Turkije: belastingwetgeving
Onderstaande informatie bevat een overzicht van de belastingwetgeving in Turkije. Ingegaan wordt op:
- Vennootschapsbelasting/inkomstenbelasting
- winstbelasting
- overige belastingen
- vermijding van dubbele belasting
- repatriëring van winst
Uitgebreide informatie over de belastingwetgeving is beschikbaar gesteld door de Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Meer informatie leest u in onderstaande summary van EIU.
Turkey promulgated a new corporate tax in June 2006. It reduced the basic corporate tax rate from 30% to 20%, and it increased the withholding tax, which applies if profits are distributed, from 10% to 15%. The result was a reduction in the overall tax burden from about 37% to around 32%. These rates remain in force for 2011.
Resident companies are taxed on both their income in Turkey and their income from other countries, but not on a parent’s income in other countries. A branch remittance tax applies at a rate of 15% on profits remitted to their headquarters by a non-resident corporation.
A significant problem with the local tax structure is that it frequently changes. Hence, it is advisable to engage an accountancy or independent tax adviser specialising in foreign companies. Many international accountancies maintain offices in Turkey.
Tax morality is moderate to strong among large corporations and generally weaker in smaller, private companies—despite regular controls and fines. Some foreign investors claim this puts them at a comparative disadvantage. Individual members of a company’s board of directors are personally responsible to the authorities for tax debts the company fails to pay. Tax inspectors from the Ministry of Finance make spot checks of returns.
Turkish accounting principles are generally based on accruals. Expense transactions are usually recorded as they are paid. The tax law does not allow general provisions for bad debt or recognition of future obligations such as retirement and severance pay. On the income side, certain items (such as interest on time deposits) are not booked until actually received. Interest income on credit sales is billed and recorded at the beginning of the credit period, but unearned interest income and deferred interest expense are not recognised until the actual cash is received. Inflation accounting is allowed only if the cumulative inflation rate over the previous three years exceeds 100% and the inflation rate for the previous year exceeds 10%.
In February 2011 the government enacted Law 611, which applies to both corporate and individual taxpayers. It includes a provision for taxpayers in arrears to increase their tax bases voluntarily for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, at levels scaling down from 30% to 15% depending on the year, and then pay tax on the declared amount at a flat rate of 20%. The taxpayer choosing voluntary disclosure will thereby be exempt from a tax audit related to the years they have designated. This scheme does not apply to 2010.
