IRD issued AEOI questionnaire to Company Secretary service providers

香港稅務局向公司秘書服務提供者發出稅務資料自動交換問卷

We have recently received a questionnaire request from IRD, that we need to :-

1. Report the work scope of our company in capacity of a licenced company secretary in Hong Kong;
2. Amongst other topics, if we act as trustee or nominee shareholder for and on behalf of clients, we need to make further report on –

2a. whether we are a Custodial Institution – defined as earning >=20% gross income from providing services as being a trustee or nominee shareholder(s);

2b. whether we are an Investment Entity – defined as earning >=50% gross income from providing services to trade or manage financial products for and on behalf of clients.

This questionnaire is to identify licenced company secretaries providing trust and nominee services for clients, and that if we meet with such conditions, we would be considered as a reportable Financial Institution and have the duty to disclose the detailed information of all managed clients.

For clients making use of trust and/or nominee services from other service providers, they should be well aware of this – frankly put, all those clients seeking to “hide” their assets through trust arrangements, once a popular way a few years ago, are now getting attention from IRD and be put under scrutiny.

IRD is now looking for these “hidden gems” by targeting at the service providers – all trustees do not provide services for free, their service income acting as trustee would be reflected in their accounts to be reported to IRD. Such service income might be received in form of contracted management fees, or by investment spread every time an investment is made via trust arrangement directed by the beneficiary.

To make things clear – we do not provide such services. Whilst being a popular option as a tax “planning” scheme, we understand from day one that it won’t work from the tax perspective. It also won’t work from the perspective of legal title. If clients made important asset allocation decisions according to a few investment seminars or youtube videos, your tax position is now at risk.

As always, please contact us if you need further advices on 1. setting up proper corporate structures, and/or 2. your current tax position on the subject matter!



我們最近收到香港稅務局發出的問卷調查，要求我們：

1. 匯報我們作為持牌公司服務供應者的工作具體內容；
2. 除一般循例事項外，如我們有為任何客戶提供信託服務或掛名股東的服務，我們將需要進一步匯報：

2a. 我們是否一家信託機構（定義為收取與提供信託或掛名股東有關的服務費，是否超過全部服務費收入的兩成）；
2b. 我們是否一家投資機構（定義為代客戶收取與投資或管理資產相關的收益，是否超過全部服務費收入的五成）。

此問卷的目的乃確認所有提供上述服務的持牌公司服務供應者的身份，如有提供以上服務者， 將被視為一家財務機構，有責任定期向香港稅務局披露其管理客戶的詳細資料。

如客戶有向其他服務供應者採用上述信托及 / 或掛名服務，您們需要清楚明白 — 坦白而言，數年前曾經流行利用此等信托及 / 或掛名服務來隱蔽其資產的做法，現時已引起香港稅務局的注意，後續的審查將陸續有來。

道理其實很簡單—提供信托及 / 或掛名服務的提供者，絕不會免費提供服務，而他們這類收入當然需要作為其業務收入並需要報稅。收入的方式一般有兩種：根據信托合約定義的管理費，或透過每次客戶透過信托人進行投資時，由信托人賺取投資差價來收取。香港稅務局現在透過向服務提供者來尋寶了。

我們謹此聲明，我們並無提供此等服務。自此類服務以「稅務安排」名義開始流行起，我們已認為此類安排由稅務層面出發並不可行，其權益由法律層面出發亦不安全。如有客戶寧可聽信幾個投資講座或 Youtube 影片就作出重大資產配置決定，您目的的稅務情況將有風險了。

一如既往，如您需要我們提供 1. 成立合規的企業架構，及 / 或 2. 稅務情況的建議，請即聯絡我們作進一步咨詢！