Income Tax in the United States

















Income Tax in the United States
In the United States, a tax is imposed on income by the federal, most state, and many local governments. The income tax is determined by applying a tax rate, which may increase as income increases, to taxable income as defined. Individuals and corporations are directly taxable, and estates and trusts may be taxable on undistributed income.
Partnerships are not taxed, but their partners are taxed on their shares of partnership income. Residents and citizens are taxed on worldwide income, while nonresidents are taxed only on income within the jurisdiction. Several types of credits reduce tax, and some types of credits may exceed tax before credits. An alternative tax applies at the federal and some state levels.
Taxable income is total income less allowable deductions. Income is broadly defined. Most business expenses are deductible. Individuals may also deduct a personal allowance (exemption) and certain personal expenses, including home mortgage interest, state taxes, contributions to charity, and some other items. Some deductions are subject to limits.
Capital gains are taxable, and capital losses reduce taxable income to the extent of gains (plus, in certain cases, $3,000 or $1,500 of ordinary income). Individuals currently pay a lower rate of tax on capital gains and certain corporate dividends.
Taxpayers generally must self assess income tax by filing tax returns. Advance payments of tax are required in the form of withholding tax or estimated tax payments. Taxes are determined separately by each jurisdiction imposing tax. Due dates and other administrative procedures vary by jurisdiction. April 15 following the tax year is the last day for individuals to file tax returns for federal and many state and local returns. Tax as determined by the taxpayer may be adjusted by the taxing jurisdiction.

Corporate Income tax - two types -S Corp Vs C Corp
 Introduction : When it comes to choosing a corporate structure, there are various objectives to consider. One such objective is security, as each structure offers different levels of protection. Another objective is to manage taxes, by setting up a separate company, which enables you to maximize write-offs and exemptions. Additionally, setting up a corporate structure can provide access to health benefits packages that are not available to individuals operating as a sole proprietorship. Business Structure in the USA The term "business structure" refers to the legal framework that governs an organization within a specific jurisdiction. It defines the rights and responsibilities of the company and its owners, including the ability to raise capital, assume liabilities, and pay taxes. Choosing the right legal structure for a business requires careful consideration of its goals and objectives, as well as the unique features of each option. In the United States, the most commonly used business structures are the LLC (Limited Liability Company), Sole Proprietorship, Corporation, and Partnership. Different types of legal business structures in the USA. 1. Sole proprietorship business structure The legal structure of a sole proprietorship is easy to set up and offers complete control over the business. If you run a buSince you cannot sell shares, raising funds can be difficult, and banks may be hesitant to lend to sole proprietorships. Solrisk businesses and owners who want to test their business idea before joining a more formal company. 2.. LLC (Limited Liability Company) It is a business structure that combines the best aspects of partnerships and corporations. It offers owners protection fromCompared to an S- corporation, which has a limit of 100 stockholders, there are no such restrictions on the number of owners in an LLC. To establish an LLC, it must file its articles of association with the Secretary of State where it intends to operate. Depending on the state, the entity may also be required to submit an operating agreement. One of the benefits of forming an LLC instead of a corporation is that it has fewer restrictions and requires less paperwoan LLC can be costly since it must register with the state and comply with tax and regulatory obligations. The organization may need to hire an accountant and attorney to ensure compliance. 3. Partnership business structure A partnership is a type of business structure where two or more individuals share ownership. It is the most straightforwarWhen filing taxes, the profits and losses of the business are passed on to the partners, and each partner must report their share of the profits or losses on Form 1065 with their tax returns. Additionally, partners may be required to pay self- employment tax, depending on their share of the company's profits. Schedule K-1 should be attached to Form 1065, which details the gains or losses. 4. Corporation A corporation is a type of business structure that separates the entity from its owners legally. It is a complex and expensive process to set up and involves complying with additional tax and regulatory requirements. Many businesses hire lawyers to oversee the registration process and ensure that the company complies with all relevant state laws. Before a company can go public by selling common stock to the public, it must first become a corporation. Corporations are subject to both federal and state taxes, and shareholders must report any dividend distributions on their income tax returns. The two most common types of corporations are C-corporations and S-corporations. A C-corporation is an independent legal entity separate from its owners, while an S-corporation can have up to 100 shareholders and operates similarly to a partnership. One advantage of a corporate structure is the ability to raise capital by selling stock to the public. Additionally, the corporate form provides limited personal liability protection, shielding the owners from the company's debts and obligations. However, a corporation also comes with more requirements, such as meetings, voting, and director elections, and it is more expensive to set up than a sole proprietorship or partnership. Conclusion In conclusion, selecting the right business structure is crucial because it affects various aspects of your business, including tax payments, fundraising, paperwork, and personal liability. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider your options before registering your business with the state. Additionally, you may need to obtain a tax identification number and necessary licenses and permissions. It's worth noting that changing your business structure in the future maybe possible, but limitations based on your location may arise, which could have tax implications and lead to unexpected dissolution or other issues 

