Skattemässiga effekter vid koncernintern finansiering
(2020) JURM02 20202Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Koncernintern finansiering aktualiserar ofta flera skattemässiga frågeställningar. Inledningsvis måste normalt den skatterättsliga klassificeringen av transaktionen undersökas dvs. om finansieringen ska utgöra ett tillskott av eget eller främmande kapital. Detta är viktigt eftersom olika skatterättsliga följder är knutna till respektive finansieringsform. Finansiering genom eget kapital är normalt varken skattepliktigt för mottagaren eller avdragsgillt för givaren. För finansiering genom främmande kapital (lån) ska dock marknadsmässig ränta erläggas och räntan är skattepliktig intäkt för långivaren och avdragsgill kostnad för låntagaren.
När koncernintern finansiering konstrueras som lån kan dessa transaktioner utnyttjas i... (More) - Koncernintern finansiering aktualiserar ofta flera skattemässiga frågeställningar. Inledningsvis måste normalt den skatterättsliga klassificeringen av transaktionen undersökas dvs. om finansieringen ska utgöra ett tillskott av eget eller främmande kapital. Detta är viktigt eftersom olika skatterättsliga följder är knutna till respektive finansieringsform. Finansiering genom eget kapital är normalt varken skattepliktigt för mottagaren eller avdragsgillt för givaren. För finansiering genom främmande kapital (lån) ska dock marknadsmässig ränta erläggas och räntan är skattepliktig intäkt för långivaren och avdragsgill kostnad för låntagaren.
När koncernintern finansiering konstrueras som lån kan dessa transaktioner utnyttjas i resultatutjämnande syfte inom koncernen vilket utgör en otillåten skatteplanering. I det fall en avvikande räntesats tillämpas på en koncernintern finansiell transaktion finns därför skatterättsliga regler som anger att transaktionen kan komma att skattemässigt justeras. Olika rättsregler tillämpas dock beroende på om transaktionen sker mellan två svenska koncernbolag (nationell transaktion) eller ett svenskt koncernbolag och ett bolag inom samma koncern men beläget utomlands (gränsöverskridande transaktion). För gränsöverskridande transaktioner är den s.k. korrigeringsregeln i 14 kap. 19 § inkomstskattelagen tillämplig vilket ger uttryck för den internationellt vedertagna armlängdsprincipen. För bedömning av armlängdsprincipen har OECD formulerat riktlinjer för hur transaktioner ska utredas för att sedan bedömas armslängdsmässigt. För nationella transaktioner är däremot korrigeringsregeln inte tillämplig utan istället tillämpas reglerna om uttagsbeskattning i 22 kap. inkomstskattelagen samt inkomstskattelagens allmänna bestämmelser om näringsverksamhetens resultat. Dessa regler bygger inte på armlängdsprincipen men huvudregeln är den samma, marknadsmässig ränta ska gälla på koncerninterna lån.
Följande arbete syftar mot ovan angiven bakgrund att undersöka vissa centrala frågeställningar som aktualiseras vid koncernintern finansiering. Genom att tillämpa en rättsdogmatisk metod undersöker arbetet hur koncerninterna finansiella transaktioner skattemässigt ska klassificeras samt hur den skattemässiga justeringen skiljer sig åt beroende på om det är fråga om en gränsöverskridande eller nationell koncernintern finansiell transaktion. Vidare diskuteras även kort rättskällevärdet av OECD:s riktlinjer för bedömning av gränsöverskridande och nationella finansiella transaktioner mot bakgrund av legalitetsprincipens ställning inom skatterätten.
Sammanfattningsvis kan konstateras att bolagens redovisning av transaktionen normalt har stor betydelse för den skattemässiga klassificeringen av koncerninterna finansiella transaktioner. När dessa bedöms utifrån sin verkliga innebörd ges civilrätten relativt stort utrymme för den skattemässiga klassificeringen. Vidare identifieras en rad skillnader vid justering av gränsöverskridande och nationella transaktioner. Detta bl.a. utifrån hur det marknadsmässiga priset ska fastställas och möjligheten till att företa en helhetsbedömning av parternas mellanhavanden. Detta får följaktligen konsekvenser för vad som skattemässigt ska anses om godtagbar ränta på koncerninterna finansiella transaktioner. Beträffande rättskällevärdet av OECD:s riktlinjer kan konstateras att dessa bör ha en varierad betydelse för svensk rätts vidkommande och att stort ansvar bör läggas på HFD att närmre klargöra riktlinjernas status. Riktlinjerna bör dock ha relativt begränsat värde vid bedömning av nationella transaktioner. (Less) - Abstract
- Intra-group financing often raises several tax related issues. Initially the accurate delineation and classification of the financial transaction has to be examined, i.e. whether the financial transaction is to be considered as a debt financing or as an equity financing. This is important because debt and equity financing has different tax consequences. Equity financing is normally neither taxable for the recipient of the transaction nor deductible for the company issuing the transaction. However, financing through debt (intra-group loans), requires a marked based interest rate on the loan and the interest rate is a taxable income for the lending company and a deductible cost for the borrowing company.
Intra-group financing through... (More) - Intra-group financing often raises several tax related issues. Initially the accurate delineation and classification of the financial transaction has to be examined, i.e. whether the financial transaction is to be considered as a debt financing or as an equity financing. This is important because debt and equity financing has different tax consequences. Equity financing is normally neither taxable for the recipient of the transaction nor deductible for the company issuing the transaction. However, financing through debt (intra-group loans), requires a marked based interest rate on the loan and the interest rate is a taxable income for the lending company and a deductible cost for the borrowing company.
