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FATCA Compliance (Notice 2011-53) and QIs

January 31, 2012

Qualified Intermediaries that need to renew their QI agreements during the period January to June 2012 were granted a postponement under Notice 2011-53to accomplish their registration as Participating Foreign Financial Institutions (PFFI) for compliance with the Foreign Asset Tax Compliance Act.

QI’s must register and receive a QI/PFFI agreement in order to retain their QI status.

The “What’s New” section of the QI home page contains Notice 2011-53 and QI’s should pay particular attention to Parts II and IV of the Notice. Once the registration portal is online all Qualified Intermediaries, Withholding Foreign Partnerships and Withholding Foreign Trusts must register on the portal and receive a PFFI agreement to continue in good standing.

Read more at: Tax Times blog

Puerto Rico Offers Income Tax Holiday to New Resident Investors

January 31, 2012

Puerto Rico recently approved Legislation, which grants substantial income tax benefits to individual investors not previously resident of Puerto Rico.

These individuals can benefit from total income tax exemption through year 2035 on their worldwide income consisting of interest and dividends, including dividends from qualifying registered investment companies, and interest, finance charges, dividends and partnership profits from entities under the Puerto Rico International Banking Center Act.


In addition, long-term appreciation in the value of securities occurring prior to establishing Puerto Rico residency, if recognized after ten years of Puerto Rico residency and before January 1, 2036, is subject to a five percent tax. Moreover, long-term appreciation in the value of securities occurring after establishing Puerto Rico residency is totally exempt from tax, if recognized before January 1, 2036.

This only applies to an individual who is domiciled in Puerto Rico, who has been present in Puerto Rico for a period of 183 days during the calendar year and who has not been resident of Puerto Rico for the last fifteen years and become resident no later than December 31, 2035.

Read more at: Tax Times blog

Adviser Convicted of Using Fake Financial Instruments to Pay Taxes

January 27, 2012

A Massachusetts financial adviser who allegedly submitted more than $2.2 million in fake financial instruments called “bills of exchange” and checks drawn on a closed bank account to pay his tax bills is convicted by a jury in federal court on 17 counts of tax crimes and contempt.

The DOJ reported on their website January 25,2012 that a jury convicted Attleboro, Mass., licensed stockbroker, insurance agent and financial advisor Kevin P. Mahoney today on tax and contempt of court charges, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Trial began on Jan. 23, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro, sitting in Boston. Mahoney was charged with one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, eight counts of contempt of court and eight counts of filing false tax returns. He was convicted of all counts.

The evidence at trial showed that Mahoney had failed to pay all of his taxes for the years 1996 through 2001, leading the IRS to assess Mahoney for taxes, interest and penalties for some of those years. Mahoney had attempted to pay these tax-related debts by submitting to the IRS more than $2.2 million in fake financial instruments called Bills of Exchange and checks drawn on a closed bank account.

In addition, after filing for bankruptcy, Mahoney caused a worthless promissory note made by another individual to be submitted to the IRS as purported payment for approximately $805,000 in taxes that Mahoney owed to the IRS.

Just when I thought that I had heard it all?

Read more at: Tax Times blog

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