C corporations are subject to double taxation; that is, one tax at the corporate level on the corporation's net income, and another tax to the shareholders when the profits are distributed. S corporations have only one level of taxation. All of their income is allocated to the shareholders.

United States tax code allows certain types of entities to utilize pass-through taxation. This effectively shifts the income tax liability from the entity earning the income to those who have a beneficial interest in it. The Schedule K-1 is the form that reports the amounts that are passed through to each party that has an interest in the entity.


Similar to a partnership, S corporations must file an annual tax return on Form 1120S.The S corporation provides Schedule K-1s that reports each shareholder’s share of income, losses, deductions and credits. The shareholders use the information on the K-1 to report the same thing on their separate tax returns.

Itemised Deductions in 1040

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018 made a lot of changes to the existing tax code. Most of them begin in 2018 and they’re a lot to get your mind around. If you’ve historically chosen to itemize rather than take the standard deduction, here's what you need to know in the years going forward. 

The TCJA tweaks and even eliminates a good many itemized deductions, but most of the changes are temporary. They’ll expire in 2025 unless Congress votes to keep some or all of them. Meanwhile, you might want to plan accordingly if you’ve normally claimed some or all of these deductions.

The Medical Expenses Deduction 

The changes to the itemized deduction for medical expenses is actually pro-taxpayer, at least for a short time.  

You could only claim a deduction for the portion of your expenses that exceeded 10 percent of your adjusted gross income through the 2016 tax year. The TCJA reduces that threshold to 7.5 percent, although only for tax years 2017 and 2018. This provision is retroactive, so you get a little gift as you go about preparing your 2017 return—you’ll be able to deduct somewhat more in medical expenses.

The other rules remain the same. You can claim expenses incurred for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents, and you must have paid them in the same year you claim them as a deduction. The 7.5 percent threshold is scheduled to increase back up to 10 percent in 2019, so you might want to spend the money now rather than later if you’re considering elective procedures that are deductible under the law. Just keep in mind that cosmetic-type surgeries and treatments are not deductible, although those that are preventative and those that treat existing problems are.

The State and Local Taxes Deduction (SALT)

This deduction was a matter of hot debate as the TCJA made its way through Congress at the end of 2017. It used to be unlimited, and it covered a range of taxes: property, sales, and income, although you did have to choose between deducting sales taxes or income taxes. You couldn’t claim a deduction for both.

That’s still the rule, but now there’s an overall limit to how much you can deduct. It caps out at $10,000 under the terms of the TCJA. If you pay $6,000 in property taxes and $5,000 in income taxes for a total of $11,000, you’ll lose $1,000 of that deduction beginning in 2018. You can either claim $5,000 in property taxes or $4,000 in income taxes, but that other $1,000 for the full $11,000 you paid is no longer available. This will be a real blow to those who live in states with high income tax rates or areas with high property tax rates, such as New York, New Jersey, California and the District of Columbia.

