The Danegeld, or Dane tribute, was a tax raised to pay tribute to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. The tax was collected from the citizens and jointly used to buy off the attackers, and also pay the defence forces a wage. In 810 a Danish fleet of two hundred vessels…
Tax evasion or tax crime occurs when people abuse the tax and superannuation systems through intentional and dishonest behaviour with the aim of obtaining a financial benefit. Tax evasion often entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability and includes dishonest tax reporting, such…
Employer provided taxi travel that is a single trip beginning or ending at the employer’s place of work will be tax deductible to the employer and an FBT exempt benefit to the employee. This enables an employer to provide an employee with a single taxi trip to the office everyday, and then another single trip…
Mention the words ‘tax haven’ to the average taxpayer, and they immediately think of tropical islands, numbered bank accounts, and the rich, famous and shady, all evading tax. Their observations are correct, but only the tip of the iceberg, as tax havens are so much more. Tax havens are used by individuals, small businesses, large…
Strange as it may seem today, in Ancient Rome, urine was a valuable commodity. It was collected from the cesspools where the lower classes of society emptied their small pots, and the public toilets which the upper classes used, and recycled. The Roman’s used the urine to bleach/clean clothes, make leather soft, dye clothes, make…
Many tax haven banks offer attractive rates of interest to attract capital into the developing countries financial system. As developing countries are higher risk than developed countries, they must pay higher rates of interest to attract foreign investment. An example, of those higher risks is the 2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis. The crisis was a result…
This strategy involves purchasing a corporate box sponsorship package for the AFL Football, rugby, horse racing, speedway, etc. For fixed price sponsorship packages the business will normally pay one fixed price for the following benefits: Signage and advertising rights (This promotes the business’s name at the ground, on signage, on uniforms, on web sites and…
Tax farming was originally a Roman practice set up by Gaius Gracchus in 123 BC whereby the burden of tax collection was reassigned by the Roman State to private individuals or groups. The tax collectors were known as publicani. The best known is Matthew the Apostle, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, who was…
Structured financial entities are established by financial institutions (banks and companies) to sell their debt securities to investors. This commonly involves the securitising of mortgages, credit card receivables, car loans, aircraft refinancing, etc. The issuers receive cheaper and more efficient funding combined with greater balance sheet flexibility, whilst the investors receive fixed income with a…
Holding a Christmas party on business premises during work hours is the most tax effective option for businesses. The cost of a light meal and drink will be tax deductible to the employer with no FBT liability incurred. The meal can be several courses and include a variety of foods, but must exclude alcohol. In…
"You’d be stupid not to try to cut your tax bill and those that don’t are stupid in business"
- Bono: U2