Thursday, September 20, 2012

Giving to charity your taxes

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Higher donation limits

This tax year you can donate more and get an Israeli tax break. Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance allows Israeli and foreign individuals a 35 percent tax credit if they donate at least NIS 180 to a national fund or a public institution (charity) approved by the Finance Ministry and the Knesset Finance Committee. In the case of companies, the tax credit is equal to the company tax rate, currently 25%.

The donation limit for Israeli tax purposes is the lower of: (1) NIS 9 million in 2012 (up from NIS 4,351,000 in 2011); or (2) 30% of taxable income for the year. Unused donations can be carried forward three tax years.

It is unclear if the NIS 180 minimum applies to each donation or to total donations in the tax year. The Israeli tax year is the year ended December 31.

For example, if a person makes a donation of NIS 1,000 to an Israeli charity that has been approved as mentioned above under Section 46, the Israeli tax credit should reduce the tax bill by NIS 350. Keep the receipt from the charity. The tax credit is claimed on the taxpayer’s Israeli tax return, but see below.

If the taxpayer claimed an R&D participation deduction under Section 20A of the Income Tax Ordinance, total participations and donations are limited to 50% of taxable income.

New charitable credit procedure for certain employees

On July 11, the Israel Tax Authority (ITA) announced a new procedure for giving employees their Section 46 tax credit month by month against the tax on their salary (Operating Instructions 7/2012). According to an ITA press release, this follows an instruction on July 14, 2011, from the Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, to government ministries to make proposals for promoting philanthropy in Israel.

The new procedure s voluntary for employers who apply to their tax office directly or via an accountant/tax adviser who is connected to the “Shaam” network of the ITA. Various conditions must be met, as detailed in the ITA pronouncement.

In particular, the employer must have employed at least 50 employees on average in the 12 months preceding the employer’s application to apply the procedure. The credit is granted via the payroll. Employers must receive and hold the original receipts from the charity for donations made by the employees and must check that the charity is approved under Section 46 (via their accountant/tax adviser or via the ITA website: www.misim.gov.il).

The employer must be compliant with the bookkeeping and tax-reporting requirements and must keep detailed records of employee donations. The employer must note on the original donation receipts that the tax credit has been given, using a stamp for this purpose. Maximum donations under this procedure are NIS 25,000 per employee, but they are subject to the Section 46 limits as well.

Comments on the new procedure

This procedure speeds up the tax-credit procedure for employees and may avoid the need for them to file an annual tax return and wait for a tax refund some months after the end of the tax year. But it creates additional bureaucracy for the employer.

Furthermore, the employer needs to employ more than 50 employees, which rules out employees of small- to medium-sized firms. It is unclear what happens if the employer has less than 50 employees but is part of a larger corporate group based in Israel or abroad.

US citizens resident in Israel

Special rules apply to US citizens resident in Israel under the Israel-US tax treaty. To get both a US tax deduction and an Israeli tax credit not exceeding 25% of Israeli source income, they should donate to any organization created or organized under the laws of Israel (and recognized under Section 46 of the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance), if and to the extent such contributions would have been treated as charitable contributions had such organization been created or organized under the laws of the United States.

As for US-source income, they may claim a US deduction and Israeli tax credit for a donation not exceeding 25% of US-source income to any organization constituting a charitable organization for the purpose of the revenue laws of the US, if and to the extent such contributions would have been treated as charitable contributions had such organization been a charitable organization for the purpose of the income-tax laws of Israel.

These are often referred to as “friends of Israel” organizations; for example, American Friends of Hebrew University.


If you have any questions please contact us!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Germany's Merkel to Lobby for German-Swiss Bilateral Tax Treaty

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday threw her weight behind a German-Swiss bilateral tax treaty that has become a controversial political issue in Germany.

"I will work for passage of the treaty," Ms. Merkel told reporters at a news conference.
Germany and Switzerland have signed a treaty that aims to make it more difficult for German citizens to evade paying income tax at home by hiding their money in secret Swiss bank accounts.