And if you’re married and file a separate return, you must cut that $10,000 figure in half. These filers are entitled to only a $5,000 deduction in state, property and local taxes. This rule doesn’t apply to single or head of household filers, however—they can claim the full $10,000.

Foreign real property taxes can’t be deducted anymore, either. The TCJA eliminates that tax law provision.

Can You Prepay Your Taxes to Get the Old Deduction?

This aspect of the new tax bill had many taxpayers storming their local property tax assessment offices at the end of 2017. hoping to prepay their 2018 taxes so they could still claim a deduction for the full amount. But on December 27, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service effectively said, “Not so fast.” If you did prepay your 2018 property taxes in December, they’re only deductible in 2017 to the extent that they were already assessed. In other words, you actually received a bill for your 2018 taxes—and paid them—before December 31, 2017.

You can’t claim a 2017 deduction for what the IRS has called “anticipated” 2018 taxes.

The Deduction for Home Mortgage Interest
This deduction hasn’t been eliminated either, but it’s suffered. It’s more restricted now, but to be fair, many taxpayers won’t feel the bite. Only those who can afford particularly sizeable mortgages will be affected.
Through 2017, you could deduct interest on mortgage loans of up to $1 million if they were used to acquire a first or second residence, or $500,000 if you were married and filed a separate return. You could also deduct interest on home equity loans of up to $100,000. The TCJA cuts this to acquisition loans topping out at $750,000, or $375,000 for married taxpayers filing separately, and you can no longer deduct interest on home equity loans.
In other words, unless you can qualify for a $750,000-plus mortgage, not much changes for you.
The applicable dates aren’t as clear cut with the amendments to this deduction. The old $1 million limit doesn’t quite last until December 31, 2017. It applies only to mortgages contracted for before December 14, 2017, and you must close on the property by April 1, 2018. 
And here’s another wrinkle: You can refinance an existing mortgage that you took out before December 14 in tax year 2018 or later and you can still deduct the interest, but only if the refinanced amount isn’t greater than your old loan balance. Remember, the deduction for interest on home equity loans has been eliminated, but if you’re not taking any cash out, you’re fine.
Deductions Affecting Workers
The TCJA also eliminates two advantageous deductions for the working class. It used to be that you could deduct certain moving expenses if you had to relocate for work-related reasons, subject to several qualifying rules. Hopefully, you moved before December 31, 2017 or you can hold off on doing so until the TCJA expires in 2025, because this deduction is no more.
Technically, this was an above-the-line deduction, an “add-on” to your itemized deductions or your standard deduction. And this change does not affect active duty military personnel. They can still claim this deduction when and if they’re forced to move for service-related reasons.
Those miscellaneous itemized deductions you used to be able to claim for expenses you had to make for work-related purposes are gone, too. Some miscellaneous deductions have survived the TCJA, but not this one. On the bright side, these were only deductible to the extent that they exceeded 2 percent of your AGI anyway, and if they were not reimbursed by your employer.
The Casualty and Theft Losses Deduction
The casualty and theft losses itemized deduction survived…sort of, but it’s been pared way back. Beginning in 2018, you can only claim this deduction if you suffered a loss due to a federally-declared disaster. The U.S. President must cite the event as a disaster. Fortunately, this covers most catastrophic events like hurricanes, but you’re out of luck if your neighbor steals your brand new laptop.
No More Pease Limitations
Charitable deductions are still alive and well and they remain unchanged, and here’s a bit of good news. This deduction—as well as the home mortgage interest deduction—was subject to something called the Pease limitations through 2017. For those with high incomes, these limitations reduced itemized deductions by 3 percent for every dollar of taxable income over certain thresholds and ultimately up to 80 percent of their itemized deductions. 
The TCJA repeals the Pease limitations, so go ahead and donate to your favorite charity no matter how much you earn. You can still claim this tax deduction in full.
The Standard Deduction vs. Itemized Deductions
It might not be all doom and gloom for some taxpayers. Yes, you're losing a handful of itemized deductions and other deductions have been limited. But the TCJA almost doubles standard deductions for all filing statuses: from $6,350 to $12,000 for single taxpayers, from $12,700 to $24,000 for married taxpayers who file jointly, and from $9,350 to $18,000 for those who qualify to file as head of household. So while your available itemized deductions might shrink, your available standard deduction will mushroom, potentially offsetting the loss.
You might find that you come out in much the same tax situation as before, or you might even come out ahead under the new rules. If you and your spouse were historically able to amass $20,000 in deductions, or if your itemized deductions are reduced to under $24,000 in 2018 by the new law, you’d actually lose money by itemizing. 

