Dividend tax
Encyclopedia
A dividend tax is an income tax
on dividend payments to the stockholders (shareholders) of a company.
at least the standard tax, paying this to the national revenue authorities and paying out only the balance to the shareholders.
and are taxed as such, the same as if the taxpayer had earned the income working at a job. Other jurisdictions separate dividend income and characterize it as something other than ordinary income subject to different tax rates if taxed at all.
" may also be taxed and is the subject of recurring debate as to whether or not these taxes should be eliminated.
on these profits, this means that the shareholders, as part owners, have been taxed already. The term "double taxation" is sometimes used (unconventionally) by opponents of the dividend income tax for investors.
Others argue that the dividend taxes adds to and serves as a justification for management's built in bias for growth, even when such growth does not add to shareholder returns.
It is true that a corporation is an independent entity that has a "life of its own". However, the logical consequence of that view is that dividends do not represent income to the corporation, but are rather an expense to the corporation (like employee salaries), and thus should be deductible on corporate income tax returns like any other business expense.
Additionally, as described by Professor Confidence W. Amadi:
Although the above is an argument for corporate taxation as opposed to the taxation of dividends, arguments for the taxation of income from capital would apply to both and on that count it can be argued that from a social policy standpoint it is unfair to tax income generated through active work at a higher rate than income
generated through less active means (although it might be said in defense that the ability to generate a material amount of dividend income can depend on years spent in active work pursuits). Proponents make the related point that reducing or eliminating dividend taxes helps the wealthiest individuals who can afford to buy large quantities of stock, as they could feasibly live off the dividend payments without any income tax on their earnings. There are also worries that companies may not have paid their full share of income tax due to legislated tax preferences.
proposed to eliminate the U.S. dividend tax saying that "double taxation is bad for our economy and falls especially hard on retired people". He also argued that while "it's fair to tax a company's profits, it's not fair to double-tax by taxing the shareholder
on the same profits."http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030107-5.html
Soon after, Congress passed the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
("JGTRRA"), which included some of the cuts Bush requested and which he signed into law on May 28, 2003. Under the new law, qualified dividend
s are taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains, which is 15 percent for most individual taxpayers. Qualified dividends received by individuals in the 10% and 15% income tax brackets
were taxed at 5% from 2003 to 2007. The qualified dividend tax rate was set to expire December 31, 2008; however, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005
("TIPRA") extended the lower tax rate through 2010 and further cut the tax rate on qualified dividends to 0% for individuals in the 10% and 15% income tax brackets. On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. The legislation extends for two additional years the changes enacted to the taxation of dividends in the JGTRRA and TIPRA.
, there is taxation of dividends, but tax policy attempts to compensate for this through the Dividend Tax Credit or DTC for personal income in dividends from Canadian corporations.
An increase to the DTC was announced in the fall of 2005 by Liberal finance minister Ralph Goodale
just prior to the fall of the Liberal minority government, in conjunction with the announcement that Canadian income trusts would not become subject to dividend taxation as had been feared. Effective tax rates on dividends will now range from negative to over 30% depending on income level and different provincial tax rates and credits.
, earlier dividends were taxed in the hands of the recipient as any other income. However since 1 June 1997, all domestic companies were liable to pay a dividend distribution tax on the profits distributed as dividends resulting in a smaller net dividend to the recipients. The rate of taxation alternated between 10% and 20% until the tax was abolished with effect from 31 March 2002. The dividend distribution tax was also extended to dividends distributed since 1 June 1999 by domestic mutual funds, with the rate alternating between 10% and 20% in line with the rate for companies, up to 31 March 2002. However, dividends from open-ended equity oriented funds distributed between 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2002 were not taxed. Hence the dividends received from domestic companies since 1 June 1997, and domestic mutual funds since 1 June 1999, were made non-taxable in the hands of the recipients to avoid double-taxation, until 31 March 2002.
The budget for the financial year 2002–2003 proposed the removal of dividend distribution tax bringing back the regime of dividends being taxed in the hands of the recipients and the Finance Act 2002 implemented the proposal for dividends distributed since 1 April 2002. This fueled negative sentiments in the Indian share markets causing stock prices to go down. However the next year there were wide expectations for the budget to be friendlier to the markets and the dividend distribution tax was reintroduced.