Intra-group financing through debt, intra-group loans, can be used as a means of equalizing the results of the engaged group companies which constitutes an unauthorised tax planning. If the interest rate or the conditions of the intra-group loan differs from those which would be made between independent enterprises, the transaction can be adjusted according to Swedish tax law. However, different tax provisions apply depending on whether the transaction is conducted within a multinational enterprise (cross-border transactions) or whether the transactions is conducted between group companies both located in Sweden. For cross-border financial transaction, the transaction can be adjusted with support of the so called “adjustment rule” in chapter 14 § 19 of the Swedish Income Tax Act. This rule is a manifestation of the internationally recognized principle called the “arm´s length principle”. For the assessment of the arm’s length principle, OECD has issued guidelines for how transactions should be examined and assessed according to the arm’s length principle. The “adjustment rule” however does not apply to financial transactions between Swedish based companies within the same company group. Instead, these transactions may be adjusted based upon the rules on taxation of concealed dividend or capital contribution in chapter 22 of the Swedish Income Tax Act as well as the general provisions of taxable income of companies. These provisions are not based on the arm’s length principle but the main rule is the same, requiring a marked based interest rate of intra-group loans.
Based on above, the following thesis examines some fundamental issues related to intra-group financing. By applying a legal judicial method, the thesis examines how the accurate delineation and classification of intra-group financing should be concluded as well as examine how the adjustment of financial transactions differ depending on if the financial transaction is a cross-border transaction or if the transaction is conducted between Swedish enterprises within the same company group. Furthermore, the value of the OECD guidelines for the assessment of financial transactions is briefly discussed in regards to the principle of legality in Swedish tax law.
In summary it can be concluded that the companies accounting of the transactions generally plays an important role in deciding the accurate delineation and classification of financial transactions. When financial transactions are judged based on the actual content of the transactions, civil law principles generally have an important role in the accurate delineation and classification of the transaction. Furthermore, some fundamental differences are identified between the adjustment of cross-border financial transactions and financial transactions between Swedish enterprises in the same company group. These include how the marked based interest rate should be established and the possibility to make an overall assessment of the company’s transactions as well as objections on commercial grounds. Regarding the legal value of the OECD guidelines, it can be stated that these have a varied significance for the application of Swedish law and that a greater responsibility should be places on the Supreme Administrative Court to further clarify under which circumstances the guidelines can be of value for assessing intra-group transactions. The guidelines should however have a relatively limited value when assessing financial transactions between Swedish enterprises within the same company group. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9034382
- author
- Björklund, Gustav LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Tax related issues of intra-group financing
- course
- JURM02 20202
- year
- 2020
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- Skatterätt, tax law, internprissättning
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9034382
- date added to LUP
- 2021-01-25 11:10:56
- date last changed
- 2021-01-25 11:10:56
@misc{9034382,
abstract = {{Intra-group financing often raises several tax related issues. Initially the accurate delineation and classification of the financial transaction has to be examined, i.e. whether the financial transaction is to be considered as a debt financing or as an equity financing. This is important because debt and equity financing has different tax consequences. Equity financing is normally neither taxable for the recipient of the transaction nor deductible for the company issuing the transaction. However, financing through debt (intra-group loans), requires a marked based interest rate on the loan and the interest rate is a taxable income for the lending company and a deductible cost for the borrowing company.
Intra-group financing through debt, intra-group loans, can be used as a means of equalizing the results of the engaged group companies which constitutes an unauthorised tax planning. If the interest rate or the conditions of the intra-group loan differs from those which would be made between independent enterprises, the transaction can be adjusted according to Swedish tax law. However, different tax provisions apply depending on whether the transaction is conducted within a multinational enterprise (cross-border transactions) or whether the transactions is conducted between group companies both located in Sweden. For cross-border financial transaction, the transaction can be adjusted with support of the so called “adjustment rule” in chapter 14 § 19 of the Swedish Income Tax Act. This rule is a manifestation of the internationally recognized principle called the “arm´s length principle”. For the assessment of the arm’s length principle, OECD has issued guidelines for how transactions should be examined and assessed according to the arm’s length principle. The “adjustment rule” however does not apply to financial transactions between Swedish based companies within the same company group. Instead, these transactions may be adjusted based upon the rules on taxation of concealed dividend or capital contribution in chapter 22 of the Swedish Income Tax Act as well as the general provisions of taxable income of companies. These provisions are not based on the arm’s length principle but the main rule is the same, requiring a marked based interest rate of intra-group loans.
Based on above, the following thesis examines some fundamental issues related to intra-group financing. By applying a legal judicial method, the thesis examines how the accurate delineation and classification of intra-group financing should be concluded as well as examine how the adjustment of financial transactions differ depending on if the financial transaction is a cross-border transaction or if the transaction is conducted between Swedish enterprises within the same company group. Furthermore, the value of the OECD guidelines for the assessment of financial transactions is briefly discussed in regards to the principle of legality in Swedish tax law.
In summary it can be concluded that the companies accounting of the transactions generally plays an important role in deciding the accurate delineation and classification of financial transactions. When financial transactions are judged based on the actual content of the transactions, civil law principles generally have an important role in the accurate delineation and classification of the transaction. Furthermore, some fundamental differences are identified between the adjustment of cross-border financial transactions and financial transactions between Swedish enterprises in the same company group. These include how the marked based interest rate should be established and the possibility to make an overall assessment of the company’s transactions as well as objections on commercial grounds. Regarding the legal value of the OECD guidelines, it can be stated that these have a varied significance for the application of Swedish law and that a greater responsibility should be places on the Supreme Administrative Court to further clarify under which circumstances the guidelines can be of value for assessing intra-group transactions. The guidelines should however have a relatively limited value when assessing financial transactions between Swedish enterprises within the same company group.}},
author = {{Björklund, Gustav}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Skattemässiga effekter vid koncernintern finansiering}},
year = {{2020}},
}