Capital Gains Tax


Tax Rates 2017 vs 2018(filing in 2019)















Sweeping Tax Overhaul 2018

The House-Senate Conference Committee revealed their agreed-upon tax reform package late on Friday, December 15th. As we write this, the Act has not yet become law, but we expect the House and Senate to separately pass it quickly and send it to President Trump shortly thereafter. While the devil is in the details, we wanted to pass along some of the key provisions.
Individual Tax Rates. The Conference bill calls for a maximum individual tax rate of 37 percent, down from 39.6 percent, but did not change the number of brackets as expected. To give you an idea of the changes, here is a 2017 – 2018 comparison for married filing jointly:
Capital Gains Rates. The Conference bill generally retains the present-law maximum rates on net long-term capital gains and qualified dividends: 15 percent and 20 percent depending on income levels.
Standard Deduction and Personal Exemptions. The standard deduction will nearly double in 2018 to $24,000 for joint filers, $18,000 for head-of-household filers, and $12,000 for all other individuals, indexed for inflation for tax years after 2018. However, personal exemptions of over $4,050 per eligible person will be eliminated.
Mortgage Interest Deduction. The Conference bill limits the mortgage interest deduction to interest on $750,000 of “acquisition indebtedness” ($375,000 in the case of married taxpayers filing separately), beginning in 2018. For acquisition indebtedness incurred before December 15, 2017, the current-law limitations of $1,000,000 ($500,000 in the case of married taxpayers filing separately) remain. However, no interest deduction is allowed for interest on home equity indebtedness after 2017.
State and Local Taxes. The Conference bill limits deductions for nonbusiness state and local tax expenses, including property and income taxes, to $10,000 ($5,000 for married filing separately). Moreover, taxpayers will not be able to deduct any 2018 taxes prepaid in 2017 on their 2017 tax returns.
Other Itemized Deductions Under the Conference Bill:
Charitable Contributions. Generally kept the same as 2017 except the deduction for certain contributions is limited to 60 percent of adjusted gross income rather than 50 percent. Also, a deduction will no longer be allowed for contributions made to gain seating rights for college sports.
Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions. Repealed.
Medical expenses. Not only retained but enhanced for 2017 and 2018 in that the threshold for the deduction was lowered to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income for all taxpayers.
Casualty LossesAllowed but only for losses attributable to federally-declared disaster areas.
Alimony. The Conference bill repeals the deduction for alimony payments and the inclusion in the income of the recipient, but only for divorces executed after December 31, 2018.
Moving Expense Deduction. The Conference bill repeals moving expense provisions, except for members of the military required to move.
Dependent Tax Credits. The Conference bill increases the child tax credit to $2,000 per qualifying child, up to $1,400 of which may be refundable. There is also a $500 nonrefundable credit for qualifying dependents other than qualifying children. The adjusted gross income threshold for phasing out the credits is increased to $400,000 for joint filers and $200,000 for others.
Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). The Conference bill keeps AMT for individuals but increases the exemption (to $109,400 for joint filers) and exemption phase-out thresholds (to $1 million for joint filers) to reduce the number of taxpayers subject to it. The corporation AMT is repealed.
Section 529 Plans. The Conference bill enhances Section 529 college savings plans by allowing up to $10,000 of distributions per student during the year to be used for elementary or secondary school.
Estate and Gift Taxes. The Conference bill does not repeal the estate tax as once expected but it doubles the estate and gift tax exemption for estates of decedents dying and gifts made after 2017.
C Corporation Tax Rate. The Conference bill provides for a 21 percent corporate rate effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. This rate also applies to personal service corporations.
