TaxConnections Blog PostOn 24th October 2013 the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013 was published which confirmed the measures introduced by the Budget.

As the main priorities in Ireland at the moment are job creation and enterprise growth the following tax packages were introduced:

I. ENTERPRISE RELIEF – This is a new Capital Gains Tax relief which is aimed at entrepreneurs investing in assets used in new productive trading activities. The purpose is to encourage individuals to reinvest the sales proceeds from the sale/disposal of a previous asset into new productive trading or a new company. The main aspects of the relief are as follows:

(a) It applies to an individual

(b) who has paid Capital Gains Tax on the sale/disposal of an asset and

(c) invests in a new business

(d) at a cost of at least €10,000 Read More

Top_Blogger_EmblemTaxConnections is pleased to announce the Worldwide Top Tax Blogger Awards for the second quarter 2013.  With thousands of readers spending more than twenty minutes on each visit to TaxConnections Worldwide Tax Blogs, we recognized it is the quality our tax experts advisors that attracts readers. Our mission is focused on promoting the technically talented tax bloggers on TaxConnections Worldwide Tax Blogs. Four times a year, each quarter, we count the number of blog posts submitted by each tax expert and we award the highest contributors. The second quarter Top Tax Blogger Awards go to the following tax advisors:

1) Brian Mahany, Managing Partner, Mahany & Ertl, Milwaukee, WI  Click To View Brian’s Posts

2) Deleted at Author’s request

3) Harold Goedde, Tax Practitioner, Clifton Park, New York – Click To View Harold’s Posts

4) Claire McNamara, Principal, Dublin, Ireland – Click To View Claire’s Posts

5) Chris Wittich, Tax Supervisor, Boyum & Barenscheer, Minneapolis, MN – Click To View Chris’ Posts

We are very excited to have these very talented tax bloggers in our Tax Blogosphere. We suggest you read the posts they have contributed this quarter because they are highly informative and interesting. Talented tax advisors like this you should follow, so we encourage you to read their posts.

VATFinance Act 2013 saw a number of changes to the VAT regime in Ireland.  The main changes are as follows:

1.  The threshold for Accounting for VAT on the money’s received basis has been increased from €1m to €1.25m with effect from 1st May 2013.
2.  The flat rate addition for unregistered farmers was reduced from 5.2% to 4.8% with effect from 1st January 2013.
3.  From 1st January 2013 the services threshold for VAT registration (i.e. if the turnover from the provision of services exceeds €37,500 there is an obligation to register for VAT) applies to the provision of sporting facilities and physical education facilities by public bodies.  This means that public authorities will not be obliged to register for VAT unless they exceed the threshold amount of €37,500 but they can elect to register for VAT if they so choose.
4.  Existing VAT legislation in relation to vouchers with a redeemable value provides that VAT arises at the time the voucher is supplied and not when the voucher is redeemed.  Anti Avoidance legislation was introduced in the 2013 Finance Act which confines this special rule to situations where vouchers are supplied to businesses that are established in the state.  For vouchers sold to businesses outside Ireland for onward supply they are not taxable on sale but when the redemption of the voucher takes place.
5.  The Finance Act brought in a number of changes with regard to receivers and liquidators in the context of supplies of services. 

a)      New provisions were introduced to clarify that a receiver or liquidator who supplies taxable services Read More

Apart from a highly skilled, English speaking workforce; membership of the E.U.; an excellent standard of living for employees seconded to Ireland; a large network of international routes and a successful track record of investment, research and development from United States corporations there are many advantages to setting up Intellectual Property Trading companies in Ireland.

The main focus of this article is the tax advantages which can be summarized under the following headings and viewed in Parts 1 through 4 on TaxConnections Worldwide Tax Blogs:

1.  Corporation Tax – Part 1
2.  Capital Allowances – Part 2
3.  Research & Development Relief – Part 3
4.  Withholding Tax – Part 4
5.  Stamp Duty and Summary – Part 4

4. WITHHOLDING TAX

In general, Irish resident companies must deduct 20% withholding tax on dividends and other profit distributions.

There are, however, a number of situations where shareholders can receive dividends free from withholding tax from an Irish resident company providing certain documentation is filed.  For example: Read More

Apart from a highly skilled, English speaking workforce; membership of the E.U.; an excellent standard of living for employees seconded to Ireland; a large network of international routes and a successful track record of investment, research and development from United States corporations there are many advantages to setting up Intellectual Property Trading companies in Ireland. 

The main focus of this article is the tax advantages which can be summarized under the following headings and viewed in Parts 1 through 4 on TaxConnections Worldwide Tax Blogs:

1.  Corporation Tax – Part 1
2.  Capital Allowances – Part 2
3.  Research & Development Relief – Part 3
4.  Withholding Tax – Part 4
5.  Stamp Duty and Summary – Part 4

2. CAPITAL ALLOWANCES

Capital Allowances are available for capital expenditure on the creation, acquisition and/or licence to use certain “specified intangible assets” which includes:

1.  Copyrights
2.  Patents and registered designs
3.  Trademarks, brands, domain names and service marks Read More

Apart from a highly skilled, English speaking workforce; membership of the E.U.; an excellent standard of living for employees seconded to Ireland; a large network of international routes and a successful track record of investment, research and development from United States corporations there are many advantages to setting up Intellectual Property Trading companies in Ireland. 

The main focus of this article is the tax advantages which can be summarized under the following headings and viewed in Parts 1 through 4 on TaxConnections Worldwide Tax Blogs:

1.  Corporation Tax – Part 1
2.  Capital Allowances – Part 2
3.  Research & Development Relief – Part 3
4.  Withholding Tax – Part 4
5.  Stamp Duty and Summary – Part 4

1. CORPORATION TAX

Ireland has one of the lowest corporation tax rates on trading income in the world.  The standard rate is 12½% on trading profits.

