Angel Tax Breather: Scheme to Accredit Investors in Works

India is eyeing a new framework for recognising investors so that they won’t be subject to the so-called angel tax provisions on their funding of startups. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is looking to put in place such a regime so that investors will be able to fund startups without any limit.
“We are examining if a mechanism can be created for accrediting investors,” said a government official aware of the matter, details of which are being discussed.
The DPIIT will hold discussions with stakeholders on the proposed framework, which will help startups raise funds from accredited investors without any hitch. The accreditation regime is being envisaged as a simple procedure, said the person cited above.
The idea behind the move is that if a startup receives funding from a genuine, recognised investor then there is no fear of money laundering and hence the investment should not be scrutinised or face the so-called angel tax.

GST exemption limit for SMEs to be effective from April 1
The government notified April 1 as the date for the implementation of doubling of GST exemption limit to Rs 40 lakh, which will benefit small and medium enterprises.
Besides, the effective date for availing higher turnover cap of Rs 1.5 crore for availing composition scheme by traders has also been fixed as April 1.
Also, service providers and suppliers of both goods and services with a turnover of up to Rs 50 lakh would be eligible to opt for the GST composition scheme and pay a tax of 6 per cent from the beginning of next fiscal.
These decisions were taken by the GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising his state counterparts, on January 10. These decisions would come into effect from April 1, a finance ministry statement said.

FM: Ease of Doing Biz via Tax Reforms to Continue, Focus on lower tax rate and wider tax base
The Finance Minister, Shri Jaitley said that the process of reforms in case of direct and indirect taxes will continue in order to facilitate and further expedite the process of ease of doing business in the country. He said that Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has brought a change in the credit culture in the country and is helping the Banking Sector in making fast recoveries. The Finance Minister said that GST is now on the track and is in process of fast settling down. The Finance Minster said that the thrust of the Government is to lower the tax rate and widen the tax base and keep the revenue collections moving-up. He said that the indirect tax collections will further increase in future.
India continues to be the sweet spot as far as the Foreign Direct Investment is concerned and is the fastest growing economy in the world. He concluded that the Government is committed to keep this growth momentum high and inclusive to ensure that the benefits of growth reaches to all sections of the society especially to the vulnerable and weaker sections.

CBDT finalizes bilateral agreement on exchange of CbC reports between India and USA
The absence of an agreement between India and USA till now entailed a possibility of local filing of CbC Reports in India. However, a Bilateral Competent Authority Arrangement, along with an underlying Inter-Governmental Agreement, for exchange of CbC Reports between India and the USA has now been finalized and will be signed on or before 31st March, 2019. This would enable both the countries to exchange CbC Reports filed by the ultimate parent entities of International Groups in the respective jurisdictions, pertaining to the financial years commencing on or after 1 st January, 2016. As a result, Indian constituent entities of international groups headquartered in USA, who have already filed CbC Reports in the USA, would not be required to do local filing of the CbC Reports of their international groups in India.

FPI Quarterly Inflows Set for Highest Level Since 2017
Inflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in the January-March period are on track to be the highest in a quarter in two years, spurred mainly by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition’s improved chances of returning to power. Adding to this is a rise in flows into emerging markets thanks to a dovish US Federal Reserve.
Though a large part of the inflows have come through exchange traded funds (ETFs) — considered relatively fickle — and block transactions on the bourses, active money has also started coming into local markets, said experts. Money managers believe that foreign flows will continue to be strong in the coming two months in the runup to the general election, which may drive the benchmarks to record highs.
FPIs have pumped in Rs. 30,500 crore since January, including provisional data for Wednesday, which is the highest in a quarter since the January-March period of 2017, when it amounted to Rs. 44,200 crore.

I-T Exemption Limit on Gratuity Doubled to Rs. 20L
The labour ministry has decided that the income tax exemption limit on gratuity has been increased to Rs. 20 lakh from the existing Rs. 10 lakh, a move that will benefit employees who are not covered by the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. “The ministry of finance has enhanced the income tax exemption for gratuity under Section 10 (10) (iii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 to Rs. 20 lakh,” a labour ministry statement said.

Labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said this would benefit those employees of public sector undertakings (PSUs) and other employees not covered by the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972, and has thanked finance minister Arun Jaitley for enhancing the exemption limit.

For more blogs Visit: https://neerajbhagat.com/blog

Over 7,000 cash-starved start-ups may benefit from angel tax relief

A series of changes made to the so-called angel tax by the government could give wing to 7,000 cash-starved start-ups, sources in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said.

According to industry observers, an investment of around $12 billion might come from 2,000 angel investors and hundreds of smaller backers of start-ups by the end of the year. Of this, about $7 billion will come in the form of corporate investment.

After facing sustained pressure over the past three years from start-ups and venture capital funds over the tax, the government on Tuesday introduced changes in tax norms, giving in to most of the demands raised by the sector.

Providing a wider set of exemptions from the angel tax, the Centre allowed start-ups which have raised capital up to Rs 25 crore to claim tax benefits, as distinct from the earlier Rs 10 crore. It also gave a slew of waivers and a tweak in definition industry demanded.

MCA’s new e-form ‘Active’ need to be filled by all cos. incorporated on or before Dec. 31, 2017
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has further amended the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 wherein new e-form Active has been introduced for activation of company. The e Form ACTIVE need to be filed by all Cos. Incorporated on or before Dec 31, 2017. Last date of filing form is 25.04.2019. If a Cos files ACTIVE form on or after 26.04.2019 such Company shall be marked ‘ACTIVE Compliant’ only after payment of fee of Rs. 10,000.

