From the category archives:

Taxation Legislation

Budget Thoughts - The Misuse of Hong Kong’s Tax System

February 19, 2010

It has become a custom for the Financial Secretary, John Tsang Chun-wah, to leak a few details of his budget measures before he delivers his budget speech.  This year is no exception.  So far this year, it has been suggested that we can expect a salaries tax rebate, a waiver of [...]

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Hong Kong Budget – Further Considerations

February 10, 2010

The budget proposals issued by the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong always provide interesting reading. Furthermore, they give a very useful overview of the business community’s wish list for the [...]

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Budget Mania

February 8, 2010

It is that time of year when people, typically tax partners of the larger accounting firms, attempt to predict the Hong Kong Government’s budget surplus/deficit for the current year. This is often accompanied by a call for a reduction in the rate of profits tax, i.e. the corporate tax rate. Experience has shown [...]

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Locality of Profits

January 13, 2010

In December 2009, the Inland Revenue Department published the revised Departmental Interpretation and Practice Note No.21 (Revised) – “Locality of Profits”.
The determination of the location of a source of a given profit has caused some disputes between taxpayers and the Inland Revenue Department.  It is clear that the source of a profit is “what the [...]

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Why an Audit?

January 11, 2010

One of the more frustrating aspects of Hong Kong company law is that all Hong Kong-incorporated companies require an audit, irrespective of the value of the company’s turnover, the number and nature of its shareholders etc.  By comparison, a Singapore Exempt Private Company, i.e. a company with not more than 20 shareholders (none of whom [...]

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2010 Budget Wish List

November 9, 2009

With Hong Kong’s budget only four months away, give or take a few weeks, now is the time to make your own views known to the Financial Secretary, Mr John Tsang.
People may consider this a futile exercise, but in my opinion this is far from being the case.  The 2009 budget lacked substance, or at [...]

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Why Reduce The Tax Rate?

October 6, 2009

I read with interest that the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce believes that it is essential to reduce the rate of profits tax, the tax on business profits, to 15% in order to enhance Hong Kong’s competitive position. I question whether a reduction in the rate of profits tax is that important in [...]

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US tax snoops zero in on Hong Kong? Let’s be realistic.

September 28, 2009

Nick Westra’s article in this week’s Sunday Morning Post (September 27th, 2009) must have pleased the IRS.  If anything is going to raise concern amongst US citizens living in Hong Kong it is exactly this type of suggestion that a foreign authority will have unrestricted access to information.  The article appears to ignore the fact [...]

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Datatronic Limited Saga Part2 - Manufacturers Claim Hundreds of Firms Hit by Unfair Tax Rule

September 25, 2009

I refer to Mr Sun’s comments in Denise Tang’s article “Manufacturers claim hundreds of firms hit by unfair tax rule” published in the Wednesday 23rd September edition of the South China Morning Post.
I whole heartedly support Mr Sun’s views and indeed I have been very frustrated with the Inland Revenue Department’s (“the Department”) intransient stance [...]

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Expat trapped in Hong Kong

September 25, 2009

Is it time for Hong Kong to overhaul its tax collection methods? Multi million dollar losses suggest it is.

The article, ‘Expat Trapped in Hong Kong over unpaid tax bill’ that appeared in last week’s issue of The Sunday Morning Post highlighted an interesting problem for the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department.
The piece tells the story [...]

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