The left-leaning Social Democrats, which have a majority in the upper house of Germany's two-chamber parliament, are threatening to block ratification of the treaty. The party rejects the treaty on the grounds that it doesn't go far enough to expose tax evaders.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Increase fiscal cooperation. Singapore and Vietnam sign DTA Protocol

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On September 12, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, and Vuong Dinh Hue, Vietnam’s Minister of Finance signed a protocol to amend the existing double taxation agreement (DTA) between their two countries.

The protocol revises various matters within the original DTA, which was signed on March 2, 1994. In particular, it includes the internationally agreed standard for exchange of information whereby tax authorities obtain a greater ability to exchange taxpayer information.

Information can apply to “taxes of every kind and description” imposed in the countries, and it is provided that no tax authority can refuse to provide information solely because it does not require the information for its own domestic purposes, or because the information is held by a bank or similar institution.
In addition, the amendments introduced by the protocol, which will enter into force after ratification by both countries, revise the permanent establishment, dividends, interest and capital gains articles of the original DTA.

For example, the protocol states that a permanent establishment arises in the provision of services, including consultancy services, only if such activities continue (for the same or a connected project) within a country for a period or periods aggregating more than 183 days within any twelve months.

The protocol also provides for a decrease in the previously-agreed 10% withholding tax on interest charged by Vietnam, if any DTA completed by the latter with any other country includes a lower rate; and for a reduction, from 15% to 10%, in the tax payable on royalties, other than those in respect of payments received for the use of any patent or industrial, commercial or scientific equipment, where the rate will remain at 5%.

The changes within the protocol, the signing of which was witnessed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on the occasion of the former’s official visit to Singapore are expected to enhance trade and investment flows and elevate the level of tax cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam.

During their meeting, to promote regional economic growth, both leaders committed to cooperating closely to realise the purpose of building an Association of Southeast Asian Nations Community by 2015, and to work closely in advancing regional initiatives such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

In addition to the DTA protocol, both leaders also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Financial Cooperation, which will strengthen exchanges and share mutual experiences on public financial management in the areas of tax administration and policy, customs and property management.

Singapore is said to be a major trade and investment partner of Vietnam. In 2011, total bilateral trade reached USD8.7bn, while Singapore has more than 1,000 investment projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of nearly USD23bn, ranking fourth among the 95 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Switzerland Stands Firm On German Tax Deal

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Switzerland has bitterly rejected the idea of entering into further negotiations with Germany to save the controversial tax agreement between the two countries, which is currently at grave risk of being blocked by opposition parties in the German Bundesrat.

Although Switzerland’s Financial State Secretary Michael Ambühl ruled out further talks, given the concessions already made by the Confederation back in April, he highlighted his optimism that the chances for the agreement remain intact, pointing the fact that the accord represents a good compromise.
If the treaty cannot be ratified, then the status quo will quite simply remain, Ambühl added.

Rejecting claims that there have been massive flights of German capital out of Swiss bank accounts into countries with favourable tax conditions, as a result of the brokered tax deal, Ambühl insisted that there is no evidence of significant transfers to other financial centres. Dismissing allegations that Swiss banks have assisted their German clients in this respect, Ambühl maintained that the banks in Switzerland have pledged not to advise their clients in such a way.

The economic committee of the Swiss National Council recently opposed plans to allow retroactive grouped requests that would have enabled the German tax authorities to trace German taxpayers that have transferred their money from the Confederation abroad since the conclusion of the tax agreement.

The bilateral Double Taxation Agreement (DTA)  between Switzerland and Germany, aimed at resolving the longstanding issue of German residents’ wealth deposited in Swiss bank accounts, still requires the approval of the Bundesrat, or upper house of parliament in Germany, where the black-yellow coalition no longer has a majority. The Social Democrats and the Green Party have threatened to veto the treaty, however.