Now, FPI can invest and trade in derivative contracts approved by SEBI
The Govt. notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer of Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017 wherein new clause has been inserted which explicated that a Foreign Portfolio Investor or NRI or an Overseas Citizen of India may trade and invest in all exchange traded derivative contracts approved by SEBI from time to time subject to the limits prescribed by SEBI board.

India and Brunei sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement
A Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) has been signed between the Governments of India and Brunei Darussalam on February 28, 2019 at New Delhi. The Agreement will enhance mutual co-operation between India and Brunei Darussalam by providing an effective framework of exchange of information.

The Agreement enables exchange of information, including banking and ownership information between the two countries for tax purposes. It is based on international standards of tax transparency and exchange of information and enables sharing of information on request as well as on automatic basis. The Agreement also provides for mutual assistance in collection of tax revenue claims between both countries.

Ind AS: Amendments proposed to meaning of ‘materiality’ & ‘business’
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has proposed to amend the meaning of ‘material’ wherever it is used in the Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS). ICAI has also proposed amendment to the definition of ‘business’ in case of business combination under Ind AS 103, Business Combinations. These amendments are proposed after the International Accounting Standards Board made them to IFRS.

According to the newly proposed definition of material, an information shall be considered as material if it is expected reasonably that omitting, misstating or obscuring such information could influence the decisions of primary users of general purpose financial statements which are made on the basis of those financial statements which provide financial information about a specific reporting entity. So, this definition clarifies that an entity should assess materiality only from perspective of primary users of its general purpose financial statements and only on the basis of its financial statements.

MCA extends last date of filing initial return in MSME Form I
The MSME Form-I has not been deployed yet on MCA portal, in order to avoid inconvenience to stakeholders, MCA has clarified that period of thirty days for filing initial return in MSME form –I shall be reckoned from the date of the said form is deployed on MCA 21 Portal. On 22.01.2019, the MCA had issued Specified Companies (Furnishing of information about payment to micro and small enterprises suppliers) Order, 2019.

If you have any Query, kindly click here

Options for foreign companies setting up business in India

As a market, India has always been attractive to foreign companies because of the rapidly growing market. But in terms of actually taking steps to register a company in India, many foreign companies shelved their plans because of the perceived difficulties in doing the necessary paperwork. Over the last few years, however, many steps have been taken to increase the ease of doing business in India, and foreign companies are being encouraged to have a footprint in India. In 2018, India jumped 23 ranks on the global “Ease of Doing Business” rankings, indicating that the pro-business steps are beginning to pay off. There are several ways in which a foreign company can set up business in India. A company can enter the Indian market by registering a completely Indian entity or as a foreign company . In this article, we look at a few important facets of available structures in India.



Operating as Foreign Company
I. Liaison Office
A Liaison Office (LO), sometimes referred to as a Representative Office, is a good way to establish a new presence in India. An LO liaises, communicating between the parent company and Indian entities. While an LO can promote the parent company’s interests and build a network, it cannot make money within India; all operating costs are borne from internal funds.

Meaning
As per law, ‘Liaison Office’ means a place of business to act as a channel of communication between the Principal place of business or Head Office by whatever name called and entities in India but which does not undertake any commercial /trading/ industrial activity, directly or indirectly, and maintains itself out of inward remittances received from abroad through normal banking channel.

Requirements to Establish Liaison Office


Registration
Registration of an LO is approved by RBI and then by MCA. It generally takes 45 days to register a LO and requires renewal after 3 years.

Permitted activities
i) Representing in India the parent company/group companies.
ii) Promoting export import from/to India.
iii) Promoting technical/financial collaborations between parent/group companies and companies in India.
iv) Acting as a communication channel between the parent company and Indian companies
LOs are by far the cheapest option of establishing an office in India, but provide limited scope of what a business can do in the country. Foreign companies use LOs primarily to oversee networking, create visibility about a company, and to chart out future business opportunities in India.

Posting of Expatriates
Expatriates are allowed to work on rolls of Indian Liaison office.

Remittance outside India
LO is only a cost centre and outward remittance is not allowed, except upon closure of LO.

Permitted Incomes
Inward remittance is allowed only from head office through normal banking channels to meet the expenses. Further, it cannot issue invoice from India since it cannot generate any income.

Indian Taxation
Since LOs are not meant to earn income, the Indian government does not tax them. However, where an LO becomes a Permanent Establishment in India, it will be taxed as a foreign entity at the rate of 40% plus applicable surcharge and cess.

II. Branch Office
Similar to an LO, Branch Office (BO) is not an incorporated company, but an extension of a foreign company. BOs can, however, engage in commercial business as a representative of the parent company. The BO can conduct research, carry out import and export activity, provide consultancy support, provide services in information technology (IT), and provide technical support for products supplied by its parent company.

Meaning
As per law, Branch Office’ in relation to a company means- (a) any establishment described as a branch by the company, or (b) any establishment carrying on either the same or substantially the same activity as that carried on by the head office of the company, or (c) any establishment engaged in any production, processing or manufacture, but does not include any establishment specified in any order made by the Central Government.

Requirements to Establish Branch office


Registration
Registration of a BO is approved by RBI and then by MCA. It takes 45 days to register a BO. Further, renewal of registration is generally not required but in some cases RBI gives approval for 2-3 years and renewal is required post

Permitted Activities
i) Export/Import of goods
ii) Rendering professional or consultancy services.
iii) Carrying out research work, in which the parent company is engaged.
iv) Promoting technical or financial collaborations between Indian companies and parent or overseas group company.
v) Representing the parent company in India and acting as buying/selling agent in India.
vi) Rendering services in Information Technology and development of software in India.
vii) Rendering technical support to the products supplied by parent/group companies.
viii) Foreign airline/shipping company.
The RBI prohibits BOs from conducting manufacturing and processing work directly. BOs must subcontract such work to an Indian manufacturer. However, the RBI has made exception for BOs operating in Special Economic Zones (SEZs), allowing these particular BOs to engage in manufacturing themselves.

