International

  • September 30, 2024

    Corporate Tax Rates Up In 2023, OECD Annual Report Finds

    A global trend toward cutting taxes to address the economics of the COVID-19 pandemic began to wane in 2023, with more nations willing to raise taxes and broaden tax bases to fund social spending, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development said Monday.

  • September 30, 2024

    PwC Agrees To $63M Fine For Evergrande Audit, China Says

    PwC's chairman agreed to the firm's six-month suspension in China and nearly $63 million in fines over its Chinese auditing arm's work for Evergrande Group, which until a court-ordered liquidation in January was the country's largest real estate firm, the country's Finance Ministry said Monday.

  • September 30, 2024

    IRS Seeks Input On Draft Partnership Basis-Shifting Form

    The Internal Revenue Service asked for comments Monday on a draft form and instructions for partners to disclose all the property they receive from partnerships, part of upcoming regulations meant to target abusive tax avoidance that uses sophisticated partnership basis-shifting transactions.

  • September 30, 2024

    German Lawyer Charged Over €428M Cum-Ex Fraud

    A lawyer has been charged in Germany with several counts of "serious tax evasion" over his alleged role in a €428 million ($477 million) so-called cum-ex dividend tax fraud, a German court confirmed Monday.

  • September 30, 2024

    Feds Seek Prison In Tax Case Linked To 'China Initiative'

    Prosecutors have asked a Texas federal judge for an 18- to 24-month prison sentence for a Chinese-born engineer who pled guilty to tax crimes after being charged with export violations and fraud in a case the defense claims began as an espionage investigation under the U.S. Department of Justice's now-disbanded "China Initiative."

  • September 30, 2024

    IRS Appeals Office Tests Group Mailbox For Large Cos.

    The Internal Revenue Service's Independent Office of Appeals announced Monday that it will test out a program intended to help enhance secure messaging for large businesses with multiple representatives by allowing them to request a group mailbox to communicate with their assigned Appeals employee.

  • September 30, 2024

    Aussie 2023-24 Budget Delivered Surplus Despite Tax Dip

    Australia ended the 2023-24 fiscal year with an AU$15.8 billion ($11 billion) surplus, larger than what the government had projected and primarily due to spending cuts, not higher taxes, according to the country's annual report, published Monday.

  • September 27, 2024

    Ex-Citizens' Renunciation Fee Suit Shipped To Claims Court

    A D.C. federal judge ruled that a lawsuit brought by former U.S. citizens seeking a refund on their $2,350 citizenship renunciation fee belongs in the Court of Federal Claims.

  • September 27, 2024

    Constitution Permits Blocked Anti-Laundering Law, Panel Told

    The U.S. government urged the Eleventh Circuit on Friday to reinstate the Corporate Transparency Act passed in 2021, arguing that the anti-money laundering law is within Congress' powers to regulate economic activity and necessary to have businesses report beneficial ownership to combat crimes like tax evasion and terrorist financing.

  • September 27, 2024

    IRS Plans Transition Rules In Basis-Shifting Regs, Atty Says

    The IRS plans to include transition rules in forthcoming proposed regulations that aim to clamp down on abusive tax avoidance practices through complex partnership transactions known as basis shifting, an agency attorney said Friday.

  • September 27, 2024

    Corp. AMT Rules Could Wrap In Smaller Partnerships

    Recently proposed rules on the U.S. corporate alternative minimum tax create new concerns for partnerships of various sizes that could be forced to comply with complex reporting requirements unless the government introduces carveouts, tax observers said.

  • September 27, 2024

    Ireland Seeks Input On Business Interest Tax Regime

    Ireland has asked for comments on its business interest taxation and deduction regime, as well as whether the country should introduce a commercial business purposes test for deductions, its government said Friday.

  • September 27, 2024

    Taxation With Representation: Kirkland, Skadden, Cleary

    In this week's Taxation With Representation, Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners acquire Smartsheet Inc., Macquarie Asset Management takes a stake in D.E. Shaw Renewables Investment Group, and Apogee Enterprises Inc. buys UW Interco LLC from Heartwood Partners.

  • September 27, 2024

    US Trade Group Pushes OECD On Compliance Burden

    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development needs to do more work on the safe harbor provisions of its Pillar Two 15% global corporate minimum tax plan — including potentially making it permanent — among other compliance burden concerns, the National Foreign Trade Council said Friday.

  • September 27, 2024

    Gov't Could Target Pension Contributions In Tax Raid

    The U.K. government could introduce a new levy on employer pension contributions as a means of plugging a £22 billion ($29.5 billion) black hole in public finances, experts said Friday.

