Perspective

Tax 2021: Threats and Opportunities

The idea that every problem contains the seed of its own solution has become such a universal business cliché that few people stop to think why this idea rings so appealingly true. The reason is survival. When presented with a problem, human beings are hardwired to come up with a… Read more »

Tax, Tech, and Talent

Digital transformation of the corporate tax department promises significant return on investment—cost reduction, risk mitigation, and data-driven insights that grow revenue and profitability. In our 2020 Corporate Tax Departments Survey, Acritas, a Thomson Reuters company, and the Thomson Reuters Institute interviewed leaders of tax departments at twenty-three large US-based companies… Read more »

Tax Controversy During COVID-19 Didn’t Have to Be This Difficult

If there ever was a time to pity our friends at the Internal Revenue Service, that time is now. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, budget cuts and staff attrition had hampered the IRS’ ability to keep up with its mounting workload, and the agency’s legendarily anachronistic information technology systems… Read more »

Are You Ready for DAC6? Mandatory Reporting and Exchange of Cross-Border Tax Arrangements Are Fast Approaching

Complex new tax reporting requirements are right around the corner for companies with business operations in the European Union (EU). In June 2018, the EU issued the fifth amendment to its Directive on Administrative Cooperation—commonly called DAC6—calling for “relevant” taxpayers or their intermediaries to report certain cross-border tax arrangements to… Read more »

It’s Simple: The Future Will Be More Complex (and That’s OK)

Two fundamental assumptions will underlie most of what is written and discussed about tax management in the coming years. One is that the world inhabited by tax and accounting professionals is becoming more “complex.” The second is that tax professionals need to embrace new technologies to meet this growing complexity… Read more »

Beyond Regulatory Compliance: Five Key Questions Tax Analytics Can Help Companies Answer

Corporate tax departments manage and process large volumes of data, but that data typically is leveraged only in core compliance processes—generating tax filings and returns and accounting for transaction taxes, income taxes, and transfer pricing. But limiting the use of all that data to the compliance function is a missed… Read more »

In 2020, New Tech Should Empower Tax Professionals, Not Replace Them

For many tax executives and finance professionals, 2019 has been the year that several emerging trends could no longer be denied. Yes, machine learning and artificial intelligence are automating many basic accounting functions. Yes, businesses worldwide are streamlining their workflows and integrating cloud-based services. And yes, customers and companies are… Read more »

A Survival Guide for In-House Accountants

In-house accountants are understandably anxious about being caught in the crosshairs of technological change. After all, better software and improved machine learning are automating many basic accounting functions, and stricter managerial scrutiny has put many in-house teams in the unenviable position of having to defend the accuracy, efficiency, and value… Read more »

Global Compliance: Get on the Wave or Get Stuck at Sea While Sharks Circle

Pick the Right Wave to Ride to Shore Some people call it transformation, others disruption. Change is coming in the broader world and in business. The world and business environments are less certain as economies slow. Businesses need to streamline and sharpen their focus to survive. Tasks are either taken… Read more »

States Jump on Economic Nexus Bandwagon, But Questions Remain

On June 21, 2018, the Supreme Court issued its decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, overturning the longstanding physical presence requirement for sales and use tax nexus. Now, under Wayfair, a state can require a company to collect and remit sales or use tax on the basis of the company’s… Read more »