نفساني - عرض مشاركة واحدة

05-07-2008, 05:44 AM

General Tax Information ????????Taxation Hong Kong's tax system is simple and predictable. Corporate profits tax rate is 16%. Personal tax is also among the lowest in the world at the maximum of 15%. And there are no hidden "extras." Only income and profits derived directly from Hong Kong are subject to tax; There is no tax on capital gains, dividends or interest; Generous capital allowance and depreciation regulations; Hong Kong has no sales tax or Value Added Tax. Tax Information The corporate tax of 16% is among the lowest in the region. There is no import tariff for machines and raw materials. There is no tax on dividends. There is no capital gains tax. No VAT or sales tax. There is a concessionary corporate tax of 8% for offshore business of professional reinsurance companies authorised in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has instituted a generous tax deduction for research and development. Deductible items include expenditure on market research, feasibility studies and other research activities related to business and management sciences. Generous depreciation allowances. An immediate 100% write-off for new expenditure on plant and machinery specifically related to manufacturing, computer hardware and software. Initial allowance of 20% on capital expenditure incurred in the construction of industrial buildings and certain structures; an additional 4% per annum thereafter until the total expenditure is written off. A commercial building can qualify for a rebuilding allowance of 4% per annum. Funding support to encourage technology ventures and applied R&D activities that have commercial potential. There is also funding support of up to 75% of the cost for training staff in new technologies. Basically, company profits, salaries and property rental income, are taxable. This makes Hong Kong's effective overall tax bite much lower than virtually all other developed countries. Most other countries will tax away 40-50% of all income and profits, while in Hong Kong, that rate stands at about 16% and less in many situations. Only profits arising in Hong Kong from a trade, profession or business carried on in the territory are taxable. A company pays no tax in the territory on income derived from outside Hong Kong. Salaries tax is also only charged on Hong Kong sourced salaries. No tax is paid on foreign sourced income of any kind. Back DeductionsGenerally all expenses to the extent to which they have been incurred by a taxpayer in the production of chargeable profits are allowed as deductions. Examples include interest on borrowed funds and repairs for plant and machinery used in producing profits. Losses can be carried forward and set off against future profits of that business. A corporation carrying on more than one commercial activity may have losses in one trade offset against profits of the other. Generous capital allowances are given in respect of capital expenditure incurred on the construction of industrial and commercial buildings and structures and capital expenditure incurred for the purposes of producing chargeable profits as well as depreciation allowances are also provided. In summary, deductions are permitted for (1)outgoings and expenses, other than expenses of a domestic or private nature and capital expenditure, wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the production of the assessable income; (2)depreciation and other capital allowances in respect of plant and machinery the use of which is essential to the production of the assessable income; (3)loss brought forward from previous years of assessment; (4)from year 1996/97 onwards, Expenses of Self-education paid ; (5)from year 1998/99 onwards, Elderly Residential Care Expenses paid ; (6)from year 1998/99 onwards, Home Loan Interest paid. The Basis of AssessmentLiability to Salaries Tax is based on the actual income of the year of assessment, but an initial charge is made for a Provisional Salaries Tax first. That is, the taxpayer will pay an estimated tax first (based on expected income for that tax year) and then at the end of the tax year will receive a follow-up bill for any additional tax owed. Income tax is not deducted from regular employee paychecks, hence employees should remember to set aside money to pay the end-of-the-year income tax. Back Salaries Tax ComputationThe Department has developed a simple Salaries Tax Computation Program to help you calculate your own Salaries Tax liability. All you have to do is to select the assessment year, marital status, input your income and the number of your dependants and then press the "Compute" button at the bottom of the input page. Another page will appear which shows you your exact Salaries Tax liability. ?.(???????????????)