TAX LAW SPECIALISTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND BUSINESS TAX ADVISORY SERVICES

Our expert tax lawyer gives independent, specialised tax law advice on all income tax planning, property tax, tax issues with estates and trusts, income tax and GST issues. Turner Legal tax advisory service offers bespoke tax solutions, both in New Zealand and internationally, so you can rest assured that you are maximising the value of your assets.

PLANNING FOR PROPERTY TAX

Property transactions are big numbers these days, especially in Auckland. Getting your property tax wrong is not an option when you are looking at 33% of the total gain!

Our tax lawyer’s recommendations on property tax is backed by decades of experience advising on the income tax and GST treatment of the subdivision or development of land including sales and purchases of land, and effective tax structuring. It’s well worth checking if there is an alternative to triggering a tax liability.

One of Turner Legal’s focuses is getting involved in planning for property tax at an early stage. This can often mean avoiding costly mistakes. We take the time to explain the tax planning options available for each development scenario. If peace of mind is important, a robust property tax opinion provides protection against the Inland Revenue imposing tax penalties, which is one of the big issues if Inland Revenue challenge the property tax treatment. We are fully conversant with the Inland Revenue’s latest interpretations in this field, and bring our extensive experience to creating the ideal scenario for your project.

ASSET RESTRUCTURING FOR EFFECTIVE TAX PLANNING

Our tax lawyer will review the current asset structures for family and business assets, and is more than happy to work with client’s lawyers and accountants to provide tax specialist advice. Our tax attorney strives to improve on interest deductibility effectiveness and flexibility of income distributions to achieve savings. We will also provide suggestions to improve asset and creditor protection. Many of the tax issues we identify are ones we have dealt with successfully before.

GENERAL TAX ADVICE

Need advice from a tax specialist who deals with income and property tax every day? Turner Legal offers coherent expert legal advice on all income tax and GST issues for businesses, individuals, trustees, accountants and lawyers. We regularly advise on the tax issues with companies, limited partnerships and look-through companies (LTC) such as treatment of inter-group loans, associated person capital gains tax, remission of debt and deemed dividends.

INLAND REVENUE DISPUTES

It’s understandable to be concerned when Inland Revenue make enquiries, and in our experience the first responses can be critical. Turner Legal provide tax law advisory services to assist individuals, trustees, companies, and their accountants in IRD tax disputes, including advising on responding to IRD risk reviews and audits, legal representation in tax disputes and preparing dispute documents.

TAX ADVICE FOR THE SALE & PURCHASE OF BUSINESSES

Get the right tax advice on the sale or purchase of businesses (assets and shares) including initial enquiries, at the due diligence stage, and advising and when negotiating the tax clauses for sale and purchase agreements.

Expert advice on the tax treatment of various options for getting capital gains out of companies and trusts tax effectively can make all the difference to your profits. We have regularly provided solutions to advisers on the best method to liquidate and wind-up companies and trusts with the best tax result, or saved them from turning a capital gain into a taxable receipt.

INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVISORY SERVICES

• Turner Legal will advise on the tax effectiveness of using subsidiaries, branches, trusts, unit trusts, limited partnerships and look-through companies as investment vehicles and work with foreign advisers to coordinate our international taxation advice.
• For individuals migrating to or emigrating from NZ we offer tax planning including assessments of individuals’ tax residency status under the NZ domestic legislation and double tax agreements. We carefully address the impact of the transitional residency exemption for new and returning migrants. We work in tandem with overseas tax and legal advisers to ensure a coordinated approach.
• NZ Foreign trust taxation advice and establishment is provided by our tax lawyer Keith Turner, a member of STEP.
• Turner Legal can advise on international tax obligations under the trusts regime, tax treatment of distributions from foreign superannuation plans, interests in foreign investment funds and controlled foreign companies.