Tax-Free Spinoffs Could Be Much Tougher Under Proposed New Rules
Many U.S. companies take advantage of lower foreign taxes by creating tax-free spinoffs of their parent companies. It’s a great and legal way to lower their corporate tax bills. However, some lawmakers have long pressed for changes to these rules and it appears that changes could be coming.
The U.S. Treasury Department recently proposed some new rules that would make it more difficult for companies to create certain kinds for spinoffs. In order to avoid capital gains taxes on the transaction 5 percent of the amount of a spin-off must be an active trade or business.
The new proposed rules also aim to clear up the factors that determine when a spinoff cannot be used for distributing profits and earnings to shareholders. If the new rules pass, the transaction would be deemed a device if there was a large enough gap between the amount of the company that is made up of nonbusiness assets while the other company had a lot less.
At this point the new rules have only been proposed and they will not take effect unless the Treasury Department makes them official. Even at that time they still wouldn’t affect any transactions that were already planned before approval even if the transaction was finalized after.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-treasury-rules-would-make-it-harder-to-complete-tax-free-spinoffs-1468500481
How to Raise Children That Become Entrepreneurs
How to Raise Children That Become Entrepreneurs By Lauren Hidden Ever since my kids can remember, I’ve worked from home. Sometimes I have to remind them that I’m not sitting home playing with their toys or eating bon-bons when they’re at the babysitter or at school, but for the most part they “get it”. As…
Transferring Assets to a Second Spouse (and to children from the first)
Transferring Assets to a Second Spouse (and to children from the first) Elizabeth and Thomas Carr (names fictitious), both in their late 60s, each have one child from a prior marriage. During the 30-plus years of their marriage, they each have accumulated an estate of over $5 million. The full $1.5 million credit against estate…
The Roth IRA Advantage: A Closer Look
The Roth IRA Advantage: A Closer Look Since its debut in 1997, the Roth IRA, naturally enough, has been sold mainly as a retirement account. To be sure, the prospect of a stream of tax-free income to support a comfortable retirement is a powerful stimulant. To earn that freedom from taxes, you do have to…
Classification of Accepted Patterns of Reorganization
Classification of Accepted Patterns of Reorganization The seven acceptable patterns of reorganization may be classified into three categories: Acquisitive, Divisive, Re-capitalizing. Acquisitive reorganizations Type “A,” “B”, “C,” and acquisitive D, in which one Corporation acquires another corporation’s stock, assets, or some combination of both. Divisive reorganization Type D involves the division of one corporation into…