The European Union (EU) proposed a tax on digital services in the draft package for “Fair and Effective Taxation of the Digital Economy”, which it released on March 21, 2018.
According to the European Commission, top digital companies pay an average tax rate of only 9.5% in EU, which is less than the 23.3% paid by traditional companies. The aim of the proposal is to tax the business in the member state in which value is created, even though the business has little or no physical presence in that state. (more…)
Company owners face many decisions when it comes time to transition responsibilities and ultimately ownership to the next generation. For those owners who wish to sell their shares gradually and transition out of their responsibilities over a period of years, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) might be the right fit. An ESOP is a qualified defined contribution employee benefit plan that primarily holds the employer company’s stock. An ESOP functions similarly to a stock bonus plan that provides a retirement benefit to employees in the form of the company’s stock. As a “qualified” plan, an ESOP is established by the employer for the benefit of the company’s employees and qualifies for certain tax benefits, both for the company and the selling owners. (more…)
Welcome to Part Two of our Introduction to Renewables. Last time (Introduction to Renewables – Part One), we discussed what exactly a renewable certificate is and how it is used to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This time around, we will talk about carbon offsets – the other, more direct method to address GHG emission. (more…)