Depreciation Rules. The Conference bill generally increases the 50 percent “bonus depreciation” allowance to 100 percent for new AND used property placed in service after September 27, 2017, and before January 1, 2023. Business passenger automobiles will also be eligible for more favorable depreciation rules. In addition, among Section 179 changes, HVAC equipment is now eligible for Section 179 expensing.
Deduction for Pass-through Businesses. The Conference bill effectively lowers the tax rate for individual and trust owners of certain “qualified” S Corporations, LLCs, partnerships and sole proprietorships by providing a 20 percent deduction on qualified business income. The deduction is limited to 50 percent of the W-2 wages with respect to such business, or if greater, the sum of 25 percent of the W-2 wages plus 2.5 percent of the cost of qualified property acquired during the year. Owners of “specified service businesses” where the principal asset of the business is the reputation or skill of one or more of its employees or owners, such as businesses in the fields of health, law, consulting, and financial services, are generally not eligible for the 20 percent deduction. However, there is a small taxpayer exception to both the wage limitation and the “specified service business” exclusion as both generally do not begin phasing in until owners have adjusted taxable income of more than $157,500 ($315,000 for joint filers).
Small Business Methods of Accounting. Beginning after 2018, small businesses with average gross receipts of $25 million or less will be allowed to use the cash method of accounting regardless if it is a C Corporation or a partnership with a C Corporation partner. Moreover, taxpayers that meet the $25 million gross receipts test are not required to account for inventories.
Revenue Recognition. The Conference bill generally requires accrual method taxpayers subject to the “all events test” for revenue recognition to be in conformity with its “applicable financial statements” if such are prepared by the taxpayers.
Business Interest Expense Limitations. The Conference bill limits the deduction of net interest expense for businesses with average gross receipts in excess of $25 million. The deduction is generally limited to 30 percent of adjusted taxable income (after adding back depreciation and amortization expense).
Corporate Net Operating Losses (NOL). For losses generated after 2017, the Conference Bill limits the NOL deduction to 80 percent of taxable income, disallows most carrybacks, but generally allows indefinite carryforwards.
Business Entertainment Expenses. The Conference bill generally repeals the business deduction for entertainment, amusement or recreation expenses. The 50 percent deduction for business meals is generally retained.
Domestic Production Deduction. The Conference bill repeals this popular deduction.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) or “Obamacare.” The Conference bill repeals the ACA’s individual mandate to buy health insurance by making any required payment $0 beginning in 2019.
Effective Dates. Unless noted otherwise above, the tax changes generally are effective beginning in 2018. Many of the individual provisions “sunset” after 2025 resulting in a reversion to current law unless Congress acts beforehand.


Tax schedules
schedule is a form the IRS requires you to prepare in addition to your tax return when you have certain types of income or deductions. These commonly include things like significant amounts of interest income, mortgage interest or charitable contributions. Generally, the totals you compute on these schedules are transferred to your Form 1040. When you qualify to complete a simpler tax form, such as the Form 1040EZ, then additional schedules are not required.













Schedule A

If you elect to itemize your deductions rather than claim the standard deduction, then you must prepare a Schedule A and attach it to your Form 1040. Schedule A is the tax form where you report the amount of your itemized deductions. Some of the itemized deductions listed on Schedule A include medical and dental expenses, various state taxes, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions. If your Schedule A total exceeds the standard deduction, you are typically better off itemizing your deductions.

