It...
/We have recently been receiving instructions from a variety of European clients looking to open either an office or retail location in New York. These clients are looking for advice across a range of topics: from location and leases to signage and insurance. In this month’s “Corporate Matters,” Simon H. Prisk addresses typical start-up legal needs of foreign clients expanding retail business to the U.S.
Read MoreI.R.S. Adopts O.E.C.D. Standard in New CbC Reporting Regulations
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In December, the I.R.S. released Prop. Treas. Reg. §1.60384 -15, which details the country-by-country (CbC) reporting that will be required of large U.S.-based business entities. The proposed regulations define the persons required to file the CbC report, companies that are to included in the report, information that must be reported, acceptable measurement methodologies to be used, and uses to which data may be put.
These regulations closely follow the model recommended by the O.E.C.D. B.E.P.S. report. Sheryl Shah and Stanley C. Ruchelman explain the I.R.S.’s reasons and request for input regarding national security exemptions not otherwise considered by the O.E.C.D.
Read MoreP.A.T.H. Act Leads to Widespread Tax Changes
/Everyone likes Christmas presents and the P.A.T.H. Act delivers. It provides favorable tax treatment in the form of (i) F.I.R.P.T.A. exemptions for foreign pensions funds, (ii) increased ownership thresholds before F.I.R.P.T.A. tax is imposed on C.I.V. investment in R.E.I.T.’s, (iii) increased ownership thresholds before F.I.R.P.T.A. tax is imposed on foreign investment in domestically-controlled R.E.I.T.’s, (iv) a reduction in the time that must elapse in order to avoid corporate level tax on built-in gain when an S-election is made by a corporation after the close of the year of its formation, and (v) a permanent exemption from Subpart F income for active financing income of C.F.C.’s.
However, not all taxpayers benefitted from the Act. The P.A.T.H. Act increases F.I.R.P.T.A. withholding tax to 15%, adopts new partnership tax examination rules, and tightens rules regarding I.T.I.N.’s. Elizabeth V. Zanet, Christine Long, Rusudan Shervashidze, and Philip R. Hirschfeld explain these and certain other legislative changes.
Read MoreThe Meanderings of the Taxation of U.K. Real Estate: Where Are We Going?
/For those who are considering the acquisition of U.K. real property for personal use, an unhappy surprise awaits. The U.K. government is actively waging a tax campaign against structures commonly used for these acquisitions and referred to derisively as “Enveloped Dwellings.” Increased stamp duty on land transactions, annual tax on Enveloped Dwellings and related capital gains charges, and extended scope of inheritance tax take the sizzle out of high-value purchases. Naomi Lawton of Memery Crystal L.L.P., London ruminates on this puzzling development.
Read MoreThe Common Reporting Standard – A Global F.A.T.C.A.?
/The Common Reporting Standard ("C.R.S.") for the automatic exchange of information by financial institutions is now in effect for the 56 jurisdictions that are Early Adopters. How will the C.R.S. work and who will be affected? How does it interact with F.A.T.C.A. I.G.A.’s? Richard Addlestone of Solomon Harris, Grand Cayman answers these and other questions.
Read MoreLawyer Monthly: Expert Insight Into... TAX→
/Published in Lawyer Monthly, Issue 69-16: January 2016.
Read MoreNotes from Abroad: Global Village on the Move – India 2015
/In October, Sheryl Shah had the privilege of representing GGi North America at Global Village on the Move, an annual leadership development program organized by the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University. This year’s program took place in Mumbai and Virar, India and was hosted by VIVA College. The experience was unique for a lawyer just beginning a career.
Read MoreInsights Vol. 2 No. 10: Updates & Other Tidbits
/This month, "Updates & Tidbits" looks at two recent developments in the E.U. The first relates to findings of illegal State Aid in the form of private rulings given by Luxembourg and the Netherlands – Starbucks and Fiat plan to appeal. The second relates to double dipping of tax benefits when establishing I.P. box companies.
Read MoreInsights Vol. 2 No. 10: F.A.T.C.A. 24/7
/Recent developments in the F.A.T.C.A. practice include upgrades to the online registration system, a flurry of competent authority arrangements signed with other countries, F.A.T.C.A. guidance issued by the Turks and Caicos Islands, new authorizing statutes in Russia and Georgia, an implementing memorandum in Germany, an I.G.A. with Angola, updated F.A.Q.’s, and a list of Model 1 and Model 2 I.G.A. partner countries.