Despite the apparent impasse, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble told the Bundestag that he still hoped that the agreement will be ratified.

Following increased international action to dilute banking secrecy, wealthy foreigners with money invested in Swiss bank accounts are said to be withdrawing money from the Confederation in droves, to avoid the advances of the domestic tax authorities. Credit Suisse has estimated the amount of money that will be relocated in the coming years to be between CHF25bn (USD26.6bn) and CHF35bn.

DTA In Force between Liechtenstein and Uruguay

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According to the Liechtenstein government, the bilateral double taxation agreement (DTA) between Liechtenstein and Uruguay has now entered into force.
Signed in Bern on October 18, 2010, the DTA between the two countries entered into force on September 3 following ratification of the text by both treaty partners. The accord is in accordance with current international standards and is based for the most part on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Model Convention.

The Liechtenstein finance administration is the domestic authority responsible for application of the agreement.

In its release, the Liechtenstein government pointed the fact that the agreement is to be seen against the backdrop of the Principality’s international financial centre and tax strategy, as expressed in the Liechtenstein Declaration of March 12, 2009. In its Declaration, Liechtenstein pledged to adhere to the OECD standards on transparency and on information exchange in tax matters.

The DTA with Uruguay will apply from January 1, 2013. The government is committed to further extending its network of double taxation agreements in Europe.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Gestion de patrimoine : La prudence est fondamentale

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Lors de la privatisation de France Telecom, mon grand père, enfin à la retraite après une vie de labeur, vendit son magasin et investit toutes ses économies pour acheter des actions à 70 euros.
Pourquoi ? Son banquier, un jeune diplômé de 30 ans, bien sous tout rapport, à priori compétent, qu’il connaissait depuis 3 ans lui avait dit que c’était sans risques…
Résultat : Mon grand père a perdu son patrimoine et à son décès ma grand-mère s’est retrouvée sans rien.

Cette histoire vous la connaissez ?

Cette histoire est vraie et pourrait être la votre.
Ne croyez pas votre banquier sur parole et n’acceptez pas des suggestions financières qui semblent mirobolantes.
Un investissement doit être réfléchi longuement et s’inscrit dans le temps et subit sans cesse des ajustements.
Si vous nous confiez la gestion discrétionnaire de votre portefeuille voici comment nous procéderons
Les étapes de notre approche d’investissement sont les suivantes:
1. Comprendre vos objectifs – nous pensons qu’un portefeuille approprié ne peut être conçu qu’avec une compréhension complète et détaillée de vos objectifs.
En nous limitant à quelques nouveaux clients par an, nous pouvons VOUS consacrer le temps nécessaire pour parvenir à cette compréhension.
2. En ce qui concerne l’allocation d’actifs stratégiques nous sommes contre les schémas déjà préétablis.
En s’engageant sur la durée, notre service de recherche, se fondant d’abord sur vos objectifs financiers mais aussi sur une analyse fine des marchés, concevra toujours un portefeuille sur mesure.
3. Nous faisons occasionnellement des changements tactiques dans la répartition des actifs.
Notre équipe de recherche d’investissements effectue une analyse approfondie des marchés en vue d’apporter des ajustements pour le portefeuille à long terme lorsque des possibilités particulières se présentent.
Ces décisions contribuent considérablement à la performance.
4. Sélectionner et régler le subtil mélange de gestionnaires de fonds en fonction des conditions du marché:
A Bethel Finance, nous avons un processus de sélection sophistiqué des gestionnaires de fonds qui commence avec le dépistage de plus de 15.000 fonds et réduit ce nombre à quelques-uns que nous choisissons pour vous.
Les gestionnaires retenus sont constamment revus et nous ajustons le dosage des gestionnaires en fonction des conditions du marché.
5. Suivi et gestion du portefeuille:
Nos rapports mettent en avant vos objectifs initiaux et les comparent aux résultats. Nous fournissons également une analyse détaillée par classe d’actif et le rendement des gestionnaires de fonds.
Nous surveillons en permanence le portefeuille au sein d’un système de gestion du risque qui intègre la technologie et le jugement humain dans chaque étape du processus ‘investissement.
Nous consacrons beaucoup de nos ressources à l’identification d’opportunités d’investissements afin de fournir en permanence un choix complet de produits financiers à revenu fixe ou encore de placements alternatifs.
Vous l’avez bien compris, nous ne vendons pas de produits financiers mais du conseil, nous gagnons uniquement si vous gagnez. Cela change complètement la donne n’est ce pas ?
Venez nous rencontrer et jugez par vous-même.

