Conceptual Problems of the Corporate Tax : Swiss-US Comparative Analysis.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 1: General Introduction -- 1.1. General research framework -- 1.1.1. Scope and objectives -- 1.1.2. Comparative framework -- 1.1.3. Sources -- 1.2. Guiding legal principles of the Swiss tax system -- 1.2.1. Ability to pay and the distributive justice principles -- 1.2.2. Legality -- 1.2.3. Equivalence (benefit taxation) -- 1.2.4. Economic freedom -- 1.2.5. Cyclical taxation and the Totalgewinn theory -- Part 1: Formal Approach: Entity Classification Problem -- Chapter 2: Opening Comments Part 1 -- Chapter 3: Swiss Entity Classification for Tax Purposes -- 3.1. Relationship between tax law and private law -- 3.1.1. Historical approach -- 3.1.2. Contemporary approach -- 3.1.3. Excursus: Interaction in commercial and tax law reporting -- 3.1.3.1. Determinance principle -- 3.1.3.2. Exceptions to the determinance principle -- 3.1.4. Summary and evaluation -- 3.2. General entity classification rule: The separation principle -- 3.2.1. Legal framework -- 3.2.2. Definition of a legal entity -- 3.2.2.1. Domestic entities -- 3.2.2.1.1. General comments -- 3.2.2.1.2. Types of business corporations -- 3.2.2.2. Foreign entities -- 3.2.2.2.1. Private international law: The principle ofincorporation (article 154 PILA) -- 3.2.2.2.2. Tax law: The principle of resemblance (article 49(3) LIFD) -- 3.2.3. Entities without legal personality (sociétésde personnes) -- 3.2.3.1. Civil law framework -- 3.2.3.1.1. General comments -- 3.2.3.1.2. Types of non-corporate businesses -- 3.2.3.1.3. Sole proprietorships -- 3.2.3.1.4. Partnerships -- 3.2.3.2. Tax law framework -- 3.2.3.2.1. Tax subjects and flow-through treatment -- 3.2.3.2.2. Tax object -- 3.2.4. Summary and critical review -- 3.3. Exceptions to the separation principle -- 3.3.1. "Substance over form" approach.

3.3.1.1. Absence of a general substance-over-form legal norm -- 3.3.1.2. Specific substance-over-form legal tools -- 3.3.2. Tax avoidance -- 3.3.2.1. Abuse-of-a-right theory in private law (article 2(2) CC) -- 3.3.2.2. Judicial theory of tax avoidance -- 3.3.2.2.1. Concept and legal framework -- 3.3.2.2.2. Doctrinal critics -- 3.3.2.3. Durchgriff (piercing of the corporate veil) -- 3.3.2.3.1. Concept and legal framework -- 3.3.2.3.2. Private law -- 3.3.2.3.3. Tax law -- 3.3.2.4. Excursus: "Economic viewpoint" in tax law interpretation -- 3.3.3. Normative approach -- 3.3.3.1. Opening comments -- 3.3.3.2. Collective investment schemes -- 3.3.3.2.1. Definition and legal framework -- 3.3.3.2.2. SICAVs -- 3.3.3.2.3. Contractual funds investing directly in real estate -- 3.3.3.3. Foreign pass-through entities -- 3.3.3.3.1. Pass-through entities subject to Swiss limited taxing jurisdiction (articles 49(3) and 11 LIFD) -- 3.3.3.3.2. Pass-through entities with no economic activities in Switzerland -- 3.3.3.3.3. Critical evaluation of article 49(3) LIFD -- 3.3.3.4. Entities with quasi-legal personality -- 3.3.4. Summary and critical review -- 3.3.4.1. Tax avoidance and Durchgriff -- 3.3.4.2. Collective investment schemes -- 3.3.4.3. Taxation of foreign pass-through entities -- Chapter 4: US Entity Classification for Tax Purposes -- 4.1. US entity classification for tax purposes -- 4.1.1. Opening comments -- 4.1.2. Historical departure from commercial law -- 4.1.2.1. Origins and the "resemblance test" -- 4.1.2.2. Kintner regulations -- 4.1.3. Current tax entity classification -- 4.1.3.1. Three-step approach -- 4.1.3.2. "Check-the-box" regulations -- 4.1.3.2.1. Legal framework -- 4.1.3.2.2. Criticism and the 2017 reform -- 4.1.3.3. Corporations for tax purposes ("C corporations") -- 4.1.3.4. Flow-through entities for tax purposes.