Schedule B

Schedule B is an income schedule that requires you to separately list the sources of interest and dividend payments you receive during the year. You can use Schedule B with both Forms 1040 and 1040A. However, preparation of the schedule is only necessary when your interest or dividend income exceeds the IRS threshold for the year - $1,500 in 2017. For example, if you only earn $200 of bank interest this year, you must include this amount in your taxable income, but preparing a Schedule B is not necessary.

Schedules C and C-EZ

Schedules C and C-EZ are forms that you use to report self-employment income. Essentially, both forms separately report your business earnings and deductions to arrive at your net business profit or loss, which is then added to your other income on Form 1040. If you have a single business with simple accounting that meets IRS qualifications, you can use the shorter Schedule C-EZ, rather than Schedule C.

Schedule D

If you sell a capital asset during the year, then you must report it on a Schedule D attachment to your tax return. Capital assets transactions commonly report the gains and losses when you sell stocks, but can include any other property you sell during the year such as your home or car. The form separates the transactions into short-term and long-term transactions depending on whether you own the property for more than one year or not. Your short-term capital gains are taxed at the same rate as your other income, but your long-term gains are taxed at lower rates.

Schedule EIC

Schedule EIC is where you report your qualifications for claiming the earned income tax credit. The earned income tax credit is a refundable tax credit you can claim if you have qualifying children, and your income falls below a certain level. You can use Schedule EIC for both Forms 1040 and 1040A.

Schedule SE

If you are self-employed, you are responsible for paying Social Security tax on your earnings since an employer is not withholding it for you. You compute the amount of your self-employment tax on Schedule SE.





Standard Deduction Vs Itemised Deduction

A) It is the option of tax payer to take either of them whichever is beneficial ( assessee is called atx payer in US)

B) Standard deduction is 12k, 18k, 24k based on status.This is increased in 2018( by removing one of the other deductions called personal deduction)

C)From 2018 onwards - standard deduction is increased and scope for itemised deductions curtailed. 



The  mortgage debt interest is one of the major itemized deductions which will help the sum of itemized deductions being higher than standard deduction.

However the following changes are made in 2018 which limit the deduction for loans taken after 15th Dec 2017

Mortgage Interest Deductibility in 2018

  • Interest payments are deductible on mortgage debt of up to $750,000—formerly $1,000,000
  • Married couples filing separately can deduct interest on up to $350,000 each—formerly $500,000
  • Up to 2025, these new limits won't apply to mortgages originated before December 15, 2017
  • Deduction for other home equity debt (HELOCs and second mortgages) eliminated—formerly $100,000
In the short term, these changes only affect people who take out new purchase mortgages. Anyone who purchased a home before December 15, 2017 will be able to deduct mortgage interest payments on up to $1 million in debt, up until 2025. Even if you refinance, the old limit applies as long as the original debt was taken on before December 15, 2017. Finally, people who closed on a home purchase before January 1, 2018 can also use the old limit of $1 million—provided they purchase the residence by April 1.
Besides reducing the maximum deduction for mortgage interest, the new rules completely eliminate the deduction for interest paid on other home equity debt. Previously, taxpayers could deduct up to $100,000—$50,000 for married couples filing separately—on the interest payments for home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs).

Outbound Investment procedure - Overseas Direct Investment by indian entity

The relevant application form for  foreign investment by an Indian company is ODI both in case of automatic route and approval route.

ODI form comprises of four parts:
Part I - which includes the following:
          Section A – Details of the Indian Party
          Section B – Details of Investment in New Project
          Section C - Details of Investment in Existing Project
          Section D – Funding for JV / WOS
          Section E – Declaration by the Indian Party
          Section F - Certificate by the Statutory Auditors of the Indian Party

Part II - Reporting of Remittances

Part III - Annual Performance Report (APR)

Part IV – Report on Closure / Disinvestment / Voluntary Liquidation / Winding up of JV / WOS.