Hence the dividends received from domestic companies and mutual funds since 1 April 2003 were again made non-taxable at the hands of the recipients. However the new dividend distribution tax rate for companies was higher at 12.5%, and was increased with effect from 1 April 2007 to 15%. Also, the funds of the Unit Trust of India
and open-ended equity oriented funds were kept out of the tax net . The taxation rate for mutual funds was originally 12.5% but was increased to 20% for dividends distributed to entities other than individuals with effect from 9 July 2004. With effect from 1 June 2006 all equity oriented funds were kept out of the tax net but the tax rate was increased to 25% for money market and liquid funds with effect from 1 April 2007.
Dividend income received by domestic companies until 31 March 1997 carried a deduction in computing the taxable income but the provision was removed with the advent of the dividend distribution tax. A deduction to the extent of received dividends redistributed in turn to their shareholders resurfaced briefly from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 during the time the dividend distribution tax was removed to avoid double taxation of the dividends both in the hands of the company and its shareholders but there has been no similar provision for dividend distribution tax. However the budget for 2008–2009 proposes to remove the double taxation for the specific case of dividends received by a domestic holding company
(with no parent company) from a subsidiary that is in turn distributed to its shareholders.
dividends are taxed at the recipient's marginal tax rate (up to 45% from 1 July 2006). Australia (like New Zealand
) has a Dividend Imputation
system which allows franking credits to be attached to dividends. This allows recipients of franked dividends to impute (or credit) the corporate tax paid by the paying company. A recipient of a fully franked dividend on the top marginal tax rate will effectively pay only about 15% tax on the cash amount of the dividend.
In Austria
the KeSt (Kapitalertragssteuer) is used as dividend tax rate, which is 25% on dividends.
In Belgium
there is a tax of 25% (or 15% under certain conditions) on dividends, known as "roerende voorheffing" (in Dutch) or "précompte mobilier" (in French).
In Bulgaria
there is a tax of 5% on dividends.
In China
, the dividend tax rate is 20%, but since June 13, 2005, 50% of the dividend is taxed. In Hong Kong
, there is no dividend tax.
In the Czech Republic
there is a tax of 15% on dividends. This was meant to be reduced to 12.5% for 2009. According to Leos Jirasek, Senior Trade & Investment Adviser, British Embassy, Prague - Trade & Investment Section, the Parliament of the Czech Republic will be discussing an amendment to the Tax Act No. 586/1992 as amended on 25 November 2008. If the amendment gets approved, the withholding tax on dividends (part of personal income tax) of physical persons in 2009 will NOT be 12.5%, as specified by the Act No. 261/2007, but will remain 15%.
In Finland
, there is a tax of 19.6% on dividends (70% of dividend is taxable capital income and capital gain tax rate is 28%). However, effective tax rate is 40.5% for private person. That's because corporate earnings have already been taxed, so dividends are double taxed. Corporate income tax is 26.0%.
In Japan
, there is a tax of 10% on dividends from listed stocks (7% for Nation, 3% for Region) while Jan 1st 2009 - Dec 31 2012, by tax reduction rule. After Jan 1st 2013, the tax of 20% on dividends from listed stocks (15% for Nation, 5% for Region). In case of an indivisual person who has over 5% of total issued stocks (value or number), he/she can not apply the tax reduction rule, so after Jan 1st 2009, should pay 20%(15%+5%). There is a tax of 20% on dividends from Non-listed stocks (20% for Nation, 0% for Region).
In Iran
there are no taxes on dividends, according to article (105).
In Ireland
, companies paying dividends must generally withhold tax at the standard rate from the dividend and issue a tax voucher to include details of the tax paid. A person not liable to tax can reclaim it at the end of year, while a person liable to a higher rate of tax must declare it and pay the difference.
In Israel
there is a tax of 20% on dividends.
In Italy
there is a tax of 12.5% on dividends, known as "capital gain tax".
In the Netherlands
there is a tax of 15% on dividends. There's also a tax of
1.2% per year on the value of the share
, regardless of the dividend, as part of the flat tax on savings and investments.
In Pakistan
income tax of 10% as required by the Income Tax Ordinace, 2001 on the amount of dividend is deducted at source. A surcharge of 15% on income tax is withheld and will be duly paid by the company to Government of Pakistan as per Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2011.
In Poland
there is a tax of 19% on dividends. This rate is equal to the rates of capital gains and other taxes.
In Romania
there is a tax of 16% on dividends.
