Domestic and cross border taxation services has increasingly become a subject of intricate complexities, quite often impacting current operations as also having serious potential implications for the business enterprises, its owners and management. Tax issues and controversies are compounded by the impelling need felt by business enterprises for corporate restructuring through mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, demergers, divestiture and privatization. With the advent of e-Commerce, territorial jurisdictions in cross-border transactions pose both a challenge and an opportunity in the ever persistent quest for excelling tax-effective financial performance and results of an enterprise.
Transfer pricing complexities, availability of preferred tax rates, exemptions and concession in domestic and offshore jurisdictions play a critical role in the success or failure of business depending upon the manner in which business arrangements, joint ventures and other relationships and transactions are lawfully structured and articulated. Business performance and success, therefore, is essentially a function of the ability to be forward-looking and in the process, see through the future trend of domestic and international taxation so that instead of reacting to the current developments and changes, the business enterprise is poised to take strategic tax decisions and pursue lawful and innovative tax solutions well in time to face new challenges and reap emerging opportunities. It is, therefore, rightly believed that the future belongs to those who benefit from well contemplated, sophisticated and legally compliant planning, options and strategies as an essential ingredient of the new paradigm. Strategic tax advisory thus tends to create new capabilities to meet the onslaught of domestic and offshore competition.
The use of latest technologies and the ability to access domestic tax expertise and experience in a variety of circumstances provide opportunities to render multifarious taxation services including the following:
- Corporate Taxation Services
- International Tax Services
- Personal Taxation Services
- General Sales Tax (GST) – Planning, advisory, compliance and reporting services
- Other indirect taxation services
Taxation Services include:
Strategic tax planning, advisory and benefit optimization by
:• Restructuring and re-engineering tax aspects of operations, transactions and business activities
• Intra-company and inter-group reorganizations and realignment
• Mitigating adverse effects of offshore taxation
• Tax equalization and rationalization schemes
• Stock and cash dividend planning and the related tax issues
• Reaping benefits of capital gains
• Articulating funding structures for balanced debt-equity combinations
• Availing tax effective benefits and concessions
• Effective and timely use of capital allowances and tax losses
• Exercising appropriate choices of foreign currency to manage effects of fluctuations
• Preparation and filing of annual and periodical tax returns
• Withholding tax compliance
• Professional assistance in post-return correspondence with and representation before tax assessment authorities
• Obtaining certificates of tax exemption, special tax rates, where applicable
• Representation in appeals and references before tax appellate authorities and Alternate Dispute Resolution forum
• Representation before the Central Board of Revenue for invoking its jurisdiction for administrative and advance ruling and clarification on Taxation issues
• Tax planning for structuring multinational operations and joint ventures to minimize global tax cost consistent with laws as applicable
• Tax structuring of cross-border transactions, corporate acquisitions, divestiture and other arrangements
• Tax Treaty advices for most tax-efficient structure, business planning and inter-facing tax effects of overseas operations
• Handling of tax aspects of transfer pricing issues
• Advising on tax and financial implications of financing arrangements, international joint ventures, investments and operating contracts.
Our Human Capital Advisory addresses a whole range of services and support including personal tax planning, tax compliance and reporting. For a more informative detail, refer to the section of this Directory, dealing with Human Capital Advisory.
Of all the indirect taxes, GST, which is a modified form of Value Added Tax (VAT) in Pakistan, occupies a conspicuous significance in the current regime of public finance and taxation. In Pakistan, since recent years, increasing number of goods and services are being brought within the ambit of the GST regime. Although it’s in nascent stage, the law governing GST is not only becoming far reaching but also highly complex, from compliance standpoint as well as from planning perspective, to manage the effects of the levy on pricing decisions and distribution structure and indeed on the “bottom-line”. It is, therefore, reasonable to expect a high level of focused enforcement by the tax authorities. By the same token, business enterprises need to address the issue not only in a timely manner but also through acquiring competent level of specialization, professional expertise and experience to avail and optimize benefits and to mitigate exposure of potential punitive action in the event of significant default.
Services pertaining to GST include:
• Applying for and obtaining GST registration and assistance and advisory services on related formalities
• Planning for benefit optimization and counseling for structuring of business operations, transactions, pricing structures, distribution Network, procurement channels and incentive and discount policies
• Counseling and advice on GST issues on a continuing basis
• Assistance and advices for the preparation of periodical GST Returns to enable clients to cause timely discharge of GST payment Obligation
• Advices and assistance in pursuing claim for adjustment of input and output taxes
• Representation before GST assessment and appellate authorities on contentious GST issues and dispute resolution
• Pursue and assist in following up GST exemption(s) and refund issue
• Representation to the Central Board of Revenue and Tariff Commission for removing fiscal anomalies and procuring ruling on contentious and obscure GST and related issues.
• Planning, counseling and guidance on excise duties
• General insight for business planning and compliance with Customs Law and Regulations
• Representation to indirect taxation authorities for compliance and settlement of tax obligations