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The Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube presented the Mid Term Fiscal Policy on the 1^st of August 2019. Before the budget, I expected him to address the potential capital gains tax distortions arising from the conversion of United States balances into RTGS$ on a one-to one basis through SI33 and to deal with the form of currency for purposes of remitting taxes to the ZIMRA following the banning of foreign currency through SI142. Of these two issues, the Minister addressed the first issue but distortions still exist. With regard to the payment of taxes in foreign currency, he reinforced that taxes are to be paid in foreign currency on foreign currency transactions. This article seeks to provide a run-down of the changes specific to capital gains tax regime and highlight the remaining sticking issues of the proposed regime.   

Paying capital gains tax in foreign currency

The Minister retained the laws on payment of taxes in foreign currency notwithstanding the agenda to promote the Zimbabwe dollar as the sole legal tender in domestic transactions as articulated in SI142. Therefore when a specified asset is sold in foreign currency, capital gains tax is required to be paid in foreign currency. This is mentioned in the Finance Bill  which provides that “… it shall not be deemed for the purpose of the Capital Gains Tax Act [Chapter 23:01] that all transactions involving the sale or other disposal of a specified asset are in Zimbabwean currency, rather—….where any such transaction results in a capital gain being received by or accruing to or in favour of a person in whole or in part in a foreign currency, capital gains tax at the rate specified… shall be paid in foreign currency on the capital gain or on such portion of it that is equivalent to the portion of the total transaction denominated in foreign currency”. This is somehow repeated by s37 of the Finance Act which provides “where only part of the capital gains are received by or accrued to or in favour of a person in a foreign currency, the amounts of any tax due on both parts of such capital gains in terms of s38 and 39 shall be calculated separately and paid in the appropriate currency relative to each part”.  The separate computation as envisaged by s37 is that in a part foreign currency and part Zimbabwe dollar sale, one could possibly be required to pay capital gains tax in one currency whilst at the same time experiencing capital loss in the other currency, or when the overall position could have been a loss. This presents distortions, subjectivity and administrative complexity in the capital gains tax regime.

The new rates of capital gains tax

As expected the Minister addressed the distortionary effect brought about by SI33 of 2019 which provides among others that for accounting and other purposes assets and liabilities held prior to 22^nd of February 2019 and valued and expressed in United States Dollar on 22^nd of February 2019 shall be deemed to be values in RTGS dollars at par with United States Dollar. This has the effect of converting cost base of specified assets in United States to a weaker RTGS dollar on 1:1 basis, and thereafter restricted and yet the selling price of those assets could be inflated as it accords with the interbank rate resulting in an artificial capital gain.  In order to correct this anomaly, capital gains tax rate was reduced from 20% to 5% of capital gain. Capital gain is an amount resulting from deducting from the sale proceeds, sum of costs as provided for in the Capital Gains Tax Act (i.e. original cost, cost of improvement, 2.5% inflation allowance, selling expenses etc). Therefore, capital gains tax may be levied where there is none in real terms. Taking for example a person who bought a house in 2017 for US$100,000, (i.e. RTGS$100,000 because of SI33) and the property is sold now to a buyer who is willing to pay RTGS$450,000 (i.e. US$90,000 equivalent), capital gains tax will arise under the current tax regime when in real terms there is a capital loss. Meanwhile, the Minister has proposed a 5% of gross proceeds in respect of disposals or sales of specified assets made prior to the 24^th of June 2019 where capital gains tax has not yet been assessed and paid.

The rates of capital gains withholding tax

The Minister also revised downwards the rate of capital gains withholding tax on sale of immovable property to 5% from the current 15%.  This is a welcome relief in terms of cashflow management to taxpayers. The rate of withholding tax on listed marketable securities is retained at 1% of the price at which the security was sold. It appears the Minister has omitted the capital gains withholding tax rate on the disposal of unlisted marketable securities and this has completely been removed from the Act.