In Slovakia
, tax residents' income from dividends is not subject to income taxation in the Slovak Republic pursuant to Article 12 Section 7 Letter c) for legal entities and to Article 3 Section 2 Letter c) for individual entities of Income Tax Act No. 595/2003 Coll. as amended. This applies to dividends from profits relating to the calendar year 2004 onwards (regardless of when the dividends were actually paid out). Before that, dividends were taxed as normal income. The stated justification is that tax at 19 percent has already been paid by the company as part of its corporation tax (in Slovak "Income Tax for a Legal Entity"). However, there is no provision for residents to reclaim tax on dividends withheld in other jurisdictions with which Slovakia has a double-taxation treaty. Foreign resident owners of shares in Slovak companies may have to declare and pay tax in their local jurisdiction. Shares of profits made by investment funds are taxable as income at 19 percent.
In Turkey
there is an income tax
withholding of 15% on dividends.
In the United Kingdom
, companies pay UK corporation tax
on their profits and the remainder can be paid to shareholders as dividends. Basic rate tax payers have no further tax to pay as the dividend is deemed to have been received net of 10% tax. For higher-rate taxpayers, additional tax must be paid at 22.5% of the net dividend received (32.5% less the 10% deemed tax deduction, calculated on the deemed gross payment of the dividend).
India
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
on dividend payments to the stockholders (shareholders) of a company.
Collection
In many jurisdictions, the government requires the company to withholdWithholding tax
Withholding tax, also called retention tax, is a government requirement for the payer of an item of income to withhold or deduct tax from the payment, and pay that tax to the government. In most jurisdictions, withholding tax applies to employment income. Many jurisdictions also require...
at least the standard tax, paying this to the national revenue authorities and paying out only the balance to the shareholders.
Characterization of dividend income
In most jurisdictions worldwide, dividend payments are considered ordinary incomeOrdinary income
Under the United States Internal Revenue Code, the type of income is defined by its character. Ordinary income is usually characterized as income other than capital gain...
and are taxed as such, the same as if the taxpayer had earned the income working at a job. Other jurisdictions separate dividend income and characterize it as something other than ordinary income subject to different tax rates if taxed at all.
Controversy
Depending on the jurisdiction dividend income along with interest income, collected rents, or other "unearned incomeUnearned income
Unearned income is a term in economics that has different meanings and implications depending on the theoretical frame. To classical economists, with their emphasis on dynamic competition, income not subject to competition are “rents” or unearned income, such as incomes attributable to...
" may also be taxed and is the subject of recurring debate as to whether or not these taxes should be eliminated.
Arguments against
Abolitionists argue that a dividend tax amounts to unfair "double taxation". Since a company has already paid a corporate taxCorporate tax
Many countries impose corporate tax or company tax on the income or capital of some types of legal entities. A similar tax may be imposed at state or lower levels. The taxes may also be referred to as income tax or capital tax. Entities treated as partnerships are generally not taxed at the...
on these profits, this means that the shareholders, as part owners, have been taxed already. The term "double taxation" is sometimes used (unconventionally) by opponents of the dividend income tax for investors.
Others argue that the dividend taxes adds to and serves as a justification for management's built in bias for growth, even when such growth does not add to shareholder returns.
It is true that a corporation is an independent entity that has a "life of its own". However, the logical consequence of that view is that dividends do not represent income to the corporation, but are rather an expense to the corporation (like employee salaries), and thus should be deductible on corporate income tax returns like any other business expense.
Arguments in favor
A corporation is a legal entity that can own property, sue or be sued, and enter into contracts. The corporation is, therefore, separate from its shareholders with a "life" of its own. As a separate entity, a corporation has the right to use public goods as an individual does, and is therefore obligated to help pay for the public goods through taxes.Additionally, as described by Professor Confidence W. Amadi:
- The greatest advantage of the corporate form of business organization is the limited liability protection accorded its owners. Taxation of corporate income is the price of that protection. This price must be worth the benefits since, according to the Internal Revenue Service (1996), corporations account for less than 20 percent of all U.S. business firms, but about 90 percent of U.S. business revenues and approximately 70 percent of U.S. business profits. The benefits of limited liability independent of those enjoyed by shareholders, the flexibility of change in ownership, and the immense ability to raise capital are all derived from the legal entity status accorded corporations by the law. This equal status requires that corporations pay income taxes.
