Comments on: Microsoft does tax avoidance in secret

By: Tax Research UK / CBI: now they’re saying ‘only the little people pay taxes’

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:23:53 +0000

[...] the consequence of blatantly stealing other country’s tax revenues - as was the case with Microsoft, for example. The simple fact is, there’s only room for one thief in town. This is also why [...]

By: Tax Research LLP

Tax Research LLP — Mon, 14 May 2007 07:43:23 +0000

I agree. A genreal anti avoidance principle will help. They will feature in our forthcoming code of conduct for taxation

By: A Marshall

A Marshall — Mon, 14 May 2007 00:15:28 +0000

It’s possible that Bill Gates has teams of accountants making all these decisions for Microsoft and that if he were to personally intervene and stop them from doing it, he would run the risk of making himself look like a right numpty within the corporate milieu.

I believe that it’s down to individual governments to crack down on aggressive tax avoidance by legislating to prevent corporate profits escaping the tax net through clever transfer pricing arrangements. A general anti-avoidance principle could do this.

By: Tax Research UK / Do tax practitioners need to exercise moral judgement?

Tax Research UK / Do tax practitioners need to exercise moral judgement? — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 12:53:28 +0000

[...] As I have noted elsewhere on this site, the practitioner has a duty to more than one client at a time. They must see the world in the round, not in the micro detail of one client and one case if they are to be a true professional. In other words, externalities have to apply to the practitioner’s work and if that is true then externalities have to be considered in the decision making process. The duty to pay tax is an externality in the decision making process, but which has to be considered. If reputation risk is high (as it seems to be for Microsoft and Apple, so they’re hiding their tax planning) or if legality is in question, as is the case in high profile cases such as Barclays seeking to protect its UK customers with accounts in the Channel Islands from the due process of UK tax law under the guise of banking secrecy, then clearly ethics are a key component in the decision process, and in the way it will be judged. I have suggested Apple, Microsoft and Barclays have acted entirely legally but unethically. [...]

By: AccMan Pro / How Microsoft effectively screws shareholders

AccMan Pro / How Microsoft effectively screws shareholders — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:41:00 +0000

[...] Richard Murphy talks about Microsoft’s latest attempts to hide its tax avoidance schemes from public scrutiny, referring to an article in FinFacts. Richard believes - and with some justification - that the scale of tax avoidance could not be sanctioned without Bill Gates knowledge. More like Steve Ballmer in my view but let’s not split hairs. [...]

By: Tax Research LLP

Tax Research LLP — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:14:34 +0000

Dennis - yes I think it is. Sure this is a public company - but one which has always been dominated by its CEO, who has never sought to avoid the association.

It is impossible to believe that the Irish activity could not happen without his agreement - and if it does, then there’s something seriosuly wrong with its governance.

So either way - this is Bill G’s responsibility in my opinion

By: Dennis Howlett

Dennis Howlett — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:02:07 +0000

Is it reasonable to make a connection between the company and its sheanigans and BillG? It is a public company and not, as far as I’m aware, run as a lifestyle organisation - like some I could mention.

By: Daniel Wimberley

Daniel Wimberley — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:03:51 +0000

No comment, I just would like the follow-up comments on this stoiry