As part of the ongoing rulemaking initiatives contemplated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) recently released a proposed rule defining “family offices” for purposes of an exemption from registration under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) ...
* New Developments Concerning Insider Reporting Requirements. * Revenu Québec Bares its Teeth at Restaurant Owners* Planning for the Unavoidable: The Usefulness of Reviewing a Shareholder Agreement's Redemption Provisions in Case of Death* Speech is Silver, Silence is Golden.. ...
If you are a U.S. business with international operations, here are four questions you should consider: Does your company have more than two foreign subsidiaries, at least one of which is profitable? Do you have a profitable foreign subsidiary that guarantees any U.S. debt? Are you considering the purchase of a company located outside the U.S.? Does your U.S ...
On 23 March 2010, Indonesia and Hong Kong signed a new agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income (“Tax Treaty”). To date, the Tax Treaty has not yet been ratified by either country. It is expected that the Tax Treaty will come into force in early 2011 following its ratification ...
An almost universal feature of commercial loan agreements is the inclusion of representations and warranties regarding the financial statements and condition of the borrower. A recent case examined whether under New York law, sophisticated lenders can reasonably rely upon such representations in asserting claims of fraud instead of being required to make an independent investigation into the books and records of the Borrower. In DDJ Management LLC, et al v. Rhone Group L.L.C ...
The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession have taken their toll on the funding of all infrastructure projects and the renewable energy sector has not been immune to its effects. Banks and public finance institutions were increasingly reluctant to advance loans for projects, as preserving capital resources became critically important to help ensure their survival in the financial and economic maelstrom ...
Which group of creditors is entitled to the money held by a monitor for purposes of carrying out a plan of arrangement under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (“CCAA”) when the debtor goes bankrupt prior to the distribution: only the creditors covered by the plan of arrangement, or all of the creditors, even those not covered by the plan, for example, subsequent creditors? This controversial issue was considered by Judge Jean-Yves Lalonde in
a recent Superior Court decision rendered in the Province of Quebec is of interest. This decision rendered by Judge Jean-François Emond, sitt ing in Bankruptcy division for the Superior Court in the District of Quebec City, deals with a Progress Payment Agreement and a Mast er Lease Agreement between a financing company, Maxium Financial Services Inc. (hereinafter: “Maxium”) and a golf cart rental company, Desrosiers Golf Inc. (hereinafter: “Desrosiers”) ...
The report of the Henry Review of the Australian taxation and transfer system released on 2 May 2010, entitled 'Australia's Future Tax System' (the Report) is the 'root and branch' review into the taxation and transfer system proposed by the Australian Labor Party at the election in 2007. It contains some 138 recommendations for long-term reform of the tax and transfer system ...
After becoming the object of several infringement procedures conducted by the European Commission, Spain has been forced to amend several non-resident income tax provisions to ensure those provisions comply with the principles enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ...
On April 16, 2010, the Quebec Court of Appeal issued a judgment concerning the right of a general partnership (“S.E.N.C.”) to file for assignment under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”) without its partners having also filed for the assignment of their assets, themselves ...
The Quebec Court of Appeal issued a judgment concerning the right of a general partnership (“S.E.N.C.”) to file for assignment under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”) without its partners having also filed for the assignment of their assets, themselves ...
Maintaining cash flow is a significant challenge in the current economic climate. What started as a 'credit crunch' is now a real squeeze for business - with customers trying to defer payment terms while suppliers apply pressure for earlier payment. Pre-contract Truly effective credit management begins at the pre-contractual stage, as this is usually the point of greatest leverage with the customer ...
1. The Concepts of “Trust” and “Security Trustee” It would be difficult to identify a universally accepted definition of “trust” and “security trustee” although these legal concepts appear to be well-developed in common law systems and are also acknowledged in a few civil law jurisdictions ...
The Texas franchise tax (also known as the “margin tax”) is so expansive that it can apply to private trusts administered in Texas. Every taxable entity is subject to the franchise tax, and the term “taxable entity” generally includes trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. If the franchise tax applies to a trust, the amount of franchise tax will typically be 0.7% of the trust's federal gross income that is apportioned to Texas (i.e ...
As we navigate the waters of these tough economic times, appraisal districts faced with massive city, school and county revenue losses caused by declining property values will most likely try to stem the tide by not voluntarily lowering taxpayers’ 2010 property values to their fair market values ...
Contents* Quebec Modernizes its Corporate Law * Choosing a Name you Intend to Keep * Deemed Year-End on Loss of CCPC Status: One Possible Solution * Renewal Option or Privilege QUEBEC MODERNIZES ITS CORPORATE LAWValérie [email protected] Bill 63 – The Business Corporations Act was tabled before the National Assembly on October 7, 2009 and assented to on December 4, 2009 ...
Dear Sirs, We would like to present you a brief overview of tax legislation updates concerning transfer pricing and VAT on services upon importation of goods into the territory of the Russian Federation. Draft law On Transfer Pricing We would like to pay your attention to the fact that draft law “On transfer pricing” was accepted by the State Duma in the 1st reading ...
Historically, a significant number of states had a general policy of respecting the form of a transaction chosen by a taxpayer and applied their sales tax laws based on that form of transaction ...
The Russian Federation, the Kazakhstan Republic and the Belarus Republic (hereinafter also referred to as the “Member States”) have formed Customs Union in accordance with the Treaty on Creation of Unified Customs Territory and Formation of Customs Union (Dushanbe, October 6, 2007) ...
The Australian Taxation Office's unsuccessful attempt to freeze the bank accounts of the private equity firm Texas Pacific Group has highlighted the ATO's new focus on private equity activities in Australia. The attempted freeze followed the stock market float of the Myer Group, as the ATO sought a reported tax bill of $A452 million from TPG ...
The Foreign Investment Review Board (Board), being the Australian government body that examines proposals for foreign investment in Australia, recently announced that the monetary thresholds set for the purposes of compulsory notification to the Board of a proposed acquisition will be revised to: AUD231 million, for private business investment (up from AUD219 million); and AUD1004 million, for US investors under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (up from AUD953 million) ...
Following the recent actions taken by the Australian Taxation Office to freeze the bank accounts of the private equity firm TPG, the Commissioner of Taxation has released two draft Taxation Determinations (TDs): TD 2009/D17 Treaty Shopping - Can Part IVA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 apply to arrangements designed to alter the intended effect of Australia's International Tax Agreements network?; and TD 200
In light of the ineffectiveness of tax litigation and the increased mistrust of taxpayers in relation to tax decisions, with the decision-makers very often hiding behind mere decisions of form, it is imperative that we weigh up alternative methods for resolving tax disputes, such as mediation, conciliation, and tax arbitration itself, in order to deal with disputes accumulated and arising out of relations between the State and the taxpayer, thus reversing the fe