Other changes

The Finance Bill proposes to exempt from capital gains tax a sale or disposal of any shares or other marketable securities to the Sovereign Wealth Fund established by the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Zimbabwe with effect from the 1^st of January 2019. It further reviewed the threshold for assessed capital loss not to be carried forward from ZWL100 to ZWL 800 and exemption of marketable securities from capital gains tax when disposal has been made by a person who is 55 years or above; from ZWL1800 to ZWL14 400. Threshold of capital gains which shall not be subject to tax revised from ZWL50 to ZWL400.

In conclusion, the clean-up exercise was necessary and the Finance Bill attempted to do that, but the impact of SI33 cannot in all cases be eradicated. Cases where capital gains tax would be paid in future as the prices of properties go down will be many. Meanwhile Matrix Tax School will be hosting the Tax and Business Interface from the 9^th to the 12^th of October 2019 at Troutbeck Inn, Inyanga. Marvellous Tapera is the Founder of Tax Matrix (Pvt) Ltd and the CEO of Matrix Tax School. He writes in his personal capacity.

On the 24^th of June 2019 the government took a bold move of re-introducing the Zimbabwe dollar as the sole currency for domestic transactions, thereby technically banning the use of foreign currency in settling obligations within Zimbabwe, except for purposes of paying of duty and VAT upon importation of goods as well as paying airfares to airlines. This move is a culmination of a process which started in October 2018 when the government separated bank accounts for RTGS$ and Nostro FCA. In February 2019 it introduced the Zimbabwe dollar as a legal tender along with other foreign currencies and made it the functional currency for accounting and other purposes. Assets and liabilities held on 22 February 2019 were deemed converted from United States dollar to RTGS$ on 1:1 and to remain fixed thereafter. After 22 February 2019 conversion of United States to RTGS$ to be determined using the interbank rate of authorised dealers whose determination is on willing buyer willing seller basis. Enactments in United States were deemed expressed in RTGS$ on a 1:1, implying wherever there is United States dollar amount it should be read as RTGS$ amount on a 1:1 basis. These monetary developments however have not been complemented by fiscal developments which remain stuck in foreign currency as regards to payment of taxes for transactions made in foreign currency, as a result there are now tax challenges of transiting to the Zimbabwe dollar which the government needs to sort out in order to sanitize the monetary policy.

One such challenge is with regard to VAT on credit sales invoiced in foreign currency made before the 24^th of June 2019, but whose settlement is made in Zimbabwe dollar thereafter. The payment of output tax is predicated on the time of supply rule, which provides that VAT is triggered when an invoice is issued, payment is made for the supply, goods are delivered, services are performed or when immovable property is registered in the deeds registry whichever occurs first. This therefore entails that output tax can be declared and remitted in foreign currency on credit sale which is settled in the Zimbabwe dollar because of changes brought about by SI142. The government will need to step in and declare how such matters should be dealt with. The credit and debit notes rules provided within the VAT Act do not seem sufficient to address this issue. The same transaction may have income tax implications because the law requires income tax to be paid in foreign currency when the sale is made in foreign currency. A taxpayer may therefore end up being required to pay income tax in foreign currency for a sale it invoiced in foreign currency, notwithstanding the fact that the debtor settled it in Zimbabwe dollar following the banning of foreign currency payments.  On the flip side, the government might lose foreign currency as a result of taxpayers claiming input tax on invoices issued in foreign currency but which after the 24^th of June 2019 are settled in Zimbabwe dollar. The law allows a VAT registered operator to account for tax payable on invoice basis as long as the operator is in possession of an invoice meeting the requirements of a tax invoice and the claim is made within the tax period the operator is required to submit a tax return or 12 months whichever is the longer period. It is not necessary that the invoice should have been settled for the claim to be made.

The Minister of Finance would also need to review values of tax credits, certain capital expenditure for capital allowances purposes, prescribed donations etc when presenting his mid- term budget later this month. These values were eroded by inflation following conversion from United States dollar to RTGS$ on 1:1 basis and therefore no longer retain their status tax incentives to the taxpayers. Statutory instrument 33 provides that: “… every enactment in which an amount is expressed in United States dollars shall, on the and after effective date, be construed as reference to the RTGS dollar, at parity with the United States dollar, that is to say, at a one-to-one rate”. The same applies for employment tax tables which have resulted to most employees being pushed into high tax brackets.

