John Richardson, FATCA,

Be patient. Settle in for the ride. Historians will write much about the role FATCA played in eroding America’s role as a world power.

There is no legislative record which explains the purpose of FATCA. FATCA appeared as an “offset provision” in the HIRE Act which was signed into law by President Obama in March of 2010. Some claim that FATCA was for the purpose of preventing Homeland Americans from “stashing their wealth” in unreported “foreign bank accounts” outside the United States.

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TaxConnections Offshore BusinessFundamental Foundation of Foreign Base Company Income and Controlled Foreign Corporations© Generally.

Foreign Base Company Income

Therefore the first type of Foreign Base Company Income, Foreign Base Company Sales Income has as its function to be utilized as a sale or trade conduit offshore corporation in an international corporate structure. Certainly the intra activity sequences have many facets and planning opportunities. Those will be discussed subsequently in a more specific discussion of offshore companies that come within the characterization as a Foreign Base Company Sales Income.

Foreign Base Company Service Income

A second category of Foreign Base Company Income whose activities are subject to Subpart F Income treatment is Foreign Base Company Service Income. This type of Subpart F Income is income derived by a foreign corporation in connection with the performance of technical, managerial, scientific, skilled, industrial, commercial or similar type services. In practicality corporate structures tend to find their utility most beneficial as an administrative or service oriented company in a favorable tax preferred Financial Center. Read More

TaxConnections Offshore BusinessFundamental Foundation of Foreign Base Company Income and Controlled Foreign Corporations© Generally.

The essence of this corporate structure planning is to combine the concept of ownership structure that subjects a foreign corporation to a controlled status and activities of the corporate entity. The two concepts of controlled foreign corporate status and Foreign Based Company Income are intertwined in the implementation of Subpart F Income tax consequences.

The importance stems from the concept that Foreign Base Company Income and a controlled foreign corporation’s characterization subjecting it to Subpart F Income taxation are two separate considerations. One is whether a foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation. The second is whether the controlled foreign corporation has Foreign Based Company Income.

If a foreign corporate entity has Subpart F Income because it has Foreign Base Company Income, but it is not deemed a controlled foreign corporation by virtue of ownership, it is not subject to Subpart F Income treatment. Those are two distinct planning features. Read More

TaxConnections Offshore BusinessForeign Corporations Generally. A foreign corporation entity is the vehicle of choice in utilizing the benefits of Financial Centers Offshore. A foreign corporation is one which is not created or organized in the United States and therefore is not a domestic corporation. A domestic corporation is taxable on its worldwide income. By definition, a foreign corporation is not a United States person and income is not taxable as a United States person. It is not subject to taxation of its accumulated earnings and profits until distributed to its United States shareholders. The general taxation of a foreign corporation is subject to the application of Subpart F Income taxation which is specifically designed to re-characterize foreign corporations as controlled foreign corporations.

Subpart F Income Taxation. Subpart F income rules are the core legislation designed to create controlled foreign corporations. By virtue of the codification, United States shareholders’ accumulated earnings of a foreign corporations’ profits are deemed distributed each taxable year. The accumulated earnings that would otherwise be lodged as foreign corporate accumulated earnings and not taxable until distributed, becomes taxable by Subpart F Income Read More

In the 2012 Australian Federal Budget, it was announced that the current 50% discount on Capital Gains Tax would be removed for Foreign Individuals.

This will impact the many thousands of Australian expatriates and foreign nationals that own property in Australia and may have a dire consequence on the construction industry if there is a contraction of buyer activity as a result of the higher Capital Gains tax cost.

We have prepared a submission to seek the Government to change its position on this and are asking for your support on this important issue.

If the changes come into effect, they will only apply to gains after the 8th may 2012.  Profits before the date will continue to enjoy the 50% discount on Capital Gains.

For more information connect with me at: Steve Douglas on TaxConnections