Posting of Expatriates
Expatriates are allowed to work on rolls of Branch office ..

Remittance outside India
A branch Office in India may remit outside India the profit of the branch net of applicable Indian taxes, on production of the following documents, and establishing the net profit or surplus, as the case may be, to the satisfaction of the authorized dealer through whom the remittance is affected.
a) certified copy of the audited balance sheet and profit and loss account for the relevant year;
b) a Chartered Accountant’s certificate certifying, –
i) the manner of arriving at the remittable profit,
ii) that the entire remittable profit has been earned by undertaking the permitted activities, and
iii) that the profit does not include any profit on revaluation of the assets of the branch.

Permitted incomes
The entire expenses of the Branch Office in India will be met either out of the funds received from abroad through normal banking channels or through income generated by it in India. It can also issue invoice from India.

Indian Taxation
A BO actually does business in India and is, therefore, subject to corporate tax @ 40%. Surcharge is applicable @ 2% on taxable income on income exceeding 1 Cr upto 10 Cr., and @ 5% on taxable income exceeding 10 Cr. Health and education cess is also applicable @ 4%.
A BO can repatriate profits back to their parent company after paying taxes.
Moreover, a BO is also required to file income tax return in India.

III. Project Office
A project office operates similarly to a branch office, the main difference being that a company establishes a project office for specific work in India. Project offices may be set up for carrying out construction or for projects co-funded by Indian and international financial institutions.

Meaning
Project Office’ means a place of business to represent the interests of the foreign company executing a project in India but excludes a Liaison Office.

Requirements to Establish


Registration
Registration of a Project Office is approved automatically by Authorized Dealer Bank and does not required prior approval from RBI. It takes 15 -20 days to register a PO. However, it has to be closed soon after completion of the project.

Permitted activities
A foreign Company may be permitted to open a Project Office/s in India provided it has secured from an Indian company, a contract to execute a project in India. Project Office shall not undertake or carry on any other activity other than the activity relating and incidental to execution of the project.

Posting of Expatriates
Expatriates are allowed to work on rolls of Project Office ..

Remittance outside India
A Project Office in India may be permitted for the intermittent remittances pending winding up / completion of the project provided they satisfy the bonafides of the transaction, subject to the following:
a. The PO submits an Auditors’ / Chartered Accountants’ Certificate to the effect that sufficient provisions have been made to meet the liabilities in India including Income Tax, etc.
b. An undertaking from the PO that the remittance will not, in any way, affect the completion of the project in India and that any shortfall of funds for meeting any liability in India will be met by inward remittance from abroad.

Permitted Incomes
The entire expenses of the Project Office in India will be met either out of the funds received from abroad through normal banking channels or through income generated by it in India. It can also issue invoice from India.

Indian Taxation
A PO actually does business in India and is, therefore, subject to corporate tax @ 40%. Surcharge is applicable @ 2% on taxable income exceeding 1 Cr upto 10 Cr., and @ 5% on taxable income exceeding 10 Cr. Health and education cess is also applicable @ 4%.
A PO can repatriate profits back to their parent company on completion of project after paying taxes.Moreover, a PO is also required to file income tax return in India..

Operating as an Indian Company
If a foreign company wants to carry on its Indian operations under an Indian entity, then it can go via joint venture route, create a wholly owned subsidiary or a LLP in India. The wholly owned subsidiary would mean that a foreign company incorporates a new company which is held solely by the foreign company, or purchases all shares of an Indian company, which then becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the foreign company. In a joint venture, the foreign company and the Indian partner sign an agreement (a Memorandum of Understanding or a JV Agreement) either for perpetual existence or for a specific project or limited duration.
The formation of wholly owned subsidiary will need to comply with all the Registrar Of Companies processes including submission of different forms (DIR-12, INC-7, INC-22 etc.), payment of necessary fees, opening of bank accounts, etc. Once the certificate of incorporation is received, the documents for capital infusion have to be submitted for complying with Foreign Direct Investment regulations prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India.

IV. Limited Liability Company
A limited liability company is an incorporated entity that is legally separate from its shareholders and members. A limited company requires a minimum of two shareholders and foreign companies can hold up to 99.9 percent of its shares. Limited companies can own property, hire employees, sue and be sued. A limited company also has unlimited existence, meaning its existence is not dependent on the status of shareholders or members. Limited companies can borrow funds.
Establishing a limited company provides the most control and strongest presence to a foreign company.
Incorporating a private limited company is the simplest and quickest mode to set up a business in India for a foreign company. Moreover, further exemptions are available to private companies with lesser restrictions as compared to public limited companies. Thus, most of the foreign companies prefer to form a fully owned private limited company as a subsidiary.

Meaning
An incorporated entity formed and registered under the Companies Act, 2013. It is a distinct legal entity, apart from its shareholders.

Registration
Registration of a private limited company is required to be done under MCA. It takes 15 days to register a company. Minimum two shareholders and two directors are required.
There is no minimum paid-up capital required as per Indian law.

Permitted activities
As per its ‘main objects’ stipulated in the Memorandum & Articles of Association of the company. However under the foreign direct investment (“FDI”) policy of the Government of India foreign investment in the following industries is prohibited:
a) Lottery Business including Government/private lottery, online lotteries, etc.
b) Gambling and Betting including casinos etc.
c) Chit funds
d) Nidhi company
e) Trading in Transferable Development Rights (TDRs)
f) Real Estate Business or Construction of Farm Houses ‘Real estate business’ shall not include development of townships, construction of residential /commercial premises, roads or bridges and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) registered and regulated under the SEBI (REITs) Regulations 2014.
g) Manufacturing of cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes, of tobacco or of tobacco substitutes
h) Activities/sectors not open to private sector investment e.g. Atomic Energy

Posting of Expatriates
Expatriates are allowed to work on rolls of Limited Liability company.

