Your business website is a powerful tool for engaging potential and existing customers, and for collecting useful data. Where information collected is personal information, however, you have obligations under the Privacy Act 1993. The legislation contains
12 Privacy Principles which regulate how you collect, use, disclose and store personal information.
Often prospective purchasers overlook important aspects and end up having to sort out issues that arise after settlement – at significant cost. This article puts the spotlight on common snags people experience when buying a new business.
It’s important that you select the business structure to suit your personal circumstances and business aims. There are four main types of business structures, each with pros and cons:
Continue reading “Great, You Have Found a New Business, Now How to Buy It?” →
Many New Zealand businesses and trusts must complete registration and understand their reporting obligations.
With the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) regime now in effect, it’s important that all New Zealand entities ensure they are aware of their obligations.
FATCA came into effect in New Zealand on 1 July 2014 – with little fanfare at the time. From 1 April 2017, however, the compliance obligations of the FATCA regime are now live. The FATCA regime classifies all entities (companies, trusts, associations and partnerships) as either a ‘financial institution’, an ‘active non-financial foreign entity’ (active NFFE) or a ‘passive non-financial foreign entity’ (passive NFFE).
The ultimate goal of the FATCA regime is to find US offshore persons or entities who have been avoiding their US tax obligations. This is done by gathering information on any US persons or entities controlled by US persons holding accounts outside of the US.
The pundits were right. The Minister of Finance, the Hon Steven Joyce, presented his first Budget on Thursday 25 May and it was definitely a ‘steady as she goes affair’ with few surprises.
The Minister said the outlook for New Zealand’s economy is positive and the Crown’s books are steadily improving. We highlight some of the Budget’s key points below.
From 1 April 2018, there will be tax cuts for every working New Zealander with particular emphasis on lower to middle income earners.
Income that can be earned at the lowest tax rate of 10.5% will rise from $14,000 to $22,000 which means $11 more a week. The 17.5% income tax rate will be raised from $48,000 to $52,000 giving an increase of $20 a week.
Proposed business tax changes
In April, the government announced a package of proposals to simplify business tax, many of which will benefit small and medium-sized businesses. Some of the key tax proposals include:
Continue reading “Tax changes, smoke alarms and insulation…” →
BUSINESS BRIEFS: The tail of two crocodiles, Business tax proposals announced, Attempt to structure around the Overseas Investment Act proves costly.
The ‘tail’ of two crocodiles
Lacoste recently successfully defended its rights in the Court of Appeal (1) to its trade mark which depicts both a crocodile and the word ‘crocodile’ (mark 70068) despite it never actually having used the mark.
Crocodile International Pte Limited had applied to have Lacoste’s mark revoked on the ground of non-use under 66(1)(a) of the Trade Marks Act 2002. Lacoste argued that its use of its other, more familiar mark, constituted use of mark 70068 under the Act’s extended definition of ‘use’ which includes ‘use in a form differing in elements that do not alter the distinctive character of the trademark in the form in which it was registered.’
Over The Fence: Paid parental leave changes ahead, Upcoming employment law changes, Minimum wage review 2016 and New property taxation legislation.
Following the abolition of gift duty on 1 October, we publish a special edition of Fineprint here.
You may be considering whether to complete your gifting programme in one fell swoop – or perhaps not.
Everyone has their own reasons for establishing a trust, and your own individual situation will be unique to you and your family. Completing your gifting programme in its entirety may not be the best step for you.
Do get in touch with us so we can talk about the best path forward for you and your particular circumstances.
The Supreme Court has just released its judgment in the ‘Penny Hooper’ case. This case involved two doctors that worked in their own private practices. They then formed companies for which their family trusts were shareholders. Rather than the doctors receiving the full income they generated – they were paid a salary. The IRD said the salary was significantly below market value (i.e. one doctor went from $650,000 income one year to a salary of around $100,000).
The Supreme Court has said that having a salary set at a low rate to avoid paying tax is tax avoidance. However, if the salary is at a low rate for a legitimate reason (e.g. saving income for the purchase of a capital item) then this is not tax avoidance.
A more detailed summary of the decision follows and you can read the full decision here.
Continue reading “The taxing issue of family trusts and companies” →
