Articles
Gain deeper insight with articles that give our considered opinion and predictions of where the industry will go next.
Validating W-8 Forms: Cultivating an Eye for Detail
We are often asked what constitutes a consequential or an inconsequential error when validating a W-8 form. Some errors are obviously consequential, but what happens if an error appears relatively trivial, such as an incorrect date format? In this post, we explore how you can assess the risks involved and make a judgement about whether to reject or validate a W-8 form.
I speak English, French and FATCA
Acronyms have two main uses: to facilitate efficient communication between professionals within a given discipline where the long form of technical terms would be unwieldy, and to create a barrier to communication - a secret language that you can only understand if you are within the profession. In this post, Ross McGill gives a quick guide to the acronyms of FATCA.
GATCA: A Practical Guide to Global Anti-Tax Evasion Frameworks
TConsult's subject matter experts Ross McGill, Chris Haye and Stuart Lipo have written a new book providing a practical guide to global anti-tax evasion frameworks. In this post, Stuart describes the context for the book...
Are FATCA’s Dissenters Tilting at Windmills?
Like Don Quixote, FATCA’s dissenters may have misidentified their enemy. So what is the problem with FATCA and what might happen if the anti-FATCA movement succeed in getting it repealed?
The Challenges of GATCA
The global anti-tax evasion frameworks that comprise GATCA have as many commonalities as they have differences, so it makes sense to approach regulatory compliance in a holistic fashion.
In this post, we explore how smaller firms are responding to the pressures of compliance...
FATCA Misconceptions
For some within the industry, the mere mention of ‘FATCA’ is enough to spark compliance-nightmare flashbacks.
The ever unpopular FATCA regulations have now been with us for seven years. But, despite its relative longevity, there are a surprising number of misconceptions surrounding FATCA....
Why W8? – Start re-papering over the cracks now!
QIs and NQIs face a rare opportunity to dramatically increase their W-8 compliance rate by re-papering all existing clients using the IRS' new W-8 forms. Find out how such a project could benefit your firm and why it could be worth it in the long run.
3 Things To Annoy You About W-8s and 3 Things You’ll Love
The IRS just made three HUGE changes to W-8 series of self certification forms used by almost every financial institution across the globe to categorise their non-US customers, and there's a lot to love...
US Reporting Tax – How Does It All Work?
March 28, 2024As we get to the end of March, most of you will probably be fussing over your reporting obligations and […]Read more
The W-8 Web – Perils OF W-8 Validation
March 15, 2024The US tax system is one of the biggest in the world, which of course means that changes will have […]Read more
There Might Be A Problem With Your TCC – And You Need To Act Now
March 12, 2024Now that we’ve all relaxed after the IRS notification that electronic filings of US tax returns (Form 1042) have been […]Read more
Periodic Review Certifications – A Beginners Guide
February 29, 2024After my last article about periodic reviews, a few people asked questions about the types of certifications submitted to the […]Read more
Periodic Reviews – Essential Oversight for QIs
February 27, 2024I just know that a lot of you groaned and put your heads in your hands when you read that […]Read more
1042-S Reporting – A 9-Month Activity You’re Already Behind On
February 14, 2024It’s that time of year again – US 1042-S reporting season! It’s a financial institution’s worst nightmare, and many aren’t […]Read more
Muinmos and TConsult ink deal over digital investor tax self-declarations
October 2, 2023Muinmos and TConsult have signed an agreement to integrate TConsult’s Investor Self-Declaration platform (ISD) into Muinmos’ Client Onboarding Platform, enabling Muinmos’ clients, typically financial institutions, to automatically obtain ISDs instead of using multiple paper tax certification forms to document the tax status of their clients.Read more
Training: The QI’s Achilles’ Heel
April 20, 2023Training is an essential component of your obligations as a QI. In this article we explore what the QI Agreement says about training and how we can help you to deliver cost-effective training to everyone in your firm with a role in QI compliance.Read more
Announcing the Tax Compliance Toolkit Training Academy
April 18, 2023We are delighted to officially announce the launch of the Tax Compliance Toolkit Training Academy with our debut course: QI Essentials. This course provides a foundation level understanding of the U.S. qualified intermediary regime and the role you play in helping your firm to be compliant with the terms of the QI Agreement. Find out how you can access the training...Read more
Argentina becomes latest jurisdiction to sign an IGA with the USA
December 22, 2022The latest FATCA news is that Argentina has signed a Model 1A IGA with the US. We consider what this means for Argentine financial institutions.Read more