Capital gains tax rules also need revision. This is because Statutory Instrument 33 which provides that opening balances of assets are valued and denominated in RTGS dollars at a rate of 1:1 with the United States dollar has created an onerous tax burden on taxpayers for assets acquired before 22 February 2019 and sold after this date. The cost base of those assets remains stuck in RTGS at 1:1 with USD whilst the selling price will be inflated as it accords with the interbank rate of exchange. The result is the creation of artificial RTGS$ capital gain when in terms of real value one would not have made any gain. A move to a flat tax rate for such assets would save taxpayers of heavy tax burden, whilst at the same time simplifying tax computation.

Finally the laws for payment of taxes in foreign currency in an economy where the Zimbabwe dollar is the sole legal tender for domestic transaction militates against certainty, simplicity and stability of a tax system. These tents constitute cornerstones of a good tax system which policy makers should always consider whenever introducing any tax policy. They are also the benchmarks by which taxpayers can assess the effectiveness of government in maintaining and improving tax systems. Complicated tax laws alienates investors as well as adding to the cost of doing business. Whereas, effective tax systems are a critical building block for increased domestic resources in developing countries such as Zimbabwe, essential for sustainable development and for promoting self-reliance, good governance, growth and stability. Tax transitionary rules which recognise Zimbabwe dollar as the sole currency for purposes of paying taxes are therefore necessary for purposes for migrating to the new currency and bringing confidence in the Zimbabwe dollar, short of which the business community will continue to have a high regard of foreign currency particularly the United States dollar which may derail the government’s move towards monetary sovereignty. This will also assist in resolving the administrative complexities and tax arbitrages associated with multicurrency system.

In my last week article, I mentioned that the paying taxes in foreign currency has been part of our law since the introduction of multi-currency in 2009 and that the ZIMRA as the administrator of the law is reaffirming this position. Now with the re-introduction of the Zimbabwean dollar through Statutory Instrument 142 and the abolition of the use of foreign currency in domestic transactions, it appears there is an end to this era. Before we quickly jump to this conclusion, we should put things into perspective. Firstly there are taxes on transactions in foreign currency arising before the 24th June 2019. Secondly there will be transactions in foreign currency because someone has disobeyed the law and thirdly transactions in foreign transaction because these will be international transactions. The ZIMRA has through its public notice issued on Friday the 28th of June 2019 gave guidance regarding the first part. It provided that “All taxes that were collected, received or accrued prior to SI 142 of 2019 are paid in terms of the provisions of the prevailing legislation. Tax returns and payments shall be prepared and submitted in the manner provided in the legislation and as guided by the Commissioner General of ZIMRA. The taxes should be paid in local currency and in foreign currency as provided in the legislation. This requirement applies to all tax heads without exception”. This article fully discusses these three scenarios, but should not be construed to be a legal opinion.    

Regarding transactions happening before 24th of June 2019 in foreign currency, SI 142 of 2019 which reads in part as follows is relevant: “(1) Subject to section 3, with effect from the 24th June, 2019, the British pound, United States dollar, South African rand, Botswana pula and any other foreign currency whatsoever shall no longer be legal tender alongside the Zimbabwe dollar in any transactions in Zimbabwe..” (Underlined words own emphasis). The Cambridge dictionary defines transaction as “an occasion when someone buys or sells something, or when money is exchanged (underlining own emphasis) or the activity of buying or selling something; or the process of doing business”. The term exchange is defined in turn as “the act of giving or taking one thing in return for another” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary). It appears from these definitions the remitting of taxes to a tax authority is not a transaction.  The relevant transaction therefore is that between the taxpayer and its customer, employee etc. If such transaction was denominated in foreign currency before 24th of June 2019 tax, it appears liability for taxes arises in foreign currency. To buttress this point, taxes such VAT, PAYE and withholding taxes are “trust taxes”. They are collected and remitted to ZIMRA by the person who is not the ultimate payer but as an agent of the government. The agent has no transaction with the ZIMRA but duty bound to hand over the money he has collected. The doctrine of unjust enrichment refrain him from pocketing what is not his. It is also a common law principle that he cannot make any profit or acquire any benefit in the course and in the matter of his agency without the knowledge and consent of his principal. Where he uses property entrusted to him by the principal to make a profit for himself and without the principal’s consent is in breach of his duty not to make secret profit. Some people could still argue there is no unjust enrichment where the person has paid the equivalent of foreign currency in RTGS dollar using the interbank rate. This argument is difficult to sustain in light of the explicit tax laws which states payment of taxes on in foreign currency where transactions are in foreign currency and these laws are still in force.