A 25% rate is charged on non-trading and foreign source income.  It is the rate applied to “passive income.”

To be eligible for the 12½% Corporation Tax rate the following criteria must apply: Read More

This is the final post in a ten-part Worldwide Tax Blog Series.  Due to the amount of changes it is not possible to detail each individual provision so I decided to focus on a cross section of amendments to give a general overview.  The legislative provisions I have selected will have an affect on most if not all Irish individuals whether resident and domiciled or resident and non-domiciled; employed or unemployed; retired or still working; self employed or PAYE workers; corporate structures or individuals, etc.

Finance Act 2013 contains the legislative provisions for a number of changes to the Irish tax system under all the main tax heads including Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Excise, Value Added Tax, Stamp Duty and Capital Acquisitions Tax.

Universal Social Charge – Part 1

The Remittance Basis for Income Tax – Part 2

The Remittance Basis for Capital Gains Tax – Part 3

Taxation of Certain Social Welfare Benefits – Part 4

Mortgage Interest Relief – Part 5

Donations To Approved Bodies – Part 6

Farm Restructuring Relief – Part 7

FATCA – The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Part 8

Close Company Surcharge – Part 9

Stamp Duty – Part 10

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10. STAMP DUTY

Finance Act 2013 introduced anti-avoidance measures to target “resting in contract” and other structures used in relation to certain land transactions.

The main points are as follows: Read More

This is a ten-part Worldwide Tax Blog Series on a cross section of amendments in the Irish Tax System and a general overview:

Universal Social Charge – Part 1

The Remittance Basis for Income Tax – Part 2

The Remittance Basis for Capital Gains Tax – Part 3

Taxation of Certain Social Welfare Benefits – Part 4

Mortgage Interest Relief – Part 5

Donations To Approved Bodies – Part 6

Farm Restructuring Relief – Part 7

FATCA – The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Part 8

Close Company Surcharge – Part 9

Stamp Duty – Part 10

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9. CLOSE COMPANY SURCHARGE

Finance Act 2013 increases the de minimis amount of undistributed investment and rental income from €635 to €2,000 which may be retained by a Close Company without giving rise to a surcharge.

A similar amendment is being made to increase the de minimis amount in respect of the surcharge on undistributed trading or professional income of certain service companies.

The aim of these changes is to improve cash flow of close companies by increasing the amount a company can retain for working capital purposes without incurring a surcharge.  Although it’s difficult to imagine how undistributed income of €2,000 could possibly make that much of a difference.

This is a ten-part Worldwide Tax Blog Series on a cross section of amendments in the Irish Tax System and a general overview:

Universal Social Charge – Part 1

The Remittance Basis for Income Tax – Part 2

The Remittance Basis for Capital Gains Tax – Part 3

Taxation of Certain Social Welfare Benefits – Part 4

Mortgage Interest Relief – Part 5

Donations To Approved Bodies – Part 6

Farm Restructuring Relief – Part 7

FATCA – The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Part 8

Close Company Surcharge – Part 9

Stamp Duty – Part 10

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8. FATCA – US FOREIGN ACCOUNT TAX COMPLIANCE ACT

The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act 2010 comes into effect in 2014.

The aim of this legislation is to ensure that US citizens pay US tax on income arising from overseas investments.

The Finance Act 2013 introduced legislation which allows for the Irish Revenue Commissioners to make regulations for the purpose of implementing this Ireland US agreement. 

The regulations will require that certain financial institutions register and provide a Read More

This is a ten-part Worldwide Tax Blog Series on a cross section of amendments in the Irish Tax System and a general overview:

Universal Social Charge – Part 1

The Remittance Basis for Income Tax – Part 2

The Remittance Basis for Capital Gains Tax – Part 3

Taxation of Certain Social Welfare Benefits – Part 4

Mortgage Interest Relief – Part 5

Donations To Approved Bodies – Part 6

Farm Restructuring Relief – Part 7

FATCA – The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Part 8

Close Company Surcharge – Part 9

Stamp Duty – Part 10

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6. DONATIONS TO APPROVED BODIES

Prior to the Finance Act 2013, tax relief for donations was given in two ways:

1.  The self employed individuals and companies received a tax deduction for donations made to approved bodies subject to certain conditions.
2.  PAYE workers (employees paid through the PAYE system) did not obtain a tax deduction.  Instead the approved body applied to Revenue for a repayment as if the PAYE worker had made the donation net of tax at the individual’s marginal tax rate i.e. 41%.

The new provisions have resulted in: Read More

This is a ten-part Worldwide Tax Blog Series on a cross section of amendments in the Irish Tax System and a general overview:

Universal Social Charge – Part 1

The Remittance Basis for Income Tax – Part 2

The Remittance Basis for Capital Gains Tax – Part 3

Taxation of Certain Social Welfare Benefits – Part 4

Mortgage Interest Relief – Part 5

Donations To Approved Bodies – Part 6

Farm Restructuring Relief – Part 7

FATCA – The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act – Part 8

Close Company Surcharge – Part 9

Stamp Duty – Part 10

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5. MORTGAGE INTEREST RELIEF

Prior to Finance Act 2013 Mortgage Interest Relief was due to expire at the end of 2012.

Section 9 Finance Act 2013 introduced transitional provisions in relation to mortgage interest relief which allows certain loans taken out in 2013 to be deemed to have been taken out in 2012.  These include: Read More