In 2014, the European Commission announced that it would formally investigate the tax structures and practices of a handful of companies including Apple (Ireland), Fiat Finance and Trade (Luxembourg), and Starbucks (Netherlands). The inquiry followed months of promises by world leaders to ensure tax compliance after not-so-shocking revelations that multinational companies were engaging in controversial…
The Tax Justice Network has recently released its list of the most secretive financial jurisdictions in the world. And who topped the list? Luxembourg? Switzerland? Hong Kong? Caymans? Nope, it’s the United States. Yeah, of America. But don’t get too excited with your finger pointing. It has little to do with most of the US….
In an effort to recover income from funds that might have been hidden offshore, the US introduced a Voluntary Compliance Program that offers reduced civil penalties and no criminal penalties. At the time, IRS Commission Doug Shulman described the program as stating: The goal is to have a predictable set of outcomes to encourage people…
Germany, like the US, has been highly critical of countries considered to be tax havens. Mostly, those are countries outside of Europe with financial and banking secrecy laws meant to woo (mostly) westerners with the lure of escaping taxation. There are a few notable exceptions within Europe: Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. All three are small,…