Permitted incomes
All income arising out of its business activities. It can also issue invoice from India.

Remittance outside India
Remittance is allowed by way of:
1. Dividends
2. Royalties
3. Fees towards technical knowhow
4. Remittances under Supply Contracts (subject to limitation of matters of ‘Related Party transactions’)

Indian Taxation
A limited Liability company actually does business in India and is, therefore, subject to corporate tax @ 25% (for turnover upto Rs. 2.5 Billion) and 30% (for turnover exceeding Rs. 2.5 Billion). Surcharge is applicable @ 7% on taxable income exceeding 1 Cr upto 10 Cr., and @ 12% on taxable income exceeding 10 Cr. Health and education cess is also applicable @ 4%.
Moreover, a company is also required to file income tax return in India.
Further, a company is also subject to Dividend Distribution Tax @ 15% (plus surcharge and Health and education cess as applicable).

V. Limited Liability Partnership
A limited liability partnership firm (LLP) is a cross between partnership firms and a limited company. An LLP is a separate legal entity than its members, which means that the liability of members is limited to their agreed contributions. Only in sectors where the RBI permits 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) can a foreign company establish an LLP. Under Prime Minister Modi, the Indian government has eased FDI restrictions and the list of sectors under 100 percent FDI is growing.
LLPs can buy and own property, produce revenue, and remit earnings outside of India. LLPs are taxed at 30 percent, and an additional surcharge of 12 percent is applied to LLPs if total income exceeds one crore.
In comparison to a Limited Company, an LLP requires less paperwork and minimal record keeping. An LLP also has a reputational advantage over a Partnership Firm because of the additional registration involved. An LLP must register with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, lending credible proof of the company’s existence.

VI. Joint Ventures
A joint venture is a partnership between two or more companies or individuals who agree to pool capital or goods into a uniform project. Joint ventures in India have been most popular for sectors that do not have 100 percent FDI.
Joint ventures offer relatively low risk to foreign companies, provided that these companies conduct due diligence on their Indian partners. A joint venture allows foreign companies to utilize the existing networks of their Indian partners, and once taxed, such companies can remit their Indian profits outside the country.
JVs are subject to corporate tax @ 30% plus surcharge and cess.

Making the right choice
Choosing whether to set up an office, firm, or company in India has to correspond to a company’s size, ambitions, and desired trajectory in the country.
An LO may work best for a smaller company exploring prospects in India. Alternately, incorporating a limited company would be the logical decision of a company looking to aggressively expand within Asian emerging markets.
In making a decision for your business, do consider consulting a professional advisor on the following:

• A review of the latest laws and regulations;
• Due diligence for would-be partners and service providers;
• Exit strategy planning for limited control establishments; and,
• Operational issues – such as connectivity, labor laws, and state-based regulations –when planning the physical location of your Indian presence

Having any Query??  Visti: Accounting company in India

Sebi to make listing start-ups attractive

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) may soon bring in a slew of changes to make it attractive for startups to list on the bourses.
Among other things, the regulator may broaden the definition of startups to include non-tech companies and allow them to list directly on the main board of stock exchanges under a separate segment.
The changes are part of the proposals prepared by a Sebi-appointed panel to revive startup listings. The regulator is expected to take a final call on these proposals later this month.
The regulatory framework for institutional trading platform (ITP) was announced on August 14, 2015, to enable listing of new-age and technologically-intensive companies in sectors such as e-commerce, data analytics and bio- and nano-technology. Subsequently, Sebi came up with recommendations to make the platform more accessible via a discussion paper on July 29, 2016.

MCA eases process for incorporation of LLPs; specifies new forms ‘RUN-LLP’ and FiLLiP
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has notified amendment to the Limited Liability Partnership Rules, 2009 wherein process of incorporation of LLPs and reservation of their name have been amended in order to ease of doing business. Under revised norms, a new web based form ‘RUN-LLP’ has been introduced through which names of a LLP can be reserved without digital signature and Designated Partner Identification Number (DPIN). This form is very much similar to RUN web service reservation of name in case of companies. In this form, only two name can be proposed at single point of time and one resubmission is also allowed for reservation of name. In total, 4 names can be proposed.

Now, Shareholders are free to decide managerial remuneration – A big relief to companies
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has done away with the mandatory approval from the Central Govt. for payment of managerial remuneration to top executives which means they can receive salary in excess of 11 per cent of net profit of a company. Now, the decision for payment of excess salary to top executives will be approved by the shareholders through special resolution.

RBI Eases Norms For Overseas Fundraising
The Reserve Bank eased norms for companies in the manufacturing sector to raise overseas funds and allowed Indian banks to market masala bonds in-line with the government’s measures to prop up the rupee.

Following a review of the economy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, the government announced an array of measures to check the decline of rupee and curb the widening current account deficit. Liberalisation of the external commercial borrowing norms was among other measures announced by the government.

“It has been decided, in consultation with the government, to liberalise some aspects of the ECB policy including policy on rupee denominated bonds (Masala Bonds)…,” RBI said in a notification. As per the revised policy, eligible ECB borrowers in the manufacturing sector, will be allowed to raise up to $50 million or its equivalent with a minimum average maturity period of 1 year. Earlier the average minimum maturity period was three years.

Sebi to Review Proposed New Norms for FPI Investments
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said it would review the norms on foreign portfolio investors and take a holistic view.