Read MoreCorporate Matters: Directors and Officers Insurance
/Many of our clients instruct us from outside the United States to establish companies through which an acquisition or some other transaction will be conducted. After completing our “know your client” obligations for a matter involving a new client, the home country advisors instruct us to form the entity and open a bank account. This month, Simon Prisk looks at directors and officers insurance policies designed to protect incumbents from liability claims based on a failure to supervise the actions of a company. He cautions management to be wary of coverage gaps when comparing policies and costs.
Read MoreAnti-Inversion Rules Expanded
/The latest step in inversion controversy involving U.S. publicly traded corporations is the upcoming merger between pharmaceutical giants, Pfizer and Allergan, in a stock transaction estimated to be worth $160 billion. Kenneth Lobo and Stanley C. Ruchelman look at recent I.R.S. countermeasures attacking cross-border mergers that the I.R.S. views as inversions. Among other measures, rules are announced to limit planning alternatives using check-the-box entities to stuff assets into an acquirer without exposing those assets to tax in the jurisdiction of residence of the acquirer and use of parent-company stock as the consideration for the acquisition.
Read MoreMylan's Opposition to the I.R.S. – No Substantial Rights
/Last month, Christine Long analyzed the basis of the I.R.S. motion for summary judgment in Mylan Inc. v. Commr., a case addressing whether a license that relinquishes all substantial rights in a patent is the equivalent of a sale, so that basis can be recovered and capital losses can reduce the resulting capital gain. This month, she analyzes the taxpayer’s opposition to the motion. In addition to the existence of material questions of fact that were ignored by the I.R.S., the taxpayer argues economic substance in support of its position and evaluates the rights that were transferred and those that were retained.
Read MoreTax 101: How to Structure a Corporate Division
/With all the brouhaha over the announced Alibaba spinoff by Yahoo!, Elizabeth V. Zanet explains the circumstances in which a corporate division – known as a demerger in many countries – can be achieved in a tax-free manner under U.S. tax law. The path is not easy as these divisions are the lone vestiges allowing tax-free corporate distributions of appreciated assets under U.S. tax law.
Read MoreCongress Enacts Sweeping New Partnership Audit Rules
/Partnerships owning real estate or other assets sometimes take aggressive tax positions that may invite I.R.S. scrutiny. Philip R. Hirschfeld and Nina Krauthamer explain the new partnership audit rules enacted by Congress in November as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. With limited exception, partnerships will become liable for tax increases arising from audit adjustments. This treatment raises the importance of tax indemnities when partnership interests are acquired.
Read MorePortugal: A Race Towards Tax Competitiveness – The Non-Habitual Tax Resident Regime
/As part of our series addressing favorable tax rules for non-domiciled resident individuals in various countries, Alexandra Courela and Susana A. Duarte of Abreu Advogados in Lisbon explain the Portuguese approach in extending tax benefits to new arrivals holding “Golden Visas” or who otherwise qualify for work-related visas for the performance of designated high value activities. Employment income from services performed in Portugal is taxed at a low rate and foreign source service income may be exempt from tax if certain conditions apply. Foreign-source plain vanilla investment income and gains may be exempt, too.
Read MoreWhat is the Future for New Immigrant Benefits?
/Continuing our series on favorable tax rules for non-domiciled resident individuals, Guy Katz and Danielle Halimi of Herzog Fox and Neeman in Tel Aviv explain the Israeli tax benefits for those individuals who are categorized as “New Immigrants.” Benefits begin with a ten-year exemption for foreign-source income and gains – the exemption applies to both tax and information reporting. Regular returning residents receive generous but scaled back benefits. Remittances from abroad are not penalized with tax.
Read MoreSpanish Tax Regime for Incoming Professionals
/Heard of the “Beckham Law” that limits income tax in Spain for certain non-domiciled individuals? Think of European football (soccer) players. Pablo Alarcón Espinosa of Alarcón-Espinosa, Abogados in Madrid explains how persons migrating to Spain for work purposes can avail themselves of a reduced tax regime for domestic income and an exemption for foreign income and gains. Like Switzerland, remittances from abroad are not penalized with tax.
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