Author: Kendall R. Fisher
Kendall’s practice focuses on U.S. federal tax issues related to domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions and debt and equity financings, as well as inbound and outbound tax planning related to multinational structures, tax treaties, controlled foreign corporation issues, passive foreign investment company issues, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), and the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA). His practice also includes domestic business formations, joint ventures, acquisitions, combinations, sales, and general tax planning.
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This is a reminder that the deadline to file initial Beneficial Ownership Information Reports with FinCEN is January 1, 2025 for all non-exempt entities formed or registered to do business in the United States prior to December 31, 2023. The deadline is within 90 days of formation for all non-exempt entities formed or registered in 2024 (and within 30 days of formation for all non-exempt entities formed or registered on or after January 1, 2025). In January, we published this summary of the Corporate Transparency Act, in addition to our long form update on the CTA. Our attorneys are ready to assist with any questions you may have.
On January 1, 2024, new direct reporting requirements to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury, became effective – known as the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). Who must file? The CTA, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, apply to corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships and similar legal entities either formed in the United States (a “Domestic Reporting Company”) or formed outside the United States but registered to do business in the United States (a “Foreign Reporting Company”). Such entities must identify their natural person beneficial owners and “company applicants” (i.e. the person(s) responsible for the formation or registration of the entity), and disclose...
In our blog post dated August 22, 2022, we discussed the one percent (1%) excise tax on certain stock repurchase transactions by certain publicly traded corporations enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “Excise Tax”). The Excise Tax became effective on January 1, 2023. The Internal Revenue Services (the “IRS”) issued initial guidance describing future Treasury Regulations expected to be promulgated regarding the Excise Tax that, when finalized, are expected to be effective retroactive to the beginning of 2023. That initial guidance is contained in Notice 2023-2. (the “Notice”). Among other changes and clarifications, the Notice substantially expands the scope of Canadian corporations that may be subject to the...
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, HR 5376 (the “Act”), into law. Among other significant changes, the Act includes a new 1% excise tax on stock repurchase transactions by certain publicly traded corporations (the “Excise Tax”). As described below, publicly traded Canadian companies that: are treated as U.S. corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes under the anti-inversion rules in Code Section 7874(b); became treated as “surrogate foreign corporations” for U.S. federal income tax purposes on or after September 20, 2021 under the anti-inversion rules in Code Section 7874(a)(2)(B); or are not subject to the anti-inversion rules but that effect a stock repurchase through one or...
More special purpose acquisition vehicles (common known as “SPACs”) completed their initial public offering (“IPO”) in 2021 than in any prior year. In 2021, approximately 613 SPACs completed their IPO within the United States alone. An increasing number of Canadian companies are being approached by U.S. and tax haven SPACs with significant US shareholders. A SPAC is organized with no business operations and minimal direct assets (cash raised from private investors in the IPO is held in a trust account) for the purpose of acquiring a private company, effectively resulting in that company being taken public. Such acquisition is generally referred to as a “qualifying transaction” (or “de-SPAC” transaction). Private companies generally find...
Many Canadian companies and individuals own U.S. real property interests through a U.S. corporation. The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (“FIRPTA”) regime imposes a withholding tax (currently at a rate as high as 15%) on the gross proceeds realized by Canadians upon the sale or transfer of a U.S. real property interest. This withholding is imposed without regard to whether the disposition results in a taxable gain. However, with advance planning, this withholding may be reduced or eliminated. A U.S. real property interest (“USRPI”) generally includes land, buildings, growing crops and timber, and mines, wells and other natural deposits (including oil and gas properties and mineral deposits) located in the United...
On Thursday, November 4, 2021, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions announced that, subject to approval by the superintendent, Canadian banks and other financial institutions may begin repurchasing their own shares. Share buyback transactions by Canadian companies are not novel. However, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of U.S. shareholders participating in a share buyback transaction with a Canadian corporation can often be surprising. Depending on the U.S. shareholder’s particular circumstances, the tendering of shares of a Canadian corporation for cash pursuant to a share buyback transaction will generally either be treated as a “sale or exchange” of such U.S. shareholder’s shares or as a “distribution” by the Canadian corporation in...
In transactions in which a Canadian corporation seeks to acquire a U.S. target entity for shares of the Canadian acquiror in a transaction intended to be tax-deferred for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the ability of U.S. shareholders of the U.S. target to qualify for tax-deferral may depend on the activities the Canadian acquiror conducts in Canada (or other non-US jurisdictions). Under the general rule in Code Section 367(a), if a U.S. person transfers stock in a U.S. corporation to a Canadian corporation (as characterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes), such transfer will not be characterized as a tax-deferred exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes (even if the transaction would otherwise...
Generally, an “inversion” is a transaction in which a non-U.S. corporation directly or indirectly acquires substantially all of the properties held by a U.S. corporation or partnership, after which the former owners of that U.S. corporation or partnership are in control of the acquiring non-U.S. corporation. Inversion transactions can take many different forms. Over the years, inversion transactions have continually drawn scrutiny, perceived to be transactions pursuant to which a U.S. company effectively changed its domicile to a non-U.S. jurisdiction and, accordingly, reduced its U.S. income tax liability. In response, Congress enacted the anti-inversion rules under Code Section 7874 as a means of discouraging inversion transactions and preserving the U.S. tax base. Under...
Canadian persons and entities owning a significant interest in a U.S. corporation or U.S. entity classified as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal income tax purposes should ensure they are compliant with IRS Form 5472 filing requirements to avoid substantial U.S. federal income tax penalties. IRS Form 5472, “Information Return of a 25% Foreign-Owned U.S. Corporation or a Foreign Corporation Engaged in a U.S. Trade or Business” must be filed by: (i) any U.S. corporation which has a Canadian shareholder that owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of the voting power or value of that corporation; (ii) any U.S. entity classified as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal income tax purposes that...
