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Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

businessinsider.com.au

81–90 of 431 posts

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#81
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cause they're not people. Oh wait...

Haha. Good old Citizens United. Corporations are "people" only when it comes to ditching taxes and pumping tons of cash into politics, but when the time comes to pay for crimes - uh uh, hands off, not a person...

This is a ridiculously bad take on Citizens United.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#82
post #40

I always feel a bit sad when I read my home country is used for these kind of things. Most of the time the companies still are depending on services of these countries to be able to be in business but don't pay their fair share.

Visit a psychologist?

Most people would be happy knowing they live in a country where it is possible to pay less tax and protect one's money from the predatory state.

Sounds like you'd prefer to live in North Korea or France. That's not normal.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#83
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if you are a US citizen, but live somewhere else in the world, IRS still expects to be paid tax from your individual income in that foreign country (possibly in addition to the tax you pay in your country of residence) right? Does anyone know more about this? Do American pasport holders abroad pay taxes twice?

Only if you make more than about $100k (individual) and your foreign tax rate is actually lower than the US's (uncommon).

(You still file twice even if you don’t end up owing tax. You also must report any foreign bank accounts for which you have signatory control that contained > $10k or equivalent at any time in past year. If not you are subject to fines of 50% their balance.)

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#84
post #34
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Individuals can't pretend to be based in Ireland to not pay US taxes. US taxes global individual income, but not global corporate profits.

>US taxes global individual income... Always wondered why US citizens do not make a bigger deal out of this. If I understand correctly, if you are a US citizen, but live somewhere else in the world, IRS still expects to be paid tax from your individual income in that foreign country (possibly in addition to the tax you pay in your country of residence) right? I assume there are minimum income thresholds but still...…

For the most part it doesn’t matter except for more paperwork. If you live in a country with higher taxes (most countries) you pay $0 in US tax.

If you live in a country with lower taxes you exempt a bunch of income, deduct housing costs and get credit for any taxes paid in your original country. You end up paying very little US taxes.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#85

If IP and shell companies infuriate you. I invite you to investigate why all billionaires have foundations or its cousin structures and "give" their wealth to it... Clue: tax and inheritance (tax) avoidance. Bill, Buffett, etc. are hypocrites. But it is not new, even in the Bible they spoke about it (Matthew 6:2): "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues…

IMO most of the “exceptional” people in a country “by of and for the people” are hypocrites for waiting on billionaires to fix things

How is political capitulation by the masses exceptional?

Covid offered a perfect opportunity for info workers to show solidarity with on-site workers by not opening those laptops at home.

But really it’s the leopards fault they keep eating our faces because we refuse to build a cage (higher taxation, breaking up monopoly).

The solution is not new either as we just went through it in recent memory with ATT.

I’m rather tired of the general public pointing fingers at everyone but themselves.

Stop going to the jobs they offer. It’s our agency not theirs. Demand they respect it.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#86
post #40

I always feel a bit sad when I read my home country is used for these kind of things. Most of the time the companies still are depending on services of these countries to be able to be in business but don't pay their fair share.

> I always feel a bit sad when I read my home country is used for these kind of things. Het is toch echt andersom. Nederland doet dit al jaren om in de ‘good graces’ van Amerika te zijn. Are you surprised when you see this news?

That's true. Personally, I wouldn't mind if these kind of constructions are being stopped by the government but I don't see that happen anytime soon.

Not surprised about the news at all. Just don't like if these kind of constructions are used in such manner. I understand you want to lower the tax burden but this is going a bit too far imho. Of course, Uber is not the only one.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#87
post #69
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Property ownership doesn't exist without threat of violence. What's to stop me taking the phone you're holding? It's the threat of violence from you or society in general. Money and taxes are just abstractions on top of the property ownership one, if you want to get rid of taxes you'll need to get rid of property ownership. Many cultures were this way.

Rofl... Sorry no you are completely off base. First off I hope the only that keep you from being a thief is not that someone would defend themselves from your attempt. Personally I steal from people as much as I desire to. Which is none at all However self defense is not in viewed philosophy as a threat of violence. Violence that we are talking about here is the itiation of violence for which governments alone have t…

It's not self defense because you aren't defending yourself in this scenario, you're defending your property. It's only your property because you can defend it, but most of the time you won't have to because we all agree that you own it.

The same goes for money, you're money is your property because we all agree it is, especially in the modern world where their is no physical item and inherent value. All the money you have is worthless if we decide it no longer has value. One of the trade offs for us deciding that your money has value is that we tax it.

> Personally I steal from people as much as I desire to. Which is none at all

That would be great in a universe that never has bad actors, that is not this universe.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#88

I've heard this suggested before: abolish all corporate tax and increase capital gains tax to equal income tax. This will level the playing field between large and small businesses, since the former has the means to dodge byzantine corporate tax laws. It will also give an incentive for companies to stay onshore. Any downsides?

Yes.

> increase capital gains tax to equal income tax

Is far easier said than done. For example, would you include the $250K capital gains deduction for selling a home in that? Additionally, you're probably referring to raising long-term capital gains tax, but that has the side effect of disincentivizing long-term investment in favor of more short-term speculation.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#89

If IP and shell companies infuriate you. I invite you to investigate why all billionaires have foundations or its cousin structures and "give" their wealth to it... Clue: tax and inheritance (tax) avoidance. Bill, Buffett, etc. are hypocrites. But it is not new, even in the Bible they spoke about it (Matthew 6:2): "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues…

Anyone with any money should setup a trust. Especially if they want to marry. Done right it’s an amazing way to protect your wealth. Better protection than a prenup can provide.

Re: Uber used 50 Dutch shell companies to dodge taxes on $6B in revenue

#90

I've heard this suggested before: abolish all corporate tax and increase capital gains tax to equal income tax. This will level the playing field between large and small businesses, since the former has the means to dodge byzantine corporate tax laws. It will also give an incentive for companies to stay onshore. Any downsides?

What's to stop me from hiding my capital gains in a series of shell companies?
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