Addressing the second category transactions i.e. transaction in foreign currency transactions against the spirit of SI142, it is a trite at law that tax follows a transaction regardless of its legal status. It was held in MP Finance Group CC v Commissioner, SARS, 69 SATC 141 that income “received by” a taxpayer from illegal gains will be taxable in the hands of the taxpayer. The English case of Commissioners of Inland Revenue v Aken 63 TC 395, [1990] STC 497 is also in support of this view. It held that; “…. if the activity is a trade, it is irrelevant for taxation purposes that it is illegal …I do not think that the word ‘‘trade’’ in itself has any connotation of unlawfulness. There may be lawful trade; there may be unlawful trade. But it is still trade”. The case of CIR v Delagoa Bay Cigarette Co Ltd 1918 TPD 39, also held that “the taxability of a receipt is not affected by the legality or illegality of the business through which it was derived.” Therefore it appears where a person has traded in foreign currency liabilities for taxes will arise in foreign currency, regardless of the fact he has breached the law.

In respect of sectors such tourism, mining etc where foreign transactions (international transactions) will be prevalent the laws for payment of taxes in foreign currency will continue to apply. Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 is about banning foreign currency on domestic transactions by making the Zimbabwe dollar the sole legal tender. In conclusion, taxes with regard to transactions in foreign currency whether or not they arise legally or not appears required in foreign currency because the laws which requires taxes to be paid in foreign (section 4A of the Finance Act and s38 (4) (a) of the VAT Act) continues in existence. The ZIMRA has also confirmed this position regarding transactions occurring before 24th June 2019, which appears correct interpretation of the SI142. Taxpayers are therefore urged to comply with the ZIMRA directive in order to avoid penalties which may arise from not complying with the law.

Recently the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) through a public notice commanded taxpayers to pay provisional income tax (Quarterly Payment Dates; QPDs) in foreign currency when taxable income is earned, received or accrued in whole or partly in foreign currency. This is not news but an enforcement of the existing laws because the requirement to pay tax in foreign currency has been part of our fiscal statutes since February 2009 when the country adopted the multi-currency system. It has not been an issue until October 2018 when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe directed banks to separate bank accounts into RTGS FCA and Nostro FCA. ZIMRA followed suit in November 2018 by issuing a public notice requiring all taxpayers to account for tax in foreign currency in respect of income earned in foreign currency. In February 2019, the government abandoned the one to one (1:1) exchange rate between the United States Dollar and the RTGS/ Bond for the interbank exchange rate system. All assets and liabilities prior to 22 February 2019 were to be converted to RTGS dollars at the rate of 1:1. This article is not seeking to criticize the ZIMRA public notice but to highlight issues raised, the policies and their impact on businesses.   

The current systems promotes double dipping. As an example, when RTGS dollar is used as the functional currency for accounting and other purposes as contemplated under SI33 foreign currency exchange differences are bound to occur. These arise when monetary items are settled or when monetary items are translated at rates different from those obtaining when initially recognised or in previous financial statements. A gain is recognised as gross income in the tax return whilst foreign exchange loss is treated as a deductible expenditure. However only foreign exchange gain or loss of a revenue nature and realised are dealt with in this way, whilst capital nature or unrealised gains or loss have no tax implications. It is however my view that when the income tax is paid in foreign currency as contemplated, exchange differences should not exist for tax purposes because tax payment is in the currency of tax reporting, but the fact that the provisions which provides for the treatment of foreign exchange difference have not been outlawed there is no basis for excluding them in the tax return. Double dipping may therefore occur e.g. double taxation where foreign exchange gains are realised and double deduction where exchange losses are realised, when taxes have been accounted for in foreign currency.

