When we hear the term “taxes” and “tariffs,” the first thing that comes to mind is the proverbial horse and carriage, where the taxes are being charged and the caravan is headed for a tax collector. This popular image, unfortunately, is a little bit skewed. In this article, we’ll take a look at taxes vs tariffs, and what you need to know before you start investing or hiring professional tax accountants.
Taxes vs Tariffs
The basic question to answer when comparing taxes vs tariffs is whether or not the new tariffs proposed by the United Kingdom government are fair. Tariffs have been around for a long time and have even been used by other countries as a way to control imports and exports. Tariffs are levied at the source, not in downstream segments. Other taxes can also sometimes be described as duties, including customs duties, which are obviously a further source of income for the government.
Examples of Downstream Tariffs
The duties and taxes discussed in this article are examples of downstream tariffs. A downstream tariff is a tax that is added to an existing tax. The purpose of this type of tariff is to make sure that businesses taxes on goods they receive. In the case of taxes vs tariffs, a downstream tax is added to the price of a product, thereby raising the price above the tax rate that would apply if it were sold without the tariff. The additional price is then passed on to consumers through increased prices.
British Tax System is Based on the Charge-Based System of Allocating Taxes
One of the issues that American suppliers face in the UK is that the British tax system is based on the charge-based system of allocating taxes. This means that businesses that operate in one country, but which have their main operations in another country must pay taxes to both jurisdictions in order to operate. Dong says that this makes many businesses “frivolous”, since the new taxes levied on them may only be available in one country. These types of complexities make it difficult for American suppliers to properly compete with other businesses in the same market. The result, he says, is an inability to appropriately use the benefits that are available from the UK’s Membership of the European Union (“MOU”) and its similar Free Trade Area (“FTA”).
European Tax Haven
“The solution to this problem,” he continues, “is to use a European tax haven. A European tax haven is simply an international tax haven where the same taxation rules apply with the help of accounting services to businesses that conduct business across borders. This means that the same basic rules that apply to companies that are resident in one country but which have their main operations in another country, apply to those companies that have their main operations in different countries.”
How do You Find a Tax Haven?Â
“You just need to start by looking for a company that specializes in connecting European suppliers with Asian importers or exporters,” says Dong. “Many such companies will already have accreditation with the authorities in either the UK or the US.” In addition to ensuring that your business receives the most favorable rates possible, they will also ensure that the duty charged is the least onerous in your particular country. This, he says, is “the key to making sure that your goods are shipped as cheaply as possible.”
Send Extra Personnel to Make the Required PaymentsÂ
With many imports, particularly those that have a high value, like electronic goods or automobiles, the amount of duty that is required to be paid on the imports can be very high. This can cause a significant rise in taxes for the importer, particularly if there are several other countries involved in the transaction. However, by using a European tax haven, the importer can ensure that the payments to be made are exceptionally low, and so they will not have to send extra personnel to make the required payments on their own.
Conclusion
As you can see, tariffs and taxes can have a major impact on manage your accounts has to pay you. If you are starting an import business, then it is imperative that you know about all the various fees involved. Taxes and duties are different entities and they will often have completely different implications when it comes to payment and delivery times. For this reason, you must have detailed knowledge of what is required to be paid. However, by using one of the several European tax havens mentioned above, you can ensure that the payment of duties is the lowest in the world and, therefore, the most convenient for your own finances.
