Taxes

An Overview of Tax Planning for Mergers and Acquisitions

By
Dominion
Updated:
October 19, 2024
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8 min read

Big events with millions or even billions of dollars often mean there are mergers and acquisitions (M&A) taking place. Any time you have that much money involved, you have a complex beast on your hands. Still, getting the taxes correct is absolutely vital, given the large amount of money at stake. 

Unanticipated expenses and missed opportunities result from poor tax preparation. Conversely, smart tax preparation may save a lot of money and strengthen your deal considerably. Dominion is well-versed in M&A taxes and the specifics involved. 

Many high-net-worth individuals and companies have been guided through the convoluted realm of international tax laws and rules by our team at Dominion. Give us a shout; we would love to chat.

A Word About M&A Taxes

M&A deals vary in nature, as they’re not all the same. Some are mergers – that is, two businesses united under one name. Others are acquisitions – and that’s where one corporation purchases another. More complicated configurations like reverse mergers and triangular mergers exist as well.

Every structure affects taxes differently. Any M&A transaction has a number of tax considerations. The big one is corporate income tax; other taxes include value-added tax (VAT), stamp duty, and capital gains tax. 

Tax laws vary among nations; some areas are more tax-friendly than others. Minimizing your tax burden depends on knowing the tax rules in every nation involved in the agreement.

Pre-Merger Tax Planning Starts with a Strong Basis

Prior to a merger or acquisition, careful preparation helps form a firm basis for your structure. It guarantees seamless operation and helps to avoid expensive errors. This is especially true in relation to taxes.

One should properly examine both companies engaged in any contract before it starts. This implies looking over tax returns, financial records, and any possible risks.

It will reveal any latent tax issues and provide a means of tax savings. One very effective strategy for tax preparation is trust creation. They can reduce your tax load and assist in asset protection.

Correct usage of trusts can unlock a full spectrum of tax advantages. Trusts may be complex, though, particularly with relation to other countries.

This is where Dominion comes in. Knowing the nuances of international trust rules, we can assist you in designing a framework suitable for you. Our aim is to safeguard your riches and enable you to avoid taxes. Our knowledge and experience will help you to be sure your M&A transaction is on solid ground.

Post-Merger Tax Considerations

The work never ends, even once the merger or acquisition is finished. Actually, keeping taxes under control following the purchase is just as crucial as making advance plans.

Both in the US and abroad, tax rules are continually shifting. Maintaining knowledge of these developments helps you to ensure that you are not paying more taxes than is necessary. 

But you’re busy enough as it is. If you’re like most people, the last thing you have time and energy for is to research and study mergers & acquisitions. At Dominion, we continually track these developments and modify our clients’ tax plans accordingly.

Following a merger or acquisition, businesses can find unanticipated tax problems. They could have to pay taxes on income they didn’t anticipate or miss out on tax deductions they were unaware of. That’s why you should have a strategy for handling your taxes.

Optimizing tax efficiency following a merger or acquisition can be done in several ways. You may reorganize your business to benefit from reduced tax rates. You may also make investments in tax-advantaged assets or apply tax credits. Dominion can assist in your research of all these choices and more.

The secret is to be proactive and look at your tax preparation as a long-term thing. Working with Dominion helps you to make sure your business is set for success going forward.

Dominion’s Clearly Successful M&A Tax Planning Approach

The track record of Dominion speaks for itself. During mergers and acquisitions, we have helped several customers save millions in taxes. Let’s examine a couple instances of our effective tactics:

US Land Sale

One of our US clients had to sell an energy business a priceless piece of property. The transaction would result in a large tax burden, maybe costing the client millions. Domain intervened and developed a strategy to reduce the tax burden.

We established a unique trust in the Cook Islands, a nation renowned for tough asset protection rules. We avoided US taxes by passing the land to this trust.

To lower the tax load even more, we also applied a financial technique known as Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI). The customer thereby saved taxes totaling around $48 million.

UK Company Sale

The owner of a UK firm wanted to sell. Problem was, he was dealing with a capital gains tax liability of around £20 million. Dominion arrived at a fix.

We put the trust in Nevis and a Hong Kong corporation to run and safeguard the company. To protect the sale profits from taxes, we employed a tax-free insurance arrangement. Eventually, the client saved about £24 million.

These are only two instances of how Dominion has guided customers through the convoluted realm of M&A taxes. We can save you millions just as our knowledge and experience have done the same for our clients. So don’t hesitate to reach out to us to discuss your financial future. You can trust us to craft an action plan with your best interests in mind.

A Powerful Tool for Wealth Management: Private Placement Life Insurance

Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) isn’t your everyday insurance coverage. This is a particular sort of insurance meant for companies and wealthy people. It’s a great instrument for increasing your wealth and better handling of your taxes.

Consider PPLI as your particular investment container. Your investments can flourish within this container free from tax burden. You can keep more of your profits, and that’s a big deal. You can also borrow against the policy’s value without having to pay loan taxes. Without a tax charge, this allows you access to your money as needed.

Your M&A tax plan should include PPLI, as it can guard your assets and lighten your tax load. PPLI allows you, for instance, to protect company sale profits from taxes. It can also help you guard your assets from debtors.

Customizable and adaptable, PPLI is a tool fit for your particular needs. Among its many assets are stocks, bonds, real estate, even businesses. Dominion will enable you to draft a PPLI policy that matches well with your whole financial strategy.

PPLI is something to give thought to if you want to increase your wealth tax-free. To find out more about how PPLI may help you, get in touch with Dominion today.

Let Dominion Guide You Through Your Next Merger & Acquisition

Any good merger or acquisition depends critically on tax preparation. It can make all the difference between a wise purchase and a bad error in expense. Dominion is aware of the intricate universe of foreign tax rules and policies.

Over M&A deals, we have a track record of assisting clients in saving millions in taxes. Our knowledge, combined with our dedication to client success, qualifies us as a reliable counsel for companies and high-net-worth people all around.

Don’t let your tax planning be a casualty of a merger or acquisition. Get in touch with Dominion right now to find out how we can guide you through this challenging process and toward your financial objectives.

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