Another problem with the current income tax regime is that it taxes capital or productive assets contrary to the spirit of the income tax system. It is the role of a capital gains tax system to levy tax on wealth on fixed properties not an income tax system. As it stands there is juridical double taxation because of application of these two regimes on the amounts. For instance when assets that ranked for capital allowances prior to 2019 are sold after 22^nd of February 2019 in RTGS dollars at the prevailing interbank rate of exchange and to be set off against the cost of the asset in RTGS dollars at 1:1 with the United States dollars there may be a taxable recoupment notwithstanding the asset may have been sold at below income tax value in real terms. Another situation is in respect of capital allowances that are at lesser value in real terms for assets brought forward from 2018 because the cost base of the assets will be expressed in RTGS$ at 1:1 with USD. Not to mention also the assessed losses brought forward from 2018 which will be written off at an accelerated pace because they will be set off against sales in RTGS$ at the interbank rate of exchange. Taxing capital impairs the value of the business and reduces its potential to recapitalise as a result reducing the future supply of goods or services or may send companies out of business.

One of the key tents of a good tax system is that it must achieve tax neutrality, that is a good a tax system should not create incentives for firms or individuals to change their behavior—to invest more or less, to work more or less, to locate in one place rather than another, to employ more or less labor or more or less capital. This at the moment is questionable. For example the apportionment of tax into RTGS dollar and foreign currency components using the turnover figures as contemplated in the ZIMRA public notice indirectly attack this principle as it disregards the proportion of deductions where they can be disproportionate or be in a different pattern from that of turnover. One taxpayer may incur expenses predominantly in foreign currency while their turnover is received largely in RTGS$. This presents a distortion on the tax payable in RTGS and foreign currency.  The formula further complicates tax administration as taxpayer will have to bear the burden of converting amounts into foreign currency for purposes of complying with the laws.  A country’s income tax regime is a barometer of the business environment and may negatively or positively influence investment. For instance, where the rules and their application are nontransparent, overly complex or unpredictable this will add to the cost of the project, creates uncertainty and thereby discouraging investment. Furthermore, a system that leaves excessive administrative discretion in the hands of tax officials invites corruption and brings uncertainty to the business. Policy makers are therefore encouraged to ensure that their tax system imposes an acceptable tax burden that can be accurately determined, and which keeps tax compliance and tax administration costs in check. The current income tax regime falls short of these requirements as it contains a number of flaws when measured against Adam Smith’s good principles of tax system such as certainty, administrative efficiency, tax neutrality, simplicity etc. Simplifying the tax regime should be the priority when the Minister of Finance and Economic Development presents his midterm fiscal policy soon.

Introduction

The 2019 Monetary Policy and its accompanying legislation abandoned the 1:1 parity rate of exchange between the bond note and the United States Dollar. Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system balances expressed in the United States dollar immediately before the effective date, 22 February 2019 were taken to be opening balances in RTGS dollars at par with the United States dollar. At the same time, a new currency, the RTGS dollar was introduced. In addition, every amount expressed in United States dollars (USD) in any piece of legislation was deemed to be in RTGS on a rate of 1:1. And the conversion and translation of USD balances to RTGS has created foreign exchange gains and losses which have tax implications for taxpayers as more fully explained in this article.

Law and Interpretation

The Income Tax Act brings into tax, foreign exchange gains realized from trading, that is, from income of a revenue nature. Revenue nature exchange gains are those which arise from the sale of goods or services in the course of a taxpayer’s trade or on working capital items such as debtors, settlement of trade creditors, on bank deposits used in the day to day business activities of the taxpayer or on inventory (stock). If the receipts and accruals occur in different years of assessment, effect shall be given to the increase or reduction in the gross income in the year of assessment in which the amount was received. The foreign exchange gains taxed will be on translation of assets and not on conversion as conversion of assets is a transaction of a capital nature. Furthermore, the Income Tax Act provides that: “When, owing to a variation in the rate of exchange of currency between Zimbabwe and any other country, the amount actually paid in Zimbabwean currency differs from the amount of the liability that had been incurred prior to the variation in the rate of exchange— (i)  the amount to be deducted shall be the said amount actually paid in Zimbabwean currency (ii)  if the incurring of the liability and the payment therefor occur in different years of assessment, effect shall be given to the increase or reduction in the amount in the year of assessment in which the amount was paid.” The amount to be deducted is the amount actually paid in Zimbabwean currency to the extent that it differs from the amount of the liability that had been incurred prior to the variation in the rate of exchange. It is important to note that, whilst foreign exchange losses of a revenue nature are deductible, capital nature foreign exchange losses are capitalised.

The new monetary laws led to both conversion and translation of assets and liabilities. Conversion and Translation of assets and liabilities are intricately interwoven, yet distinct concepts. The conversion of an asset is when the asset is actually changed from one currency to another. The asset itself actually changes in that it actually changes in form. A conversion mimics the transaction that happens when one exchanges currency for another in a bureau de change. With translation of assets, on the other hand, the asset remains unchanged and it is only the basis of measurement that changes. For example, United States dollars kept in a safe can be translated to another currency for the purposes of reporting. This does not in essence change the value of the United States dollars kept in the safe as they remain the same in terms of their nature. In other words, the dollar bill itself remains the same, and does not change into a bill of another currency as with a conversion. Conversion does not create taxable profits, whilst translation does. Conversion does not give rise to trading activity and therefore should be presumed to be of a capital nature. On the other hand translation results from variation in exchange rate which is a consequence of trading activity.

The government through SI32 of 2019 introduced a new currency now known as the RTGS dollars. SI33 of 2019 further provides guidelines for the conversion of balances from the United States dollar to the RTGS$. To that end, companies are required to convert their US dollar valued assets and liabilities to RTGS dollars. The rate of conversion however, depends on when the assets were held by the company and at what point the liabilities were incurred. The provisions entails that the conversion of the monetary values of assets and liabilities denominated in US dollars to RTGS dollars will be done at a conversion rate of 1:1 with the United States dollars for assets and liabilities held before the 22^nd of February 2019. This in general means that there are no foreign exchange gains or losses to be realized by the company if the conversion of the assets and liabilities is to be done at a rate of 1:1. There are exceptions to the 1:1 exchange rule namely (a) funds held in foreign currency designated accounts, otherwise known as “Nostro FCA accounts”, which shall continue to be designated in such foreign currencies; and (b) foreign loans and obligations denominated in any foreign currency, which shall continue to be payable in such foreign currency.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the realization of gains or losses depends on when the assets or liabilities were held by the company. If the assets and liabilities that were held before the 22nd of February 2019 valued and expressed in US dollars were to be converted to RTGS dollars, the rate of conversion would be at 1:1. Such conversion if done in excess of 1:1 USD to the RTGS will nevertheless remain capital in nature. For assets and liabilities valued and expressed in US dollars held after the 22^nd of February 2019, contemplated for translation by the company, then the translation rate would be at a rate in excess of 1:1 with the US dollar. These will create taxable or deductible foreign exchange gain or loss, if they arise from working capital items and the settlement is done prior to year-end and non-taxable or nondeductible unrealised foreign exchange gain or loss, respectively if the assets and liabilities are still held at year end.  The same applies to amounts in Nostro accounts or short term denominated foreign currency loans. For long term loans and property, plant and equipment whether realised or unrealised the foreign exchange gain or loss does not give rise to taxable income or assessed loss.

Background

With the shrinking economy, the big businesses have become overladen with taxes. It is opined that if the SMEs contributed their fair share of taxes there could be a lot of revenue that may well have been collected for the benefit of the fiscus and ultimately for the benefit of the country. Fiscal exclusion has also been a factor influencing the lack of formalization of the SMEs. Depending on the type of registration undertaken by SME’s there are tax obligations that must be fulfilled by every business that is registered for tax purposes and this includes the SMEs. These include income tax, withholding tax, PAYE, VAT and Presumptive tax. These obligations may be greater or lesser depending on the structuring of the business. This piece of writing aims to indicate the tax issues that may affect the SMEs.

