>>New $122 BN Taxes Could Send US Companies to Switzerland:
The Ultimate Hidden Fee: U.S. Based Multinational Companies Face $122 Billion Tax Burden Under Proposed Bill
Posted on February 4, 2010 by Santiago Cueto
And Why Relocating to Switzerland May be the Best Corporate Strategy
There’s nothing more annoying than finding hidden fees buried deep inside obtuse and mangled contract language. The only thing worse than finding hidden fees is learning about these punishing provisions from someone else—after you’ve signed the agreement.
If you thought hidden fees provisions were the exclusive craft of credit card and cable companies, I’ve got bad news. The biggest offender just might be the drafters of the proposed federal budget making its way through Congress.
International Tax Increase Buried in Proposed Bill
Thanks to the keen eyes of the Wall Street Journal’s Matthew Slaughter, U.S. based Multinationals have a chance to lobby against what may be the largest hidden fee--an obscure tax provision--ever levied against them. Matthew writes in the article “How to Destroy American Jobs:”
Deep in the president's budget released Monday—in Table S-8 on page 161—appear a set of proposals headed "Reform U.S. International Tax System." If these proposals are enacted, U.S.-based multinational firms will face $122.2 billion in tax increases over the next decade. This is a natural follow-up to President Obama's sweeping plan announced last May entitled "Leveling the Playing Field: Curbing Tax Havens and Removing Tax Incentives for Shifting Jobs Overseas."
A proposed $122 Billion international tax burden? Placed on pg. 161? On a chart? Apart from the obvious lesson to carefully scrutinize the details of everything, and I do mean e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g., that comes across your desk, the substantive point of the article is absolutely correct—the proposed tax hike on U.S. based MNCs will bankrupt those that earn a significant amount of their revenue overseas.
Proposed Tax Will Force US-based MNCs to Relocate Overseas
As one commenter noted, it is the fiduciary responsibility of the board of a company to protect the investors in that company, and to provide them with the maximum safe return on their investment. In the new tax and regulatory environment the U.S. is in the process of imposing, any company that earns a large percentage of their revenues outside of the US simply cannot remain U.S. based.
Under the proposed tax hike on U.S. based MNCs, what incentive is there for Coca-Cola to remain a US based multinational? Why not move the corporation to Switzerland, where the favorable corporate tax structure has long been lured the operations of large MNCs such as Johnson & Johnson and Burger King Holdings Inc.
Switzerland Offers Optimal Tax Environment for MNCs
The timing could not be better for companies looking to relocate their operations overseas-- and to Switzerland in particular. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on an emerging trend among Swiss cantons to compete for the business of MNCs by lowering their corporate tax rates. In the article Switzerland’s States Compete on Tax Cuts, the cantons of Zug, Schaffhausen (just north of Zurich) and Lucerne have all cut their tax rates in a heated battle to lure more MNCs.
For U.S.-based MNC’s looking to dodge the proposed international tax bullet, Switzerland provides the most favorable corporate tax environment in which to relocate U.S. based operations.
Conclusion
According to KPMG’s Corporate and Indirect Tax Survey 2009, the current effective U.S. Corporate tax rate is 40%, while in Switzerland the effective tax rate is 21.2%--and considerably less in some cantons. Under the proposed bill, the tax gulf will only grow wider.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the proposed tax. Until then, MNCs should take a look at Switzerland.
Trend to Watch: If the Proposed International Tax is Enacted Look for an Exodus of U.S.-based MNCs to Switzerland and to Other Favorable Tax Climates.
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