India, U.S. to sign tax pact Thursday

Vikrant

Gold Member
Apr 20, 2013
8,317
1,073
245
The U.S.
Interesting ...

---

India and the United States will sign a tax information sharing agreement on Thursday, under a new U.S. law meant to combat offshore tax dodging by Americans, two Indian government sources and a source at the U.S. embassy said.

Washington has so far signed pacts covering more than 80 tax jurisdictions to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act 2010, or FATCA, requiring financial institutions to share information about Americans' accounts worth more than $50,000.

By signing the agreement, India hopes to garner Washington's support for its own efforts to bring back illicit funds stashed by Indians in foreign tax havens and boost revenues.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined leaders of G20 countries in Australia in agreeing to countries automatically exchanging tax information on a reciprocal basis by the end of 2018.

Under the agreement, banks, mutual funds, insurance, pension and stock-broking firms will report their American client details to the tax department for sharing with the U.S., said a finance ministry official, who declined to be named.

Investors will have to provide correct information about their tax residency and financial assets that would be shared with U.S. tax authorities, he said.

The agreement could result in a fall in investments from small U.S investors into India's equity and debt markets for some time, but would help putting a fear of punishment among tax evaders, said another official.

India U.S. to sign tax pact Thursday sources Reuters
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to bring home millions of dollars of illicit money stashed abroad. Indians call undisclosed money ‘black money,’ and how much there is remains unclear. But it isn’t just billions. It could be hundreds of billions to more than $1 trillion. It isn’t merely offshore either.

Many transactions are done on the books for one figure, while in reality, the total money changing hands is far larger. Amazingly, numerous land transactions across India are still done in cash, either wholly or partially. Land closings for some ‘white’ money and some black are common, as are many other kinds of transactions. It may be unrealistic to think that it will all stop shortly.

Indians are supposed to step forward by September 30 to pay taxes and penalties, but so far, few seem to be doing so, despite new risks of jail. As the deadline approaches, many naysayers are complaining. Some say the hunt for new places to stash the loot. Some Indians now send their family members abroad for 182 days. That makes them non-residents so family members can send them money to stash.

...

IRS Gets Tax Data From India As Black Money Hunt Hits Americans Too
 

Forum List

Back
Top