The Tax Benefits

In Zimbabwe 10% withholding tax is deducted on local businesses to business sales (B2B) upon payment to a supplier without a valid tax clearance certificate. By virtue of formalising tax affairs, SMEs can enjoy exemption of the 10% withholding tax on contracts with other businesses. In addition, it is now a prerequisite for most business transactions. SMEs relationships with big businesses is unavoidable sometimes. A valid tax clearance is one of the documentation required in order to participate in most tenders, including government tenders. Therefore if you do not have a valid tax clearance you will not only suffer withholding tax on payments from customers but you could also lose business opportunities. Further qualification for duty rebates and other import incentives are also linked to possession of a valid tax clearance. By regularizing your tax affairs, you will be entitled to claim expenses that you incur in your business.

Special Initial Allowance

SMEs even have a better capital allowance regime compared to big companies which write off capital assets against their income to reduce tax payable over three years at 50% in the first year then 25% wear and tear in the second and third year compared to 4 years of 25% per annum. SMEs do not enjoy assessed losses which can be carried forward for six years. When making losses the law allows you to use such losses to reduce taxable income, until the losses are used up or expires the company will not pay taxes to the fiscus. The reporting of such losses can be only done by a person or company who is formally registered for taxes.

Monthly payment of provisional tax

The income Tax Act provides for payment of provisional income tax in advance on a quarterly basis. And the quarterly payments are done in instalments of 10%; 25% 30% and 35% of the provisional income tax for each of the quarters of the year. The Income Tax Act provides that the Commissioner-General may, “on application by a taxpayer who qualifies as a “small or medium enterprise”, permit such taxpayer to pay provisional income tax on a monthly basis, that is, one month at a time in advance.” This facility is quite favourable and can allow for working capital management flexibility on the part of SMEs given that for most of them, their business models are quite different from those of large enterprises.

Lower rate of mining royalties

The sale of specified minerals by miners to the buying agents attract a deduction of tax at rates that vary depending on the mineral being sold. Payments to small scale gold miners, popularly known as “gold panners” or “makorokoza” for gold deliveries are deducted mining royalties at a lower rate of 3% as compared to the general rate of 5% applicable to other enterprises. The small scale gold miner should be classifiable as a “micro-enterprise” in terms of the mining and quarrying sector of the economy per the SMEs Act.

Access to funding

For SMEs to enjoy funding and fiscal inclusion, they must formalise their businesses. Formalisation of the SMEs opens up the access to funding and the protection of the law. Banks and financial institutions are more likely to fund formal businesses as opposed to informal businesses. For this they would proper books of accounts to be kept and the business to be compliant with the tax laws. Therefore a formalized SME that shows good organisation and a good business track record is more likely to get the much needed funding to expand the business as opposed to an informal one. A brilliant business idea may fail to grow because of lack of funding. Formalisation can bridge this gap.

IMTT

The recent revision of Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT) from 5 cents to 2 cents on the dollar value of transactions soar and takes a big knock on persons. The tax is however less burden for formally registered persons with formal books of accounts since transactions such as transfer of money for purposes of paying remuneration are exempt from the 2% IMTT.  This tax is broad based and unavoidable by informal business. The Minister of Finance in his preamble to the introduction of this tax he stressed the target for this tax was largely those trading in the informal.

Conclusion

Formal SME’s that keep proper books of accounts, furnish tax returns and pay taxes are not subject to presumptive tax subject to them being in possession of a valid tax clearance. Informal SME’s on the other hand are liable to pay presumptive tax. It is a misconception that to be registered for tax is expensive. The reverse is actually true. Withholding tax applies on turnover for lack of tax clearance, the business losses on tax opportunities such as claiming business losses when they occur and above all when the taxpayer is eventually caught the law provides for back dating of tax registration and payment of taxes from the date the person was supposed to be tax registered. This comes along with stiff penalties and interest on late paid taxes and returns. It is wise as a business owner or company executive to gain more understanding on how to go about being tax compliant to avoid missing out on business opportunities and being on the right position for growth.

Introduction  

A disposal of a business or part of a business capable of separate operations by a registered operator as a going concern is deemed to be a supply made in the furtherance or course of the operator’s trade. The seller should account for output tax on the disposal, but with proper planning no VAT is payable, the disposal can be zero rated. The purchaser would not need to finance the VAT between making the VAT payment to the supplier and receiving a VAT refund from ZIMRA. We discuss the law on zero rating and the conditions that must be satisfied for the VAT to be avoided.