AD Category - I bank which receives the ODI form takes the necessary action as under:
a) In cases of Automatic Route – Parts I and II of form ODI should be submitted to The Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Department, Overseas Investment Division, Amar Bldg. 3rd floor, Sir P. M. Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001.
b) In case of Approval Route – Part I of form ODI, along with the supporting documents, is required to be submitted after scrutiny and with specific recommendations by the designated AD Category - I bank, at the address mentioned above. In case the proposal is approved, Part I will be returned by the Reserve Bank to the AD Category - I bank.  After effecting the remittance, the AD Category – I bank should resubmit the same to the Reserve Bank along with Part II of form ODI.


With effect from July 03, 2014, the limit of Overseas Direct Investments (ODI)/ Financial Commitment (FC) to be undertaken by an Indian Party under the automatic route has been restored to the limit prevailing, as per the extant FEMA provisions, prior to August 14, 2013.(i.e., within 400% of the net worth as per the last audited balance sheet)



Sample APR





Sample Valuation Certificate





Tax planning through tax heavens, BEPS, ESR, POEM


Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) in the UAE

16 August 2020,Sagar Chandiramani, Finance Director,Virtuzone

 

The Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) was introduced in countries across the globe to seek compliance from major regulatory bodies based in Europe and the United States. These regulations are targeted at jurisdictions that offer minimal tax liabilities to businesses and require certain entities conducting specific types of business activities to demonstrate that they have adequate economic substance in that jurisdiction. 

The regulations highlight the regular recording, tracking and reporting of all the economic activities carried out by legal entities in the UAE, including companies, branches and subsidiaries, as well as those based in any of the free zones in the UAE.

The Council of the European Union has laid out certain criteria that these jurisdictions need to comply with as part of its efforts to promote transparency in cross-border transactions and to restrict harmful tax practices. Should the European Union (EU) consider that a certain country does not have substantial economic substance regulations, then that country will appear on EU's list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes, also known as the EU 'tax haven' blacklist.

An assessment carried out by the European Union on the tax framework of the United Arab Emirates resulted in the country being deemed a non-cooperative tax jurisdiction and its inclusion on the EU blacklist. On 30 April 2019, the UAE Cabinet adopted new ESR in response to concerns expressed by the European Union Code of Conduct Group about the tax framework of the UAE and its commitment to the anti-Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The UAE is now part of the BEPS Inclusive Framework (BEPS IF), which comprises of more than 130 countries and jurisdictions. As an Inclusive Framework member, the UAE is committed to implementing the minimum standards monitored by BEPS IF to increase tax-related transparency, something which the BEPS thrusts upon itself. 

The UAE has complied to implement a set of four minimum standards laid out by BEPS:

  • Countering Harmful Tax Practices
  • Prevention of Granting Tax Treaty Benefits in Inappropriate Circumstances
  • Country-by-Country Reporting
  • Mutual Agreement Procedure

The UAE's ESR requires businesses to assess whether the newly introduced regulations apply to them. Businesses that are able to demonstrate that they are carrying out substantial economic business activities within the region are considered relevant and need to implement strategies in preparing for the notification and reporting requirements prescribed by their relevant Regulatory Authority.

The UAE Ministry of Finance and the various Regulatory Authorities across the UAE have issued an ESR Notification template, which all legal entities must complete, unless as prescribed otherwise by the relevant Licensing Authority, to notify and report to their relevant Regulatory Authority whether or not they undertake and generate income from the list of relevant activities.

Who Needs to Submit an Economic Substance Notification?

A licencee undertaking one or more of the following Relevant and Core Income Generating Activities during the relevant year must file a Notification with the Registration Authority:

  • Banking Business
  • Insurance Business
  • Investment Fund Management Business
  • Lease-Finance Business
  • Headquarter Business
  • Shipping Business
  • Holding Company Business
  • Intellectual Property Business
  • Distribution and Service Centre Business

For further information and explanation on each of the above Relevant Activities, please refer to the Relevant Activities Guide issued by the Ministry of Finance.