Franchise Israel

www.bethelfinance.com

La franchise comme solution ?

Faire son Alyah est un grand saut dans l’inconnu
La question économique est primordiale, car si Israël est un rêve pour vous, y gagner un revenu comparable a celui que vous avez aujourd’hui est un défi en soit.
Et si la franchise était la solution ?
Créer son entreprise sans sauter à pieds joints dans l’inconnu, c’est ce que propose le concept de la franchise.
Fin 2011, Israël comptait près de 1 000 franchisés, chefs d’entreprise à part entière mais affiliés à l’un des réseaux existants. Un engouement que la crise pourrait renforcer. Car quoi de plus important pour un entrepreneur en herbe qu’un peu de visibilité en ces temps tourmentés ? Encore faut-il faire les bons choix au départ.
Notre cabinet spécialisé dans l’émigration économique a conçu un programme qui vous permettra de solutionner en partie votre intégration économique en Israël
S’appuyer sur un concept qui a fait ses preuves, profiter d’une communication à l’échelle nationale, bénéficier des tarifs avantageux d’une centrale d’achat et surtout ne pas être seul face aux aléas: le principe de la franchise ne manque pas d’atouts pour un nouvel immigrant inquiet à l’idée de créer son activité ex nihilo. “La franchise est un réducteur de risque”,
Le concept est accessible à tous, quels que soient votre âge, votre expérience ou votre niveau d’études. “Parmi les franchisés, nous trouvons des femmes qui ont besoin d’un second revenu pour leur foyer, des commerçants indépendants qui veulent se reconvertir, des salariés qui ont perdu leur emploi, des jeunes débordant d’énergie”
Nous en sommes en rapport constant avec les différents franchiseurs israéliens et avec les différents services d’aide a la création d’entreprise
Il s’agit en effet de se poser les bonnes questions:
  1. Quels services offre la tête de réseau en contrepartie de cette redevance?
  2. Quelle formation?
  3. Quels accompagnements sont proposés?
  4. Quelle est la notoriété de l’enseigne?
  5. Quelle exclusivité territoriale ?
  6. Combien d’années reste-t-il sur le bail ?
Nous établirons une liste de franchises potentielles et nous sélectionnerons ensemble la franchise qui vous conviendra le mieux en fonction de critères claires. Nos avocats francophones israéliens feront tout pour sécuriser votre investissement.

Un Oeil sur des franchises israeliennes

Je voudrais acheter une franchise. Où dois-je commencer?
Tout d'abord, vous devez décider quel type d'entreprise vous souhaitez faire fonctionner.
Rappelez-vous que vous aurez à y travailler pendant de longues heures chaque jour.
Il est important de décider le budget que vous êtes prêt à investir dans votre entreprise.
Une fois cela pris en compte, nous contacterons les franchiseurs qui correspondent à vos conditions et nous évaluerons ensemble les conditions commerciales qu'ils offrent.
PIzza Hut
Mike's Place
Zer4U
Cafe Cafe
Hakol BeDollar
Sheshet
Aphrodite
Anglo-Saxon
Il s'agit d'une petite liste des franchises potentielles en Israël
Pour prendre rendez, un numéro + 972 3 643 79 99 ou par email : info@bethelfinance.com