“The working group has heard various stakeholders, has held consultations and is in the process of giving its recommendations. Ministry of Finance, Government of India has also been consulted on various issues. Based on these inputs, Sebi would review the matter and shortly take a holistic view,” Sebi said in a statement which was posted on its website.

The regulator has formed a committee to review foreign portfolio investors norms under the chairmanship of HR Khan, former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India.

Sebi likely to approve commodity trading by foreign entities soon
With an aim to deepen the commodity derivatives market, regulator Sebi’s board is likely to approve a proposal to allow trading in this segment by foreign entities with exposure to the Indian physical commodity market.

Such foreign entities may be allowed to hedge their exposures with derivatives trading in all commodities traded on Indian exchanges, barring the sensitive commodities.

Chartered accountant in India

´PoeM´ firms to be taxed at 40%

Foreign companies whose place of effective control are in India will have to shell out 40 per cent corporation tax against 30 per cent levied on domestic firms.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes has come out with clarifications for place of effective management (PoeM) through a notification for these companies.
Through PoeM, the government taxes companies located outside the country but controlled from India.
It applies to companies having annual turnover of more than Rs. 500 million.

Soon, govt to carry out KYC of company directors
Directors at companies will soon be required to share their personal mobile numbers and e-mail ids with the government as part of verifying their credentials, amid continuing efforts to weed out bogus directorships.
In a significant move, the corporate affairs ministry has decided to carry out KYC (Know Your Customer) process for all directors, including those who have been disqualified.
A new electronic form is set to be introduced specifically for the directors through which all required details have to be submitted to the ministry, according to a communication.
The e-form — DIR-3 KYC — would be “notified and deployed shortly” as part of updating the ministry’s registry.
After the deadline, the MCA 21 system would mark all approved DINs — allotted on or before March 31 this year — against which DIR-3 KYC form has not been filed as ‘de-activated’.

AAR Ruling a Tax Twist for Foreign Hotels
A significant judgement by the Authority of Advance Rulings (AAR) may have an impact on taxes to be paid by overseas hotel companies. AAR has held that Accor-owned FRHI Hotels & Resorts property Swissotel Kolkata will constitute a fixed place permanent establishment for FRHI and that its income from operations would be taxable as business profits in India. AAR said this is due to the degree of ‘control’ exercised by the foreign company over the Indian firm. FRHI asked AAR if payments received by it from the Indian hotel owner for provision of global reservation services would be taxable in India as ‘fees for technical services’ or ‘royalty,’ under provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961 read with Article 12 of the India-Luxembourg double taxation avoidance agreement . FRHI ought a ruling only on the limited question of “taxability of fees for providing global reservation services.”

CBDT proposes clear-cut timelines under transfer pricing
The income-tax (I-T) department has proposed clear-cut timelines by which excess amount assessed by transfer pricing officials (TPOs) over what was declared by associated enterprises of multinational corporations (MNCs) has to be brought in India. These timelines relate to advance pricing agreements (APAs) and mutual agreement procedures (MAPs).
In the Union Budget 2016-17, the government has come out with a concept of secondary adjustments. This basically means that if there is primary adjustment either made by the TPO or suo motu by the companies, which differs from what was declared by companies earlier, the excess amount over Rs 10 million has to be brought back to India within a stipulated time.
Otherwise, there would be secondary adjustment, which means this excess amount will be deemed as loan by Indian entity to the associated enterprise and a notional interest would be levied on it.
Now, the Central Board of Direct Taxes had earlier said that the excess amount has to be returned within 90 days of filing of returns. But, then the question arose over what will happen in case of APAs and MAPs.
Now, the department, through a draft notification, suggested that the amount should be returned within 90 days of signing of APAs and MAPs.

India Notifies Rules for I-T Computation for Foreign Firms
The government has notified rules for computation of income tax for foreign companies if they have place of effective management in the country. According to tax experts, it brings clarity on various aspects of the new place of effective management (POEM) regime.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified a mechanism for calculation of written-down value, and computation of brought-forward loss and unabsorbed depreciation.
It has said a company would continue to be treated as a foreign company even after it becomes resident in India.
The notification has provided clarity to the foreign companies which shall be considered as a resident in India owing to its POEM being in India. It provides guidance in case any conflict arises in the application of provisions of the Act to such foreign company qualifying as a resident company vis-à-vis a domestic resident company.

Govt. defers GST provisions on TDS or TCS till September 30, 2018
The Govt. has deferred the provisions of tax deduction at source (TDS) and collection of tax at source (TCS) under sections 51 and 52 of the Central GST Act, 2017 respectively till September 30, 2018.

