Thin capitalisation: Difference between revisions

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imported>Doug Williamson
(Add 'minimum' for clarity; link with Equity page; add Capital Structure to categorisation.)
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''Tax''.   
''Tax''.   


The loading up of a foreign subsidiary’s capital structure with interest bearing debt.
The 'thin' part of the term 'thin capitalisation' refers to the amount of the equity injected into the subsidiary by the parent relative to the amount of debt. Thinly capitalised structures are apt to be challenged by the local tax authorities whose tax base is being eroded in this way.


This has the effect - among other consequences - of transferring taxable profits from the foreign subsidiary to the parent.
Thinly capitalised businesses would thereby enable transfer of taxable profits from the subsidiary to the parent by interest payments.
(Because the subsidiary is paying a lot of debt interest to the parent, thus lowering the taxable profits of the subsidiary and increasing the profits of the parent.)


Thinly capitalised structures are apt to be challenged by the local tax authorities whose tax base is being eroded in this way.


The 'thin' part of the term 'thin capitalisation' refers to the amount of the equity injected into the subsidiary by the parent.
The thin capitalisation tax rules may deem that the equity capital is too 'thin' compared with the related amount of debt which this equity is supporting and set a limit on the debt:equity ratio beyond which interest is considered a capital distribution not available for deduction against taxable profits.


The thin capitalisation tax rules may deem that the equity capital is too 'thin' compared with the related amount of debt which this equity is supporting.
The test for tax purposes of a minimum acceptable proportion of equity is usually one which would be acceptable to an external lender such as an independent bank, lending directly to the subsidiary. Similarly the rate of interest is often tested by reference to real borrowing rates of other similar businesses.
 
The test for tax purposes of a minimum acceptable proportion of equity (usually expressed as a debt:equity ratio) is one which would be acceptable to an external lender such as an independent bank, lending directly to the subsidiary.




== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Distribution]]
* [[Equity]]
* [[Transfer pricing]]
* [[Transfer pricing]]
* [[Equity]]


[[Category:Accounting,_tax_and_regulation]]
[[Category:Corporate_finance]]
[[Category:Corporate_finance]]
[[Category:Accounting,_tax_and_regulation]]

Latest revision as of 00:35, 27 November 2020

Tax.

The 'thin' part of the term 'thin capitalisation' refers to the amount of the equity injected into the subsidiary by the parent relative to the amount of debt. Thinly capitalised structures are apt to be challenged by the local tax authorities whose tax base is being eroded in this way.

Thinly capitalised businesses would thereby enable transfer of taxable profits from the subsidiary to the parent by interest payments.


The thin capitalisation tax rules may deem that the equity capital is too 'thin' compared with the related amount of debt which this equity is supporting and set a limit on the debt:equity ratio beyond which interest is considered a capital distribution not available for deduction against taxable profits.

The test for tax purposes of a minimum acceptable proportion of equity is usually one which would be acceptable to an external lender such as an independent bank, lending directly to the subsidiary. Similarly the rate of interest is often tested by reference to real borrowing rates of other similar businesses.


See also