To receive
monthly updates on new features in lowtax.net
and tax-news.com just enter your e-mail address
below:
Daily
Tax Quote
New On The Network Today
This feed is published daily with selected new or updated
content from across our network. For a list of network sites, many of
which feature daily news, see below.
Providing essential tax news and information for globally
mobile artists, contractors, entrepreneurs, professionals, small businesses,
sportspersons and entertainers.
Lowtax Network Sites
Lowtax Network Portal:
'Low-tax' business and investment in the top 50 jurisdictions covered in
exceptional detail.
Tax News: Global
tax news, continuously updated through the day.
Law & Tax
News: Daily news and background data on tax and legal developments
for international business.
Offshore-e-com:
A topical guide to offshore e-commerce focused on tax and regulation.
Lowtax Library:
One of the web's largest and most authoritative business and investment
information sources.
US Tax Network:
The resource for free online US taxation information, covering: corporate
tax, individual tax, international tax, expatriates, sales and e-commerce
tax, investment tax.
NEW! Personal
Business Tax Guide: Providing essential tax news and information
on business for contractors, entrepreneurs, professionals, small businesses,
artists, sportspersons and entertainers.
Belize
is an independent country within the Commonwealth
bordered by Mexico, the Caribbean and Guatemala
to the east and south. It is 24,000 sq km
in size, with a population of 300,000. The
country is, or was, heavily forested. The
climate is nearly tropical, and there can
be hurricanes. The extremely mixed population
is racially harmonious. English is the official
language and the main religion is Christianity.
The currency is the Belizean dollar, fixed
at BZ$2 = US$1.
Sugar
and bananas represent a difficulty for the
centrist Government . . .
In
Belize's bi-cameral Westminster-style government,
the lower house was most recently elected
in 2008 and the government is tackling economic
problems caused by reduced access to privileged
markets for sugar and bananas, by encouraging
foreign investment in manufacturing and
the development of mass tourism. The country's
structural deficit can only be financed
by overseas borrowing, but the Government
hopes for debt relief for existing loans.
GDP growth was 2.1% in 2008 and -1.5% in
2009 due to the general global downturn,
natural disasters and the drop in oil prices.
In
October 2004, the government began implementing
a significant tightening of fiscal policy.
This resulted in a reduction in the country’s
overall deficit to 3.1% in fiscal year 2005/2006.
A deficit of 2.8% was forecast for the fiscal
year 2009/2010.
In
August 2006, former Prime Minister Said
Musa announced that the servicing of the
country's debt, which accounted for 90%
of its GDP, was "no longer a viable
option" on existing terms, leading
to a rearrangement of Belize’s external
debt stock.
.
. . and foreign pressure may hold back offshore
development.
Internal
Belizean taxes are moderate, with a small
turnover-based tax in addition to 25% corporation
tax. Employees pay up to 45% tax on income
plus social contributions. There is a variety
of offshore schemes, including IBC legislation,
a modern trusts law, and an array of free
zones and investment incentive schemes.
Belize offered 'economic citizenship' until
the program was cancelled in 2002, and there
is a retired persons regime. International
pressure on Belize to moderate its offshore
regime in exchange for debt relief seemed
to have slackened in 2003.
The
business environment is quite good, but
e-commerce lags.
Telecommunications
are state-of-the-art, but too expensive
because of the telecommunications monopoly
which is holding back development. Recent
moves to open up an e-commerce free zone
may have come too late for Belize to catch
up with more advanced jurisdictions. Air
and sea communications are both good, and
it may be that Belize's immediate offshore
future lies more in expanding its effective
and popular free zones than in other directions.
One of the web's largest and
most authoritative business and investment information sources. Alongside
topical, daily news on worldwide
tax developments, you can receive weekly newswires or
access up-to-date intelligence
reports on a range of legal, tax and investment subjects.
Our 16 constantly updated
intelligence reports cover every important aspect of 'offshore' and international
tax-planning in depth, including banking secrecy, the EU's savings tax
directive, offshore funds, e-commerce, offshore gaming and transfer pricing.
Reports are available for immediate downloading or as subscription
services with news pages.
Advertising & Marketing
With over 50,000 qualified readers every month our web-sites
offer a number of cost effective, targeted advertising,
sponsorship and marketing opportunities:
Display advertising - from 'skyscrapers' to 'buttons'
Content/article submission and sponsorship
Opt-in email marketing
On-line Services Directory listings
Could your corporate web-site or newsletter benefit
from incorporating regularly updated news and content
tailored to serve your clients' interests? We can provide
a variety of maintenance-free news and content solutions
that can be seamlessly integrated and dynamically delivered:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: THE LOWTAX NETWORK
has taken reasonable care in sourcing and presenting the information contained
on this site, but accepts no responsibility for any financial or other loss
or damage that may result from its use. In particular, users of the site are
advised to take appropriate professional advice before committing themselves
to involvement in offshore jurisdictions, offshore trusts or offshore investments.
All materials on this site copyright THE LOWTAX NETWORK 1999 to 2010.
All content on this site
has been provided by BSIRN.