Cross-border tax issues, expat filing rules, and international tax policy — because taxes don’t stop at the U.S. border.
Follows are the prepared remarks of IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman before the 23rd Annual Institute on Current Issues in International Taxation, Washington, DC. I rarely use the “read more” feature on the blog but I did in this case because, well, the remarks are quite long. Worth the read, however. Shulman even tries his hand…
In recent years, the Irish have touted their low tax rates and other breaks as a lure for artists, musicians and corporations and have enjoyed a measure of success in attracting some pretty big players. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, Pfizer, Dell and Wyeth have flocked to the Emerald Isle to avoid paying higher tax rates…
Z Street, an organization “devoted to pro-Israel education” filed papers in federal court last week arguing that the Internal Revenue Service continues to engage in behavior which violates its Constitutional rights. The memorandum, which was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern Division of Pennsylvania, is technically “In Opposition to the Government’s Motion…
Tax experts in the UK are warning that Prince William may have triggered a significant capital gains tax by giving Kate Middleton the engagement ring he inherited from Princess Diana’s estate. The ring is said to be currently valued at about $400,000. According to the Daily Express, that value represents a significant increase from the…
What is it about New Zealand that makes it so darn appealing for movie-making? Residents cite the natural beauty of the area. Sir Peter Jackson, producer of such blockbusters as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, might argue that being close to home has advantages (Jackson grew up near Wellington, New Zealand). Actors enjoy a…
A significant number of our law firm clients are in the tech sector. A fairly hefty percentage of those tech clients happen to be headquartered outside of the US, specifically in western Europe. As in the US, the success rates of many European tech firms have corresponded fairly directly with the health of the economy….
Talk about your taxpayers literally being robbed… The Danish Tax Ministry has reported that at least fifteen computers and two telephones have been stolen from their offices in Christianshavn. The robberies happened at the end of September. No signs of a break-in were obvious, leading officials to believe that it was an inside job. While…
It seems that the spammers, phishers, scammers, and schemers are upping their game these days. In addition to the EFTPS scam making the rounds, I received word that there is a phishing scheme involving the Canada Revenue Agency. The email read: Online Refund Form After the last annual calculation of your fiscal activity we have…
I’ve often written about the fact that I believe that “sin taxes” – excise taxes on things that are ostensibly bad for us and should therefore be discouraged – are usually more about raising revenue than modifying behavior. I say this despite the fact that our legislators in this country swear that isn’t the case….
This has to be my favorite tax story of the week (even better than my vodka story, coming later today). The Telegraph (UK) is confirming reports that Romania’s Senate has voted down a proposal to tax witches and fortune tellers because… wait for it… they were scared of being cursed. Yeah, I’m not making that…