Aviation ministry may want inclusion of ATF under GST

The civil aviation ministry is likely to approach the Goods and Services Tax(GST) Council soon for bringing aviation turbine fuel(ATF) under the tax regime.
Thursday´s meeting in the Capital was attended by AirIndia Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) Pradeep Singh Kharola, Pawan Hans CMD BP Sharma, the chief executive officer of a private airline, and the chief financial officers of other carriers.”We have given our suggestion to the ministry and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha is likely to meet the GST Council soon to present our case,” a senior airline official said.
Currently, jet fuel is not under the GST ambit and the levy on it varies from state to state.
New system for monitoring of foreign investment limit in listed Companies to be operational on June 01, 2018
SEBI had introduced a new system for Monitoring of Foreign Investment limits in listed Indian companies and prescribed guidelines w.r.t the necessary infrastructure, data to be provided by listed Indian companies and other related matters. In this regard, it has been decided to extend the deadlines for Companies to provide necessary data to the depositories to May 25, 2018 and the new system for monitoring foreign investment limit in listed companies shall be made operational on June 01, 2018.
IBC Ordinance may Restrict Relief Proposed for MSMEs
The government has further revised the ordinance it proposes to move to make changes to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The updated note that will be sent to cabinet for approval is likely to restrict the wide exemption proposed earlier for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from the provisions of Section 29A that disqualifies certain persons from bidding for an insolvent company. The revised cabinet note will also include a provision to allow participation by promoters released from imprisonment six years before the date of submission of a resolution plan, a senior official told ET. Many of the changes to the IBC will be made through the rules and regulations.
Merchant Exporters May Receive Govt Incentives
Slow growth in India’s exports has prompted the government to promote merchant exporters, who contribute almost a third of India’s exports in value terms but can’t avail of some incentives meant for manufacturer exporters.
Merchant exporters do not own manufacturing facilities but buy goods from manufacturers here and sell to overseas customers. They have the flexibility to procure goods from many sellers and sell them after negotiating the best prices to foreign buyers.
They are usually able to negotiate prices with buyers, sellers and shipping lines which are better than regular exporters.
The department of commerce is mulling ways to reduce the cost of credit for them.
“It is crucial to promote merchant exporters and make use of their marketing and negotiating skills with global partners,” said an official in the know of the development.
Legal Shield in the Works for Foreign Investments
India is working on a framework that will provide legal backing for a stable and predictable foreign investment regime in the country as it looks to attract more capital to help create jobs and accelerate economic growth.
The law that is in the works in the finance ministry is aimed at promoting and protecting foreign investments. It will spell out the rights and obligations of foreign investors and remove the grey areas that exist in the current system.
While Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) deals with cross-border capital controls, a legal framework to guide foreign investment is still not in place. Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreements (BIPAs) have provisions but do not enjoy the force of law.
Hotel, restaurant services provided to SEZ units taxable
Hotel or restaurant services provided to special economic zone (SEZ) developers or units will not be treated as ´zerorated´ supplies and will be taxable under the goods and services tax, said the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR). In an application before the Karnataka Bench of the AAR, the applicant had sought to clarify whether hotel accommodation and restaurant services provided to employees and guests of SEZ units be treated as supply of goods and services.

If you have any Query Visit : www.neerajbhagat.com

Income Declaration Scheme 2016

Income Declaration Scheme shall be in force for four months starting June’2016. This scheme was announced during Budget 2016. It was incorporated as Chapter IX of the Finance Act 2016. It is an opportunity to all persons who have not declared their income correctly in earlier years. They can come forward and declare such undisclosed incomes. It will not applicable to the individuals who have foreign assets or income to which Black Money Act 2015 applies.

According to the press release, 'Under the Scheme, such income as declared by the eligible persons, would be taxed at the rate of 30% plus a 'Krishi Kalyan Cess' of 25% on the taxes payable and a penalty at the rate of 25% of the taxes payable, thereby totaling to 45% of the income declared under the scheme.' 

Declarations can be filed online or with the jurisdictional Pr. Commissioners of Income-tax.

There will be no scrutiny and enquiry under the Income-tax Act or the wealth tax Act shall be undertaken with respect of such declarations.

Neeraj Bhagat & Company is a renowned chartered accountant firm in New Delhi, India.

For more information: http://www.neerajbhagat.com 

How to claim tax benefits on serious ailments related expenses

Every family incurs heavy medical expenses at some point. As a support for this financially draining experience, the government offers tax benefits on health insurance as well as on treatment-related expenditures. To make deductions more easy and streamlined, the government has recently issued a notification simplifying the tax benefit on serious ailment expenses. Here is all you may need to know about claiming tax benefits on expenses due to serious ailments and the new process to do so. The tax deductions on treatments and insurance premiums Sections 80D, 80DD, 80U, and 80DDB of the Income Tax Act offer rebates on health insurance premiums and expenses incurred during treatments for serious ailments and disabilities. Under Section 80D: All citizens below the age of 60 years can obtain a maximum tax rebate of Rs. 25,000 on the premiums paid for health insurance. If you are above 60 years, you are eligible for deductions up to Rs. 30,000. If you are paying health insurance for your parents, you can obtain a further deduction of Rs. 30,000 if your parents are above 60 years and Rs. 25,000 if your parents are below 60 years.

Under Section 80DD and 80U: Any differently abled person with 40% or more disability incurring medical expenses for treating themselves can claim tax rebates of up to Rs. 50,000 under Section 80U depending upon the severity. This amount goes up to Rs. 1,00,000 in case of persons with more than 80% disability. These limits have been further raised to Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 1.25 lakh respectively from FY 2015-16 onwards. Anyone financing the treatment of differently abled dependents can also avail the same deductions under Section 80DD if the dependents have not claimed the deductions themselves. Under Section 80DDB: You can avail deductions on medical treatment of specified ailments under Section 80DDB. The limit here is up to Rs. 40,000 for assessees below 60 years of age, and Rs. 60,000 for assessees above 60 years. For seniors above 80 years, the maximum limit is up to Rs. 80,000. This can be availed for treating dependents as well. The diseases specified under this section include neurological diseases with 40% or more disability, Parkinson’s disease, malignant cancers, AIDS, chronic renal failure, Hemophilia, and Thalassemia. New notification that eases claims Until recently, one needed a certificate from a doctor working in a government hospital to avail the deductions under these. Many people ended up not availing these deductions due to the difficulties in obtaining a certificate from a doctor in a government hospital. The Central Board of Direct Taxes recently issued a notification amending the Rule 11DD of the Income Tax Act, which deals with tax deductions in connection with ailments under Section 80DDB. As per the new notification, you no longer need the certificate issued by a doctor working in a government hospital to claim deductions. A certificate from any specialist doctor will suffice when you are seeking claim for expenses incurred while treating a serious disease. What the new notification means to the taxpayer With the new provision in place, the quantum of tax deduction remains untouched, but there is no longer any need to get a certificate from a doctor working in a government hospital. Under usual circumstances, it is not easy to obtain a certificate from a specialized doctor on duty in a government hospital. Moreover, many government hospitals do not have certain specialists, making it even more difficult to get a certificate. With the new notification, you can attach a certificate from any specialist working either in a government or in a private hospital, and claim your tax deduction. Moreover, it is no longer mandatory to file the certification from a doctor using Form 10L.