The Law and interpretation

A sale or transfer of a going concern is zero rated under s 10(1) (e) of the VAT Act as read with s12 of the VAT General Regulations, 2003 (SI 273 of 2003) which provides that “subject to proviso (ii) of paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 10 of the Act where the trade or part of a trade, as the case may be, is disposed of as a going concern and has been carried disposed of as a going concern (underlined words appearing to be drafting error) and has been carried on in, on or in relation to goods or services applied mainly for purposes of such trade or as simple  of a trade, as the case may be, and partly for other purposes, such goods or services shall,  where disposed of, be taxed at zero % if the sale represents the disposal of at least 51% of the trade or part of a trade”.  We analyse the key conditions as follows:

Seller and purchaser to be both registered

The sale should be effected by a registered transferor to a buyer who is also a registered operator. In order to safeguard himself from incorrectly applying the zero rate, the seller must obtain and retain a copy of the purchaser’s registration certificate. If the purchaser is not yet a registered operator at the time of the conclusion of the agreement, it is advisable that the agreement provide for the application of the zero rate being subject to the purchaser being a registered operator on the date the supply takes place, and to furnish a copy of the VAT certificate to the seller as soon as it is available.

Agreement must be in writing

The parties must agree in writing that (i) the trade is disposed off as a going concern and (ii) that it will be an income earning activity on date of transfer. Where an agreement for the sale of a trade as a going concern was concluded before, on or after commencement date, but the parties did not agree in writing that the trade is disposed off as a going concern they may enter into a separate agreement – based on the original contract – regarding this aspect. The written agreement(s) must, together with any other written agreements or documents relating to the sale, be retained. The agreement need not necessarily form part of the arrangement under which the ‘supply of a going concern’ is made. Below is an analysis of the conditions that must be agreed in writing by the parties:

The trade must be a going concern

A business transferred must be a going concern before and immediately after the transfer. This disqualifies any business which has actually ceased operation before the transfer. It was held in Belton v. CIR (1997) 18 NZTC 13,403 that there can be no going concern’ where, on the day of the supply, the activity carried on by the enterprise has ceased.  A short period of break or temporary closure immediately after the transfer to facilitate the smooth transfer or for purposes of cleaning and maintenance etc. does not however disqualify the sale as a transfer of a going concern. The activities must be capable of continuing after the transfer to new ownership. The transferee must use the transferred assets to continue with the same kind of business of the transferor, if the nature of business changes it ceases to be a sale of a going concern.  

Supply of an income-earning activity

There must exist an income earning activity on the date the ownership of the trade is transferred. As transfer of the trade might take place only in the future, there can be no certainty at the time of signing the agreement and fixing the VAT inclusive price whether the trade will in fact be as an income-earning activity when transfer takes place. The parties’ intention to transfer an income-earning activity is thus sufficient. The agreement must provide for the sale of an income-earning activity and not merely a trade structure. The new owner must be placed in possession of a trade which can be operated in that same form, without any further action on his part. For this reason an agreement to dispose off a business yet to commence or a dormant business is not a going concern.

Assets necessary for carrying on the trade must also be disposed

Assets which are necessary for carrying on a trade must be disposed off by the supplier to the recipient for zero rating to apply. Where all the assets used by the registered operator in a trade, except the premises from which the enterprise is conducted, are disposed of, it must be determined whether the premises are necessary for carrying on the trade disposed of. The assets or things which are necessary for the continued operation may vary according to the nature of the trade and the thing supplied and each case must be treated based on its facts.

Conclusion

Due to several rules needed to satisfy the requirements of a going concern you will almost certainly need an advisor to guide you through the process. There are serious tax ramifications if the attempt to zero rate the transaction fails. The VAT will become due, penalty and interest certainly apply for failing to pay the VAT due on time. Meanwhile Matrix Tax School will be hosting its Cross Border Taxes Seminar on the 17^th of July 2019. Marvellous Tapera is the Founder of Tax Matrix (Pvt) Ltd and the CEO of Matrix Tax School (Pvt) Ltd. He writes in his personal capacity.