What Are the Economic Substance Compliance Requirements Under the Regulations?

All licencees (either onshore, offshore or in a free zone) must comply with the Economic Substance Notification & Return Filing obligations. In order to demonstrate substantial economic substance, a company needs to review its corporate governance structures and operating models and make relevant changes where possible. The compliance requirements imposed on UAE companies under the Regulations are as follows:

  • The company must perform its core income-generating activities (CIGAs) in the UAE;
  • The company must be directed and managed within the UAE in relation to the its business activity, evidencing that company holds board meetings and annual general meetings, with a quorum of directors and shareholders physically present in the UAE;
  • The company is required to have an adequate number of full-time employees, incur operating expenditure, and have physical assets for carrying out the relevant business activities in the UAE; and
  • The company must be able to demonstrate that it controls the execution of activities that have been outsourced to third parties.

Economic Substance Notification & Return Filing

All UAE companies (onshore, offshore or Free Zone) that hold a licence and carry out any of the 'Relevant Activities' during the year, have to file a notification unless as prescribed by the relevant Licensing Authority, as per the template prescribed by the relevant Licensing Authority. 

The Regulation has prescribed what needs to go in the form of a notification, and those are:

  • Whether or not the company carries out relevant activities;
  • A description of the type of relevant activities carried out by the company and the type of income from those activities;
  • Whether the income earned from core income generating activities (CIGAs) is taxable in a jurisdiction outside of the UAE;
  • If the licencee is a tax resident outside of the UAE and if yes, where; and 
  • If at least 51% of the business is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Federal or an Emirate Government, or a UAE Government body or authority;
  • The first reportable financial year the business is subject to.

A company carrying out relevant activities, must submit an Economic Substance Report annually to the Regulatory Authority, in order to evidence that the company satisfies the economic substance requirements. 

The Economic Substance Report should include:

  • The value and type of income earned from the relevant activities;
  • The location of the activities and the property and/or equipment used to conduct the activities;
  • The number of employees, their qualifications, and the number of people responsible for conducting the activities; and
  • A disclosure stating that the company has met the economic substance requirements.

What Are the Penalties for Non-Compliance?

Failure to comply with the ESR or the provision of incomplete or inaccurate information, may result in your business being imposed with an administrative fine of between AED 10,000-50,000 during the first fiscal year. Furthermore, for the subsequent fiscal year of non-compliance, your business can be imposed with an administrative fine of between AED 50,000 and AED 300,000. It is worth noting that the Licencing Authorities may even suspend, revoke or deny renewal of your commercial licence if the fines are unpaid. 

UAE lays out 2023 corporate tax plan


Companies in the UAE has to prepare for a corporate tax regime in 2023, while the Trump Organization was found guilty of 17 counts of tax fraud.
The UAE issued a federal decree on the taxation of corporations and businesses today, December 9, to prepare the groundwork for a 9% rate on taxable profits of more than Dh375,000 ($102,000).

The legislation will come into force on June 1 2023. Profits below Dh375,000 will face a zero rate to provide support to small businesses and start-up companies. This may still allow smaller businesses to claim money back from the tax administration.

At the same time, the federal corporate tax regime will maintain targeted exemptions for extractive industries, pension funds and investment funds. A zero rate will apply to qualifying income made in free trade zones.

The Ministry of Finance designed the corporate tax regime to normalise UAE tax policy because the Arab Gulf nation was blacklisted by the EU as a non-cooperative tax jurisdiction. However, the 9% headline rate is below the OECD’s global minimum rate of 15%.

Nevertheless, the UAE government maintains it supports the global minimum corporate rate, so it’s possible that the 9% will be raised to 15% if the world implements pillar two.

Siqalane Taho, Josh White December 09, 2022 for internationaltaxreview.com


Anti-Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).