In adopting such a framework, tech companies need to look at three primary factors: their intellectual property (IP), their remote workforce and their funding arrangements.
When it comes to IP, transfer pricing issues commonly arise if tech companies cannot clearly establish which corporate group owns their IP. This task is complicated by the fact that IP is portable and often developed by remote teams working in multiple countries—leading to complexity for tax authorities to assess the jurisdiction under which the business profits related to that IP should be taxed.
Similar challenges arise for companies that rely on remote workforces. Specifically, tech companies could inadvertently create a taxable presence in a foreign jurisdiction if they have employees or directors operating there—resulting in potentially significant, tax consequences.
Yet another hurdle tech companies face in setting up effective transfer pricing frameworks relates to funding. Without the proper processes and policies in place, companies could miss opportunities to access available government incentives or find themselves unable to deduct interest paid on intercompany loans from business profits.
Given the repercussions of a transfer pricing misstep—including its potential dampening affect on corporate valuation during an M&A transaction—it’s imperative to address these risks upfront. In this article, we explore each of these issues in further detail and outline strategies tech companies can use to establish effective transfer pricing policies.
This article discusses transfer pricing and tax opportunities and challenges commonly encountered by tech companies.
Subscribe to receive relevant and timely insights and event invitations.
This website uses cookies to provide necessary site functionality, monitor performance, give you access to products and services that are most relevant to you, and improve the online user experience. For further information about how we use cookies, please visit our Privacy Statement. For information on how to adjust your cookie preferences including how to delete cookies, please consult your browser’s “Help” function.