A prescription from a specialist would now suffice to claim tax deduction against serious ailments. Specifying the name and age of the patient in the certificate are still mandatory, but just a prescription is sufficient to file a claim. Things to know before claiming deduction under section and 80D and 80DDB If you receive reimbursement for the treatment from your insurance company or employer, you are not eligible to stake a claim for deductions under Section 80DDB. However, if you receive only partial reimbursement from your employer or insurance company, you can stake claim to avail deduction for the remaining amount. With the new amendment, the Central government has taken another step in clearing roadblocks in tax deductions, especially in health care.

For more information on tax implications You can consult tax consultancy in Mumbai. Theyprovide support from Company registration to filing e-returns. For company Laws and company incorporation visit link Company Incorporation in India steps

Source: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/tax/how-to-claim-tax-benefitsserious-ailments-related-expenses_5758741.html?utm_source=ref_article

Options for setting up business in India and the due process

While starting the business, an entrepreneur has many options on the choice of business entity that he should start with and larger the number of options larger the chances of confusion. In India, you can register a  Pvt. Ltd. Company, Limited Liability Partnership, One Person Company, or Partnership firm for purpose of carrying your business. This decision of selecting the right entity is very crucial and depends upon certain factors like liability, nature of business, number of owners, scale of business, taxation, estimated tenure of the business, future plans, closing etc.

A brief of entities as mentioned aforesaid is given below:

Company

1. Company is the oldest & renowned business Structure in India.

2. There are 2 types of company

Private Limited Company in India:

It is a closely held company with minimum requirement of at least 2 shareholders and maximum 200 shareholders, 2 Directors, and minimum paid up share capital of Rs 1,00,000.

Public Limited Company: A which is not a Private Limited Company in known as Public company. There should be at least 3 Directors and 7 shareholders with a minimum paid-up capital of Rs 5,00,000 . There is no limitation on the maximum number of shares and therefore such company can offer its shares to the  .. 

3. The entire capital of the company is divided into small units known as shares. Each member hold shares in the company are called as shareholders and the ownership is defined by number of shares in the total capital held by any shareholder

4. A company is run by Board of Directors, consisting of directors, which are appointed by the shareholders. Shareholders can themselves become director or they can also appoint any other individual as shareholder. Directors take all the decision related to company

5. Company is treated as an artificial person so that all assets and liabilities are owned by it and not its shareholders.
6. The liability of the shareholders is only limited to the capital to be paid on their shares

7. Registration 

a. Registering authority is Registrar of Companies
b. Minimum registration cost for private company is Rs 5200 and for public , it is Rs 24600
c. Time to Register : 15-20 working day

One Person Company

1. The concept of One Person Company (OPC) has been introduced in India in 2014. A company which has only one shareholder is called as One Person Company.

2. This is a new concept which has come up by the enactment of Companies Act, 2013.

3. This form of business entity is a Private Limited (OPC) in nature.

4. The shareholder must be the Citizen  of India

5. OPC shall have one shareholder, director and minimum paid capital of Rs 1,00,000

6. The shareholder of the OPC has to nominate a nominee who will the shareholder in case of death of the main shareholder or he is unable to enter into any contract.

7. As compared to normal company , OPC have lesser compliances

8. The remaining features of a OPC are similar to the company

9. Registration 

a. Registering authority is Registrar of Companies
b. Minimum registration cost is Rs 4800
c. Time to Register : 15-20 working day

LimitedLiability Partnership (LLP)


1. After company, the world's most recognized form of business i.e. Limited Liability Partnership.

2. A Limited Liability Partnership, popularly known as LLP is a hybrid form of company and partnership. It takes in the advantages of both but leaves disadvantages out.

3. A LLP should have minimum 2 partners and there is no minimum requirement of capital. So you can start with Rs 100 also.

4. In a LLP one partner is not responsible or liable for another partner's misconduct or negligence, this is an important difference from that of an unlimited partnership.

5. Registration 
5. Registration 

a. Registering authority is Registrar of LLP
​b. Minimum registration cost is Rs 1750
c. Time to Register : 10-15 working days

For tax and other financial info visit link Tax consultancy in Mumbai

How to save more taxes, restructure your income to cut tax -Tax consultancy in Mumbai

Patrick Francis earns a good salary, but more than 8% of his gross income goes in tax. If he rejigs his salary structure and avails of the deductions he is eligible for, his effective tax can come down to about 5.5%. Here's how he can save Rs 36,000 a year in tax.

Francis should ask his employer to reduce the fully taxable special allowance by Rs 61,000. Instead, 10% of his basic pay should be put in the New Pension Scheme (NPS) under Sec 80CCD(2). Another Rs 8,000 should be given as meal coupons. Also, the tax-free transport allowance should be enhanced to the maximum Rs. 1,600 a month.

These three steps will cut his tax by Rs 12,600. Francis' senior citizen mother suffers from a neurological disease. Assuming that it is among the diseases specified under Sec 80DDB, he is eligible for a deduction of Rs 60,000.




This will reduce his tax by Rs 12,360. Given that he can invest more, Francis should open an NPS account. If he puts Rs 50,000 in the NPS under Sec 80CCD1b, he can save Rs 10,300. He should also shift from FDs to debt funds to save around Rs 1,000 in tax. 