  • September 26, 2024

    Belgian Co. Can't Keep Using Ad Space Rent-Free, ECJ Says

    The European Court of Justice on Thursday upheld a 2019 European Commission ruling that a street furniture company's owed rent for Brussels bus shelter advertising space, agreeing with the commission that allowing the company to continue using the ad displays without paying rent or taxes constituted unlawful state aid.

  • September 26, 2024

    Tribunal Halts $52.8M German Tax Collection Against Oil Cos.

    German tax authorities shouldn't collect a windfall profits tax totaling at least €47.2 million ($52.8 million) from two oil refineries before the dispute has been litigated, a tribunal of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes said.

  • September 26, 2024

    Montreal Exchange Is A Qualified Exchange, IRS Says

    The Montreal Exchange is a qualified board or exchange for purposes of mark-to-market contracts under Internal Revenue Code Section 1256(g)(7)(C), the Internal Revenue Service said Thursday. 

  • September 26, 2024

    Amazon Reports Paying £932M In UK Taxes In 2023

    Amazon said Thursday that it paid a total of £932 million ($1.25 billion) in U.K. taxes last year, which the company said puts it among the 10 largest taxpayers in the country.

  • September 26, 2024

    Tariff Tax Base Too Small To Replace Income Tax, Report Says

    Higher tariffs can't replace income tax revenue, as former President Donald Trump has suggested, since U.S. imports total $3 trillion annually while incomes top $20 trillion, but they would lower incomes by raising prices for U.S. consumers, a think tank reported Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    Irish Dividend Exemption Too Restrictive, Big 4 Say

    The Big Four accounting firms raised concerns about wording in Ireland's planned tax exemption for foreign-sourced dividends, claiming in comments released Thursday that it would be overly restrictive to require dividends to come solely out of an offshore affiliate's profits.

  • September 26, 2024

    Harris' And Trump's Tax Plans Each Add To Deficit, Study Says

    The U.S. federal deficit would grow by at least $2 trillion over the next decade from the tax policy plans of both major parties' candidates, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, researchers said Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    UK Cos. Claimed Nearly £1.5B In Patent Box Relief In 2022-23

    While there was a slight dip in the number of U.K. companies that elected to use the country's patent box tax regime in the 2022-23 tax year compared with the prior year, the estimated value of relief claimed jumped to nearly £1.47 billion ($1.97 billion) compared with around £1.33 billion, HM Revenue & Customs said Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    UK R&D Tax Credit Claims Down, But Total Relief Up £100M

    While there was an over 20% dip in research and development tax credit claims in the U.K. in the 2022-23 tax year, the total relief claimed rose to £7.5 billion ($10.1 billion), a £100 million increase, HM Revenue & Customs said Thursday.

  • September 26, 2024

    UK Corp. Tax Receipts Up 10% To £93.3B, HMRC Says

    The U.K. generated £93.3 billion ($125 billion) in corporate tax receipts in the 2023-24 tax year, a 10% increase over the prior year, HM Revenue & Customs said Thursday, pointing mainly to the increase in the country's corporation tax rate to 25% as the reason behind the bump.

Expert Analysis

  • 6 Pointers For Attys To Build Trust, Credibility On Social Media

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    In an era of information overload, attorneys can use social media strategically — from making infographics to leveraging targeted advertising — to cut through the noise and establish a reputation among current and potential clients, says Marly Broudie at SocialEyes Communications.

  • US-Chile Tax Treaty May Encourage Cross-Border Investment

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    Provisions in the recently effective U.S.-Chile bilateral income tax treaty should encourage business between the two countries, as they reduce U.S. withholding tax on investment income for Chilean taxpayers, exempt certain U.S. taxpayers from Chilean capital gains tax, and clarify U.S. foreign tax credit rules, say attorneys at Kramer Levin.

  • A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise

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    After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.

  • Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout

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    While attorney burnout remains a perennial issue in the legal profession, shifting post-pandemic expectations mean that law firms must adapt their office cultures to retain talent, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • Cayman Islands Off AML Risk Lists, Signaling Robust Controls

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    As a world-leading jurisdiction for securitization special purpose entities, the removal of the Cayman Islands from increased anti-money laundering monitoring lists is a significant milestone that will benefit new and existing financial services customers conducting business in the territory, say lawyers at Walkers Global.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders

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    The IRS is fulfilling its promise to crack down on those who have neglected to pay taxes on cryptocurrency earnings, as demonstrated by recently imposed prison sentences, enforcement initiatives and meetings with international counterparts — suggesting a few key takeaways for taxpayer compliance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • 6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga

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    Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

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