Author Wagemann + Partner PartG mbB, Berlin, Patrick Löchel, Steuerberater Edited By Integra International Grant Gilmour, CPA (Canada, BC) CPA (USA, Arizona)

In Germany, there is a widespread belief among the population that, despite all political assurances to the contrary, a tax once introduced will never be repealed.

A prominent example of this is the so-called “sparkling wine tax”. This has been levied on carbonated wines with an alcohol content for over 120 years. It covers but is not limited to champagne, crémant and sparkling wine in particular.

The tax was introduced 1902 by the German Reichstag (the parliament at that time) in the German Empire under Emperor Wilhelm the II to finance the construction of the imperial navy because “with such a sharp increase in spending on the country’s military strength, sparkling wine must also be called upon.”… Read More

An overview of OECD Pillar Two Model Rules

Author Bright Grahame Murray, Cheryl Thomas, Partner (ACA CTA ) Edited By Integra International Grant Gilmour, CPA (Canada, BC) CPA (USA, Arizona)

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] Base Erosion and Profit Shifting [BEPS] programme introduced 15 actions to ensure profits are taxed where economic activities generating the profits are performed and where value is created.

Action 1 was to address the tax challenges arising from the Digitalisation of the Economy. In the middle of 2021, the international community agreed a Two-Pillar Solution to address these issues.

Currently, multinational enterprises [MNEs] can earn revenue in foreign markets without being taxed there, due to current Permanent Establishment [PE] rules and some countries only taxing domestic business income of entities, not foreign income.… Read More

By Nicholas Raycroft, Hendry Warren

Edited by Grant Gilmour

On June 9, 2022, the Canadian government enacted the “UHT Act”. This tax is intended to discourage the ownership of vacant or underused Canadian real estate. Although it primarily targets ownership of Canadian real estate by non-resident non-Canadians, this tax may be applicable to certain Canadian-Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs), trusts and partnerships. The UHT will be administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.

 

Overview

The UHT imposes a 1% tax on the taxable value of residential property to owners on December 31of a calendar year, other than “excluded owners”, of residential property in Canada beginning with 2022. The taxable value is the greater of the property’s assessed value for property tax purposes and the property’s most recent sale price on or before December 31of the calendar year.… Read More

By Wagemann + Partner PartG mbB, Berlin, Dr. Filip Schade, Steuerberater, Master of Laws

Edited By Integra International Grant Gilmour, CPA (Canada, BC) CPA (USA, Arizona)

 

Question: Is there an internationally coordinated set of rules regarding the legal and tax treatment of private foundations and trusts?

Answer: The OECD has hardly any recommendations available and there are no harmonization efforts observable. Private foundations and trusts remain a purely national and sometimes regional matter.

When preparing this article, I asked myself whether there is an international set of rules in which many countries have agreed on certain principles for the legal and tax treatment of private foundations and trusts. After all, we live in a globalized world. Private foundations and trusts, unlike, for example, cryptocurrencies and blockchain, are nothing brand-new.… Read More