For more information on tax filling and know how to save tax on your earning please visit by clicking on Chartered accountant in Mumbai  and Tax consultant in Mumbai

source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

Today is last date for payment of advance tax---Tax consultancy in Mumbai

Don’t miss your date with taxes: 15 March 2015!

What is Advance Tax?

Advance Tax is part payment of one’s tax liability before the end of the fiscal year i.e. 31 March. The provisions of theIncome Tax Act make it obligatory for every individual, salaried/ self-employed professional, businessman and corporate to pay Advance Tax, on any income on which TDS is not paid.

Do I need to pay Advance Tax?

An individual is liable to pay advance tax if he has income from interest, commission, rent, business or profession, etc, on which no tax has been deducted at source (or tax has been deducted at a lower rate). Advance tax liability arises where the balance tax liability is Rs 10,000/- or more.

If you are salaried person with only salary as the sole source of income, Advance Tax would not be applicable as tax deducted at source would be taken care of by your employer. If you have other sources of income, such as, income from capital gains, shares and mutual funds, income from house property, etc.; Advance Tax is mandatory.

How to calculate Advance Tax

While calculating Advance Tax payable, a taxpayer needs to make only a projection or estimate of his income, as the actual income could be calculated only by the fiscal year end.

- Using the projected income for the fiscal year, the tax payable is to be calculated as per the tax slabs applicable for the current financial year.

- From the tax so computed, subtract the tax deducted at source, if any.

- Include educational cess while calculating advance tax.

- The amount arrived at is the advance tax payable, in instalments.

When do I have to pay Advance Tax?

For Non-Corporate Assessee- Individuals

•    On or before 15 September - not less than 30% of tax payable

•    On or before 15 December - not less than 60% of tax payable

•    On or before 15 March - not less than 100% of tax payable

Which means that if your income tax liability for a year is Rs 1,00,000/- then you should pay advance tax of Rs 30,000 by 15 September, another Rs 30,000 by 15 December and rest Rs 40,000 by the end of 15 March.

What is the penalty if I don’t pay Advance Tax?

If during the year, you have not paid advance tax instalments or have paid lesser than the percentage specified, you will be required to pay interest of 1% per month under section 234C of the IT Act. If you have not paid any advance tax during the year or advance tax paid was less than 90%, then you will be liable to an additional interest of 1% per month under section 234B of the IT Act.

Penalty under Section 234C

In case if you don’t pay your due advance tax installment in time then you will be charged a simple interest of 1% for the next 3 months on the amount of shortfall,this penalty is purely due to the delay in paying the due advance tax amount.

Penalty under Section 234B

If the total advance tax paid on the last due date i.e. 15 March is less than 90% of your total advance tax liability then you will be charged an interest rate of 1% on the balance amount for every month till the time you complete the payment. It means let’s say if your total income tax liability is Rs 1,00,000/- and if you have not paid anything on or before 15 March then you would be charged 1% on the entire outstanding balance of Rs 1 lakh in this case each month, unless you pay it, so if you pay in June, then you will be charged for 3 months penalty and it would be Rs 3,000 in total other than penalty under sec 234C.

How to Pay Advance Tax

You can pay Advance Tax as per the following process:-

- Challan no ITNS 280 should be filled out with all the correct details of the taxpayer

- The filled challan along with amount should be submitted to any bank accepting tax payments.

-  Keeping in view your convenience, you can also pay tax online through any bank facilitating e-payment of taxes. You can visit this site, select the Advance Tax option and after filling the other required fields and details, proceed to make online payment.

In case you have missed out on the earlier two due dates and have not paid your due advance tax, then please do it right away as it is just a click away!

For more information on tax filling and know how to save tax on your earning please visit by clicking on Tax advisor firms in India and Tax consultant in India

Can I file my returns of income after the due date? - Tax consultant in India

In case you’ve not been able to file your income tax return before the prescribed due date, you can still file a belated return of income tax after the due date as well. Under Section 139(1), the normal due date of filing of income tax return is

Particulars	Due Date
Where the taxpayer is 1.    Company 2.    Any person mandatorily required to get his tax audit done 3.    A working partner of a firm whose accounts are required to be audited	30th Sept of the Assessment Year
In case of any other category of taxpayer i.e. Salaried/ Self employed who are not required to get their tax audit done	31st July of the Assessment Year

However, in case you have missed the above deadline for filing of income tax return, you can still submit a belated return of income tax after the due date under Section 139(4)

Belated Return of Income Tax after Due Date

If a taxpayer fails to submit his income tax return

1.    On or before the due date mentioned under Section 139(1), or

2.    If the income tax return is not filed before the due date and the income tax officer has issued a notice under section 142(1) directing the taxpayer to file his income tax return within the time specified in the notice and he has not even filed his return as required in the notice

he can still file his income tax return even after the due date. Such an income tax return filed after the due date is called Belated Return.

Belated Return can be filed at any time before the expiry of 1 year from the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of assessment whichever is earlier. This can be explained with the help of an example.

EXAMPLE OF BELATED INCOME TAX RETURN AFTER DUE DATE

The income tax return due date for the financial year 2012-13 is 31^st July 2013/ 30^th September 2013 (for the Financial year 2012-13, the Assessment year would be 2013-14).

If due to any reason, the taxpayer is not able to file his income tax return, he can still submit a belated return before the end of the assessment year i.e. before 31^st March 2015. However, in case you have not filed your income tax return and the income tax officer has himself started conducting the assessment, the taxpayer can file his income tax return any time before the completion of assessment or before 31^st March (whichever is earlier)

.

For more information on tax filling and know how to save tax on your earning please visit by clicking on Chartered accountant in Delhi  and Tax consultant in India

Source: http://www.charteredclub.com/