The following are the countries with which the United States has in effect an income tax or other convention or bilateral agreement relating to the exchange of tax information within the meaning of section 6103(k)(4) pursuant to which the United States agrees to provide, as well as receive, information and under which the competent authority is the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate:

Antigua & Barbuda
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan Read More

iStock_000024834312XSmallIn the Australian Federal Court on Tuesday (8 October) Justice Perram allowed the Australian Tax Office (“ATO”) to use documents obtained in apparent breach of the exchange of the Tax Information Agreement (“TIA”) between Australia and the Cayman Islands.

It appears that the Cayman Islands Tax Information Authority (“CITIA”) erroneously provided the ATO with information for tax years prior to the date set as operational for the agreement.

The Australian court’s decision has effectively validated an effective retrospective application of the Cayman’s TIA, at least in this case.

The judgement (in Hua Wang Bank Berhad v Commissioner of Taxation (No 7) [2013] FCA 1024) found that although the Caymans Grand Court had decided on 13 September 2013 that the CITIA decision on 23 February 2011 to provide the information to the ATO should be set aside and the documents should be returned; Read More