Although the above is an argument for corporate taxation as opposed to the taxation of dividends, arguments for the taxation of income from capital would apply to both and on that count it can be argued that from a social policy standpoint it is unfair to tax income generated through active work at a higher rate than income
Unearned income
Unearned income is a term in economics that has different meanings and implications depending on the theoretical frame. To classical economists, with their emphasis on dynamic competition, income not subject to competition are “rents” or unearned income, such as incomes attributable to...
generated through less active means (although it might be said in defense that the ability to generate a material amount of dividend income can depend on years spent in active work pursuits). Proponents make the related point that reducing or eliminating dividend taxes helps the wealthiest individuals who can afford to buy large quantities of stock, as they could feasibly live off the dividend payments without any income tax on their earnings. There are also worries that companies may not have paid their full share of income tax due to legislated tax preferences.
United States
In 2003, President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
proposed to eliminate the U.S. dividend tax saying that "double taxation is bad for our economy and falls especially hard on retired people". He also argued that while "it's fair to tax a company's profits, it's not fair to double-tax by taxing the shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
on the same profits."http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030107-5.html
| 2003–2012 | 2013 - | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–2007 | 2008–2012 | 2013 - | |||||
| Ordinary Income Tax Rate | Ordinary Dividend Tax Rate |
Qualified Dividend Tax Rate |
Ordinary Dividend Tax Rate |
Qualified Dividend Tax Rate |
Ordinary Income Tax Rate | Ordinary Dividend Tax Rate |
Qualified Dividend Tax Rate |
| 10% | 10% | 5% | 10% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| 15% | 15% | 5% | 15% | 0% | 28% | 28% | 28% |
| 25% | 25% | 15% | 25% | 15% | 31% | 31% | 31% |
| 28% | 28% | 15% | 28% | 15% | 36% | 36% | 36% |
| 33% | 33% | 15% | 33% | 15% | 39.6% | 39.6% | 39.6% |
| 35% | 35% | 15% | 35% | 15% | |||
Soon after, Congress passed the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 , was passed by the United States Congress on May 23, 2003 and signed into law by President George W. Bush on May 28, 2003...
("JGTRRA"), which included some of the cuts Bush requested and which he signed into law on May 28, 2003. Under the new law, qualified dividend
Qualified dividend
Qualified dividends, as defined by the United States Internal Revenue Code, are ordinary dividends that meet specific criteria to be taxed at the lower long-term capital gains tax rate rather than at higher tax rate for an individual's ordinary income...
s are taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains, which is 15 percent for most individual taxpayers. Qualified dividends received by individuals in the 10% and 15% income tax brackets
Rate schedule (federal income tax)
A rate schedule is a chart that helps United States taxpayers determine their federal income tax burden for a particular year. Another name for “rate schedule” is “rate table.”- Origin :...
were taxed at 5% from 2003 to 2007. The qualified dividend tax rate was set to expire December 31, 2008; however, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005
Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005
The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 was enacted on May 17, 2006.This bill prevents several tax provisions from sunseting in the near future. The two most notable pieces of the bill are the extension of the reduced tax rates on capital gains and dividends and extension of the...
("TIPRA") extended the lower tax rate through 2010 and further cut the tax rate on qualified dividends to 0% for individuals in the 10% and 15% income tax brackets. On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. The legislation extends for two additional years the changes enacted to the taxation of dividends in the JGTRRA and TIPRA.
Canada
In CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, there is taxation of dividends, but tax policy attempts to compensate for this through the Dividend Tax Credit or DTC for personal income in dividends from Canadian corporations.
An increase to the DTC was announced in the fall of 2005 by Liberal finance minister Ralph Goodale
Ralph Goodale
Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...
just prior to the fall of the Liberal minority government, in conjunction with the announcement that Canadian income trusts would not become subject to dividend taxation as had been feared. Effective tax rates on dividends will now range from negative to over 30% depending on income level and different provincial tax rates and credits.
India
In IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, earlier dividends were taxed in the hands of the recipient as any other income. However since 1 June 1997, all domestic companies were liable to pay a dividend distribution tax on the profits distributed as dividends resulting in a smaller net dividend to the recipients. The rate of taxation alternated between 10% and 20% until the tax was abolished with effect from 31 March 2002. The dividend distribution tax was also extended to dividends distributed since 1 June 1999 by domestic mutual funds, with the rate alternating between 10% and 20% in line with the rate for companies, up to 31 March 2002. However, dividends from open-ended equity oriented funds distributed between 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2002 were not taxed. Hence the dividends received from domestic companies since 1 June 1997, and domestic mutual funds since 1 June 1999, were made non-taxable in the hands of the recipients to avoid double-taxation, until 31 March 2002.