4.1.3.4.1. Sole proprietorship -- 4.1.3.4.2. Partnerships -- 4.1.3.4.3. Hybrid entities -- 4.1.3.4.4. S Corporations -- 4.1.3.5. Classification of foreign entities -- 4.1.4. Uncertainty in defining corporate residence for income tax purposes -- 4.2. Anti-avoidance doctrines -- 4.2.1. Choice-of-form problem -- 4.2.2. Economic-substance doctrine -- 4.2.2.1. Relationship with other anti-avoidance doctrines -- 4.2.2.2. Legal framework -- 4.2.2.2.1. Judicial development -- 4.2.2.2.2. Codification -- 4.2.2.2.3. Criticism -- 4.2.2.3. Piercing the corporate veil with the "agent theory" -- 4.3. Summary and critical review -- 4.3.1. Tax law entity classification -- 4.3.2. Tax avoidance doctrines -- 4.3.3. Comparative critical review -- 4.3.3.1. Entity classification -- 4.3.3.2. Judicial tax avoidance theory -- Chapter 5: Closing Comments on Part 1 -- Part 2: Substantial Approach: The Justification Problem -- Chapter 6: Economic Double Taxation and Its Role in Corporate Tax -- 6.1. The concept of economic double taxation in the corporate context -- 6.1.1. Concept -- 6.1.1.1. International, domestic and corporate double economic taxation -- 6.1.1.2. "Classic" and "fictitious" economic double taxation -- 6.1.2. Economic double taxation of corporate income in a cross-border context -- 6.1.3. Taxation of business income in Switzerland -- 6.1.3.1. Double economic taxation of corporate income -- 6.1.3.1.1. Subjects liable to tax on business income -- 6.1.3.1.2. Tax on the business income of an individual -- 6.1.3.1.3. Tax on the profits of legal persons -- 6.1.3.2. Current measures mitigating the effect of corporate economic double taxation in Switzerland -- 6.1.3.2.1. Relief for qualifying dividends -- 6.1.3.2.2. Capital gains exemption -- 6.1.3.2.3. Special corporate profit tax regimes -- 6.1.3.2.4. Deduction of interest on corporate debt.

6.1.4. Taxation of business income in the United States -- 6.1.4.1. Double economic taxation of corporate income -- 6.1.4.1.1. General remarks -- 6.1.4.1.2. Corporate tax rate structure prior to 1 January 2018 -- 6.1.4.1.3. Corporate tax rates after 1 January 2018 -- 6.1.4.2. Measures mitigating economic double taxation -- 6.1.4.2.1. Choice of a pass-through business entity -- 6.1.4.2.2. Other principal measures mitigating economic double taxation -- 6.1.5. Summary and critical review -- 6.2. Historical development of corporate tax and economic double taxation -- 6.2.1. Switzerland -- 6.2.1.1. Emergence of corporate profit tax -- 6.2.1.2. Early views on corporate tax and economic double taxation -- 6.2.1.3. The extent of economic double taxation in Switzerland -- 6.2.1.3.1. Economic double taxation considerations in corporate tax reforms -- 6.2.1.3.2. Harmonization of cantonal taxes and the first company tax reform (CTR I) -- 6.2.1.3.3. Second company tax reform (CTR II) and the ERU Report -- 6.2.1.4. Current extent of the economic double taxation of corporations in comparison with pass-through entities -- 6.2.1.5. Summary and critical review -- 6.2.2. The United States -- 6.2.2.1. Emergence of an entity-level tax in the United States -- 6.2.2.2. Introduction of economic double taxation -- 6.2.3. Summary and critical review -- 6.3. Base erosion and the future of the "classical" system -- Chapter 7: Ability to Pay in Corporate Taxation -- 7.1. Ability to pay of an individual: Fundamental concepts -- 7.1.1. Emergence, concept and theoretical alternatives (benefits theory) -- 7.1.2. Horizontal and vertical equity -- 7.1.2.1. Concept and measures -- 7.1.2.2. Marginal utility of income and social welfare function -- 7.1.2.3. Consumption as a measure of ability to pay -- 7.1.3. Ability to pay of an individual in Swiss law -- 7.1.3.1. Normative framework.

7.1.3.1.1. Objectives and scope -- 7.1.3.1.2. Horizontal and vertical equity -- 7.1.3.2. Benefit taxation and the principle of equivalence -- 7.1.3.3. Exceptions to the ability-to-pay principle: Direct taxes pursuing non-fiscal objectives -- 7.1.3.3.1. Taxes as incentives and policy instruments -- 7.1.3.3.2. Taxes as incentives in Swiss law: Concept and goals -- 7.1.3.3.3. Conditions -- 7.1.3.3.4. Exceptions in corporate taxation -- 7.1.3.3.5. Limits to the exceptions to the principle of the ability to pay (Obwalden case law) -- 7.1.4. Summary and critical review -- 7.2. Ability to pay of a legal entity? -- 7.2.1. Swiss perspective -- 7.2.1.1. Normative framework -- 7.2.1.1.1. Legal basis -- 7.2.1.1.2. Definition through the taxable base -- 7.2.1.1.3. Horizontal and vertical equity in corporate taxation -- 7.2.2. The US perspective -- 7.2.2.1. Rejection of corporate ability to pay -- 7.2.2.2. Economic incidence of corporate tax -- 7.2.2.2.1. Background rationale -- 7.2.2.2.2. Basic concepts of tax incidence -- 7.2.2.2.3. Different theories on corporate tax incidence -- 7.2.2.2.4. The Swiss perspective on the economic incidence of corporate tax -- 7.2.2.3. Other theoretical arguments for corporate tax -- 7.2.2.3.1. General criticism -- 7.2.2.3.2. Limiting corporate power through taxation -- 7.2.3. Summary and critical review -- 7.2.3.1. Critical review of the Swiss normative framework -- 7.2.3.2. Critical review of the Swiss theoretical debate -- 7.2.3.3. The US perspective and the theory of economic tax incidence -- Chapter 8: Conclusions -- 8.1. On the form -- 8.2. On the substance -- 8.3. Application of the results in this book to other legal systems and further research questions -- Bibliography.

The book analyses fundamental theoretical controversies related to the concept and the justification of corporate taxation.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.