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Hong Kong Corporate Tax Guide: Improve Your Tax Planning

corporate tax planning

Hong Kong Corporate Tax Guide: Improve Your Tax Planning

boardroomsuperadmin Business Insights, Tax

Improve Your Tax Planning with our Hong Kong Corporate Tax Guide

Hong Kong is world-renowned for its business-friendly taxation and regulatory environment, with corporate tax rates that are considered some of the lowest in Asia.

However, some companies still pay more tax than they need to. Effective corporate tax planning maximises tax benefits while maintaining compliance. To help your company improve its tax planning, we have created a guide to corporate tax in Hong Kong.

How to pay corporate tax in Hong Kong

Corporate tax is known locally as ‘profits tax’ in Hong Kong. It applies to all profits (excluding capital asset sales) that are:

  • sourced in Hong Kong; and
  • generated by corporations, sole proprietors, partnerships, trustees and bodies of persons carrying on any trade, profession or business in Hong Kong.

For corporate tax purposes, no distinction is made between resident and non-resident companies. This means no tax is levied on profits arising abroad, even if they are remitted to Hong Kong.

The standard corporate tax rate is capped at 16.5% for corporations or 15% for unincorporated businesses in Hong Kong. However, a two-tiered corporate tax rates regime applies, which lowers the rate on the first HKD 2 million of assessable profits to:

  • 8.25% for corporations; or
  • 7.5% for unincorporated businesses.

Assessable profits above HKD 2 million are subject to the standard profits tax rate.

Typically, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) issues profits tax returns annually on the first business day of April. After calculating how much tax your company owes, file your profits tax return within one month of the issue date (subject to any extension applications).

When your company receives the IRD’s notice of assessment, you must pay a provisional tax. If your company ends up under- or overpaying your provisional profits tax, you can subtract or add the amount to your payable tax for the following year.

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Why business tax planning is important

Tax planning is the process of examining your business’s financial situation and making strategic decisions to lower your overall tax liability. Effective corporate tax planning is all about analysing your company’s finances to ensure that you pay the lowest taxation possible while staying compliant with the local regulations in Hong Kong.

There are many reasons why your Hong Kong business needs to prioritise tax planning. Perhaps the most obvious one is to save money. By carefully analysing your financial situation and taking advantage of every deduction and credit available to you, you can minimise your company’s overall taxation liability. This could result in thousands of dollars in savings for your business each year. In addition to saving money, there are additional reasons why tax planning is crucial for your company’s growth and success:

 

  • Avoid penalties and fines: If you underpay your corporate taxes under the wrong rates, you will be subject to late payment penalties, heavy fines, or even jail time from the Hong Kong government. These charges can add up quickly, so it’s important to ensure that you are paying the correct amount of taxes each year. A professional tax advisor can help you determine exactly how much taxes you owe so that you can get peace of mind and steer clear of these costly charges.

 

  • Improved cash flow: One of the key benefits of effective corporate tax planning is that it can free up cash flow for your business in Hong Kong. By deferring or reducing your taxes, you will have more cash available in the short-term to reinvest in your business or take care of other expenses. This could give your business the boost it needs to reach the next level of success.

 

  • Better understand your company’s finances: Many businesses make strategic decisions without fully understanding their financial situation. Proper tax planning can help you gain a better understanding of your company’s finances, which can be extremely helpful when making decisions about things like expanding into new markets outside of Hong Kong or investing in new product development. With this information at hand, you can make informed decisions about where to allocate your resources in order to maximise growth and profitability.

How your company could benefit from expert business tax advisory services

Tax planning amid Hong Kong’s complex tax regulations can be challenging. Without a specialised expert to guide you or provide corporate tax accounting support, it can be easy to miss out on tax breaks and exemptions that your business is entitled to. The best way to maximise your company’s savings and deductions is to work with professional accountants who understand Hong Kong’s regulations when navigating Hong Kong taxation and tax planning.

Our tax experts at BoardRoom are not only well-versed in Hong Kong’s local tax regulations but also have in-depth knowledge of international tax treaties. With their advice, your organisation can avoid any double tax issues. Moreover, our team will help you to apply for any extra tax incentives that could benefit your business.

Additionally, as your company grows, so too does the complexity of your tax reporting obligations. If you fail to meet your tax filing obligations, you may experience costly penalties. Our corporate tax accountants help guide countless businesses in all industries and sizes across Hong Kong and the APAC region to stay tax compliant each financial year.

Looking for trusted tax advisory services in Hong Kong?

With over 50 years of experience delivering top-notch corporate services, BoardRoom is your trusted business partner to help you take care of your bookkeeping and accounting needs so you can focus on growing your business. Contact our taxation specialists today to discover how they could guide your company through staying compliant with Hong Kong’s corporate tax regulations and maximising tax benefits.

We also offer a range of other corporate services all under one roof, including:

These make it easier for you to get on with business while we handle the time-consuming, operational tasks.

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