The budget for the financial year 2002–2003 proposed the removal of dividend distribution tax bringing back the regime of dividends being taxed in the hands of the recipients and the Finance Act 2002 implemented the proposal for dividends distributed since 1 April 2002. This fueled negative sentiments in the Indian share markets causing stock prices to go down. However the next year there were wide expectations for the budget to be friendlier to the markets and the dividend distribution tax was reintroduced.
Hence the dividends received from domestic companies and mutual funds since 1 April 2003 were again made non-taxable at the hands of the recipients. However the new dividend distribution tax rate for companies was higher at 12.5%, and was increased with effect from 1 April 2007 to 15%. Also, the funds of the Unit Trust of India
Unit Trust of India
Unit Trust of India is a financial organization in India.Unit Trust of India was created by the UTI Act passed by the Parliament in 1963. For more than two decades it remained the sole vehicle for investment in the capital market by the Indian citizens. In mid- 1980s public sector banks were...
and open-ended equity oriented funds were kept out of the tax net . The taxation rate for mutual funds was originally 12.5% but was increased to 20% for dividends distributed to entities other than individuals with effect from 9 July 2004. With effect from 1 June 2006 all equity oriented funds were kept out of the tax net but the tax rate was increased to 25% for money market and liquid funds with effect from 1 April 2007.
Dividend income received by domestic companies until 31 March 1997 carried a deduction in computing the taxable income but the provision was removed with the advent of the dividend distribution tax. A deduction to the extent of received dividends redistributed in turn to their shareholders resurfaced briefly from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 during the time the dividend distribution tax was removed to avoid double taxation of the dividends both in the hands of the company and its shareholders but there has been no similar provision for dividend distribution tax. However the budget for 2008–2009 proposes to remove the double taxation for the specific case of dividends received by a domestic holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
(with no parent company) from a subsidiary that is in turn distributed to its shareholders.
Other countries
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
dividends are taxed at the recipient's marginal tax rate (up to 45% from 1 July 2006). Australia (like New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) has a Dividend Imputation
Dividend imputation
Dividend imputation is a corporate tax system in which some or all of the tax paid by a company may be attributed, or imputed, to the shareholders by way of a tax credit to reduce the income tax payable on a distribution...
system which allows franking credits to be attached to dividends. This allows recipients of franked dividends to impute (or credit) the corporate tax paid by the paying company. A recipient of a fully franked dividend on the top marginal tax rate will effectively pay only about 15% tax on the cash amount of the dividend.
In Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
the KeSt (Kapitalertragssteuer) is used as dividend tax rate, which is 25% on dividends.
In Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
there is a tax of 25% (or 15% under certain conditions) on dividends, known as "roerende voorheffing" (in Dutch) or "précompte mobilier" (in French).
In Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
there is a tax of 5% on dividends.
In China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, the dividend tax rate is 20%, but since June 13, 2005, 50% of the dividend is taxed. In Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, there is no dividend tax.
In the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
there is a tax of 15% on dividends. This was meant to be reduced to 12.5% for 2009. According to Leos Jirasek, Senior Trade & Investment Adviser, British Embassy, Prague - Trade & Investment Section, the Parliament of the Czech Republic will be discussing an amendment to the Tax Act No. 586/1992 as amended on 25 November 2008. If the amendment gets approved, the withholding tax on dividends (part of personal income tax) of physical persons in 2009 will NOT be 12.5%, as specified by the Act No. 261/2007, but will remain 15%.
In Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, there is a tax of 19.6% on dividends (70% of dividend is taxable capital income and capital gain tax rate is 28%). However, effective tax rate is 40.5% for private person. That's because corporate earnings have already been taxed, so dividends are double taxed. Corporate income tax is 26.0%.
In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, there is a tax of 10% on dividends from listed stocks (7% for Nation, 3% for Region) while Jan 1st 2009 - Dec 31 2012, by tax reduction rule. After Jan 1st 2013, the tax of 20% on dividends from listed stocks (15% for Nation, 5% for Region). In case of an indivisual person who has over 5% of total issued stocks (value or number), he/she can not apply the tax reduction rule, so after Jan 1st 2009, should pay 20%(15%+5%). There is a tax of 20% on dividends from Non-listed stocks (20% for Nation, 0% for Region).
In Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
there are no taxes on dividends, according to article (105).
In Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, companies paying dividends must generally withhold tax at the standard rate from the dividend and issue a tax voucher to include details of the tax paid. A person not liable to tax can reclaim it at the end of year, while a person liable to a higher rate of tax must declare it and pay the difference.
In Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
there is a tax of 20% on dividends.
In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
there is a tax of 12.5% on dividends, known as "capital gain tax".
In the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
there is a tax of 15% on dividends. There's also a tax of
1.2% per year on the value of the share
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
, regardless of the dividend, as part of the flat tax on savings and investments.
In Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
income tax of 10% as required by the Income Tax Ordinace, 2001 on the amount of dividend is deducted at source. A surcharge of 15% on income tax is withheld and will be duly paid by the company to Government of Pakistan as per Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2011.
In Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
there is a tax of 19% on dividends. This rate is equal to the rates of capital gains and other taxes.
In Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
there is a tax of 16% on dividends.
In Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, tax residents' income from dividends is not subject to income taxation in the Slovak Republic pursuant to Article 12 Section 7 Letter c) for legal entities and to Article 3 Section 2 Letter c) for individual entities of Income Tax Act No. 595/2003 Coll. as amended. This applies to dividends from profits relating to the calendar year 2004 onwards (regardless of when the dividends were actually paid out). Before that, dividends were taxed as normal income. The stated justification is that tax at 19 percent has already been paid by the company as part of its corporation tax (in Slovak "Income Tax for a Legal Entity"). However, there is no provision for residents to reclaim tax on dividends withheld in other jurisdictions with which Slovakia has a double-taxation treaty. Foreign resident owners of shares in Slovak companies may have to declare and pay tax in their local jurisdiction. Shares of profits made by investment funds are taxable as income at 19 percent.
In Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
there is an income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
withholding of 15% on dividends.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, companies pay UK corporation tax
United Kingdom corporation tax
Corporation tax is a tax levied in the United Kingdom on the profits made by companies and on the profits of permanent establishments of non-UK resident companies and associations that trade in the EU. Prior to the tax's enactment on 1 April 1965, companies and individuals paid the same income tax,...
on their profits and the remainder can be paid to shareholders as dividends. Basic rate tax payers have no further tax to pay as the dividend is deemed to have been received net of 10% tax. For higher-rate taxpayers, additional tax must be paid at 22.5% of the net dividend received (32.5% less the 10% deemed tax deduction, calculated on the deemed gross payment of the dividend).
See also
- Corporate tax: company shareholder taxation
- Passive incomePassive incomePassive income is an income received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it.The American Internal Revenue Service categorizes income into three broad types, active income, passive income, and portfolio income...
- Estate tax (United States)
- State income taxState income taxState and local income taxes are imposed in addition to Federal income tax. State income tax is allowed as a deduction in computing Federal income tax, subject to limitations for individuals. Some localities impose an income tax, often based on state income tax calculations. Forty-three states...
- Double taxationDouble taxationDouble taxation is the systematic imposition of two or more taxes on the same income , asset , or financial transaction . It refers to taxation by two or more countries of the same income, asset or transaction, for example income paid by an entity of one country to a resident of a different country...
- Taxation in the United StatesTaxation in the United StatesThe United States is a federal republic with autonomous state and local governments. Taxes are imposed in the United States at each of these levels. These include taxes on income, property, sales, imports, payroll, estates and gifts, as well as various fees.Taxes are imposed on net income of...
- Withholding taxWithholding taxWithholding tax, also called retention tax, is a government requirement for the payer of an item of income to withhold or deduct tax from the payment, and pay that tax to the government. In most jurisdictions, withholding tax applies to employment income. Many jurisdictions also require...
External links
United States- Double Taxation Double Speak: Why Repealing Dividend Taxes Is Unfair from Dollars & SenseDollars & SenseDollars & Sense is a magazine dedicated to providing left-wing perspectives on economics.Published six times a year since 1974, it is edited by a collective of economists, journalists, and activists committed to the ideals of social justice and economic democracy.It was initially sponsored by the...
magazine - The new U.S. dividend tax cut traps from Tennessee CPA Journal
- IRS Publication 17 on taxation of dividends
India