tag: corporate tax

The most common form of corporate financing among owners is still the member’s loan. But many forget that while granting a member’s loan is relatively easy, it hides several ticking time bombs – as a recent Supreme Court decision confirmed. Fortunately, there’s already a risk-free capital contribution option. 

First reports under DAC6 were due recently from those who are parties to a cross-border transactions. Concurrently, at the last possible moment, the Hungarian Ministry of Finance published a Guide on certain issues related to the fulfilment of the reporting obligation. It is advisable, in particular, for accountants, consultants, lawyers and banks to carefully study this 38-page document, as any of them could easily fall within the scope of the reporting obligation.

Hungary is an ideal location for international tax planning. Below we summarize the 5 most important features of the Hungarian tax system that can make the country attractive for international investors and public and private multinational groups.

Due to an EU directive adopted last year, certain rules on corporate tax are changing with effect from 2019 – including the provisions on interest deduction due to “thin capitalisation.” Although the purpose of the directive was to defeat tax avoidance and tighten up the tax regulations, the new rules on interest deduction are actually becoming more of a blessing than a curse for businesses in Hungary.

While efforts to hunt down offshore companies may appear to be yielding results, there’s been no slackening of demand for setting up companies abroad. However, tax avoidance and tax evasion, as the primary motives for doing so, are giving way to other objectives.

While Hungary has long been a preferred place in international tax planning, with a flat 9% corporate tax rate recently introduced, the country has arrived to the forefront of the competition. Adding also the absence of withholding taxes, the participation exemption both on portfolio holdings and intellectual properties, coupled with all benefits of an EU–compliant tax legislation, Hungary is destined to become a popular place for tax experts.

Back in the day, buyers and sellers were better off selling shares in a company with possession of the property, rather than the property itself; but over the years, legislators have chipped away steadily at the benefits of acquiring property through a company purchase. Contrary to common belief, however, buying real estate through a company can still bring a number of tax advantages; and the range of these is set to expand from January of next year.

As it is commonly known, the calculation of the corporate tax liability of Hungarian enterprises is based on the accounting figures. But a nasty surprise could lie in store for those who believe that they can apply the principles of accounting recognition fully in the course of calculating corporate tax.