溫哥華街坊會 Vancouver Kaifong Association

傳承、接納、共融

Preserve, Embrace, Synergize

新移民報稅:MPF 的稅務問題 – FOLLOWUP

作者:Yuki Wong , CPA @ Kingsmen Consulting CPA Professional Corp (Personal, Corporate, Estate, and International Tax Specialist)

大家好!自從筆者一月份發表了 「新移民報稅:MPF 的稅務問題」,得到坊間很多回響,就此特別感謝大家的Support!

以下係想回應一些對該POST 的常見問題:

首先,大家要明白,加拿大稅法是走Common Law制,可以理解為用先例而立法。至於MPF,在筆者的考究下并未找到先例。但這不是好事,因為要成為案例,首先就是要把稅局告上法庭!所以根據筆者從事國際稅法工作經驗,好多Case都是會上到法庭前Settle。

那筆者是鑑於以下幾點作出結論:

1)MPF是不是Pension?

基於所得稅裁決局-Income Tax Rulings -2001 年的信件中確認 [1] MPF 符合《所得税法》下 Foreign Pension Plan(境外退休金計劃)定義

2)MPF其實是移民前收入,可不可以只考慮移民後的升值?

這個觀點是以MPF是投資基金而不是退休金為前提,但在2001 年的信件中已!明確!確認MPF是境外退休金計劃。以下是信中裁決局的回答:

Question #1

Would the Plan qualify as a foreign pension plan for purposes of the Income Tax Act (the “Act”)?

Response

Based on our understanding of the Plan, the Plan would constitute a foreign pension plan for purposes of the Act.

Question #4

If subsequent to moving to Canada, a member of the Plan withdraws the full amount owing under the Plan in a lump-sum, how will the lump-sum payment be taxed and will the payment be eligible for transfer to a registered retirement savings plan (“RRSP”)?

Response

… Unless exempted by the provisions of a tax treaty, amounts received by a resident of Canada out of a foreign pension plan are included in the recipient’s income under subparagraph 56(1)(a)(i) of the Act.

3) 加拿大和香港不是有條約(Tax Treaties)嗎?我見過某FP Post 話在報稅時記得要寫明:這筆是你入境加拿大前,因為過住就業而支付的Pensions 就可以豁免?

首先筆者沒有對任何人的意見存有不敬或discredit 的意思!我只是根據我的Research 得出以下結論。

加拿大和香港的確是有條約,但條約并 ! 沒有 ! 取消加拿大對相同數額徵稅的權利!

以下是所得稅裁決局-Income Tax Rulings -於2014年的回信[2]:

According to Article 17 of the Canada-Hong Kong Tax Convention (the “Tax Convention”), pensions (including lump sums) arising from Hong Kong and paid to a resident in Canada may be taxable in Hong Kong. This, however, does not eliminate Canada’s right to tax the same amounts.

Canadian residents are taxable, under subparagraph 56(1)(a)(i) of the Act, on pension benefits in the year of receipt. This applies to benefits from a foreign pension plan that are attributable to services rendered while the individual was not a resident of Canada. Therefore, the periodic amounts and the lump sum payment from the Hong Kong pension plan will be taxable in Canada.

換句話說,加拿大是有對 MPF (Foreign Pension Plan)徵稅的權利 !

4) 如果根據以上 (3) 的做法,稅局會如果處理?

筆者不是在稅局工作,所以不可以代表稅局回應。但根據筆者經驗,一般稅局會要求您提供條約的詳文,如是Tax Treaties上的哪一條?

此時您可以查看 Treaties 上的 Article 17 – Pension 。但您有可能會得到像2014信中的回答 – 加拿大有權利對相同數額徵稅。您是有權 File Notice of Objection 并把稅局告上法庭,風險是要承擔可觀的訴訟費。

5) 我萬一報錯左,有沒有解決方法?

萬一您誤報,您是可以考慮通過 VDP 自發性告知稅局。通過 VDP,稅局是有權減少對您的罰款或利息。要注意是 VDP對先後次序有特別要求,萬一出錯就會VOID 了 減少對您罰款或利息的權利。所以筆者建議您聯絡做VDP 有經驗的CPA。

最後筆者想提醒大家,稅局是有Offshore Tax Informant Program (OTIP) 。如果有人發現某人有誤報,蓄意或無意,都可以通過OTIP告發。告發者是有可能得到報酬!

結語:

有些人話怕找錯會計師,怕「是非做人情」。其實CPA是有職業守則,要對客戶的個人資料保密。所以找會計師時不妨問下對方是不是「有牌的」會計師 (CPA)。 筆者不是一竹篙打一船人,我也認識很多比我有經驗的非CPA會計師,筆者只是想比大家明白自己的選擇。最後提醒大家,CPA 是有錯失保險(E&O Insurance),萬一出錯是可以Claim 保險。

注意:

本文內容經精心準備惟以籠統方式寫成,僅能作為一般指引看待。讀者不能依賴本文章來涵蓋特定情況,不應在未獲得特定專業建議的情況下根據文中資訊採取行動或不採取行動。

請聯絡註冊會計師,根據您的具體情況討論這些問題。對於任何人因依賴本文資訊或基於本文的資訊而採取或未採取的任何行動而導致的任何損失,我們不接受或承擔任何責任或義務。請注意,本文內容有時間性,受法例變動影響。

撰文:Yuki Wong , CPA @ Kingsmen Consulting CPA Professional Corp (Personal, Corporate, Estate, and International Tax Specialist)

注腳:

[1] https://taxinterpretations.com/……/sev……/2001-0072655
(17 July 2001 External T.I. 2001-0072655 – HONG KONG’S MANDATORY PROVIDENT FUND)

[2] https://taxinterpretations.com/……/2014-0522671e5……
(19 March 2014 External T.I. 2014-0522671E5 – HK Pension and Tax Treaty)

Posted

in Category:

Author: