Italy says international tax dodger amnesty is bringing in billions

[shiryu]

About €60bn in undeclared wealth disclosed – mostly hidden in Switzerland – with up to €4bn in tax and interest expected to be paid, says government

The Italian government said on Wednesday it was set to rake in at least €3.8bn euros (£2.75bn/US$4bn) after tax dodgers took advantage of an amnesty deal to declare money and assets hidden abroad.

The so-called voluntary disclosure programme, which was launched a year ago and ended on 30 November, brought to light nearly €60bn euros in undeclared wealth, the economy ministry said in a statement.

“The [resulting] tax revenues are estimated at around €3.8bn. With interest the final proceeds could easily reach around €4bn,” the statement said.

The Italian authorities received 130,000 voluntary declarations as a result of the scheme, amounting to a total of €59.5bn, it said.

Some 70% of that was hidden in Switzerland. To a lesser degree funds were also stashed in Monaco, the Bahamas, Singapore and Luxembourg, the ministry said.

“Unlike previous measures the taxpayer taking part in this scheme still has to pay the total tax and interest, it’s only the penalties that have been reduced,” the statement said.

The ministry hailed the voluntary cooperation scheme as a success, saying the “era of banking secrecy is over”.

“The relationship between the tax authorities and the taxpayers starts afresh with a renewed dialogue that will be based essentially on trust,” the ministry said.

The centre-left government in October approved a €27bn-€30bn budget designed to ensure a fledgling economic recovery takes wing in 2016 at the cost of slowing the reduction of the country’s massive €2.2tn debt.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/10/italy-says-international-tax-dodger-amnesty-is-bringing-in-billions

[bitfranky]

No chance that'll ever happen in the USA. The banksters and the private jet tax dodgers they serve own the government. All of it.

[bryant.coleman]

So the Italian government received some €3.8 billion in penalties from tax dodgers, after the latter declared €59.5 billion worth of illegal assets? That corresponds to a penalty of less than 6% of the net value of the assets. Either this is a typo, or the Italian government gave in to the tax dodgers giving them a lucrative deal.

[acquafredda]

So the Italian government received some €3.8 billion in penalties from tax dodgers, after the latter declared €59.5 billion worth of illegal assets? That corresponds to a penalty of less than 6% of the net value of the assets. Either this is a typo, or the Italian government gave in to the tax dodgers giving them a lucrative deal.

No typo!

If you earn 12000€ (gross) per year (like the majority of Italian workers) you'll pay at least 27% of income tax on it.
If you are a privileged tax evader like those guys, you bring back your money for a ridiculous 6%! And maybe you can also keep the change.

Just for you to know this is not the first time that something like this happens: since 1980 at least every five years any government signs a similar bill to ask for some cash flow in.

This is absurd.  

[bryant.coleman]

If you earn 12000€ (gross) per year (like the majority of Italian workers) you'll pay at least 27% of income tax on it.
If you are a privileged tax evader like those guys, you bring back your money for a ridiculous 6%! And maybe you can also keep the change.

If this is the case, then I fail to understand what the government gains from it. I have seen tax amnesties in various Asian countries. On every single instance, the penalty was at least 30% to 100% higher than the maximum rate of income tax. Most of these amnesties were not very successful, but at least they don't encourage the tax evaders.

[darkangel11]

They couldn't trace the funds so the choice was 6% or losing time and money to catch them. They chose wisely, although they could've asked for more.

[vero]

Whats expected and what will be paid are two far away figures, Italy, Tax and Law are very complex subjects that will take years to resolve. A tax amnesty like this was held only a few years ago, it just allows people to declare assets, pay a fine and then pay some tax on the asset in the future.

[countryfree]

If you earn 12000€ (gross) per year (like the majority of Italian workers) you'll pay at least 27% of income tax on it.
If you are a privileged tax evader like those guys, you bring back your money for a ridiculous 6%! And maybe you can also keep the change.

If this is the case, then I fail to understand what the government gains from it. I have seen tax amnesties in various Asian countries. On every single instance, the penalty was at least 30% to 100% higher than the maximum rate of income tax. Most of these amnesties were not very successful, but at least they don't encourage the tax evaders.

Well, those 60 billions, if real, would now be invested or spent in Italy, so that makes money for business. If 1,000 tax dodgers buy a new car registered in Italy, go to a restaurant every day and have marble floors installed in their bathrooms, it's all good.

[panju1]

If you earn 12000€ (gross) per year (like the majority of Italian workers) you'll pay at least 27% of income tax on it.
If you are a privileged tax evader like those guys, you bring back your money for a ridiculous 6%! And maybe you can also keep the change.

If this is the case, then I fail to understand what the government gains from it. I have seen tax amnesties in various Asian countries. On every single instance, the penalty was at least 30% to 100% higher than the maximum rate of income tax. Most of these amnesties were not very successful, but at least they don't encourage the tax evaders.

Well, those 60 billions, if real, would now be invested or spent in Italy, so that makes money for business. If 1,000 tax dodgers buy a new car registered in Italy, go to a restaurant every day and have marble floors installed in their bathrooms, it's all good.

It may be good, but is it fair?
Could alternative methods (say stricter prosecution, threat of higher punishment) achieved the same results in a fair manner?
That is the question you should ask.

[bryant.coleman]

Well, those 60 billions, if real, would now be invested or spent in Italy, so that makes money for business. If 1,000 tax dodgers buy a new car registered in Italy, go to a restaurant every day and have marble floors installed in their bathrooms, it's all good.

What sort of logic is that? So the honest taxpayers who paid their dues on time are idiots for not stashing their money abroad? This might give a temporary boost to the local economy. But in the long term, measures such as this one will encourage even more tax evasion, and the government revenues will definitely take a hit.

[acquafredda]

Well, those 60 billions, if real, would now be invested or spent in Italy, so that makes money for business. If 1,000 tax dodgers buy a new car registered in Italy, go to a restaurant every day and have marble floors installed in their bathrooms, it's all good.

What sort of logic is that? So the honest taxpayers who paid their dues on time are idiots for not stashing their money abroad? This might give a temporary boost to the local economy. But in the long term, measures such as this one will encourage even more tax evasion, and the government revenues will definitely take a hit.

There is really no logic behind these moves: gov needs money and they don't care to go in depth. I think 60 bln € is a very low esteem of what is outside of Italy. Gov closes one eye and then, every once in a while, asks for funds to come back.

"Honest" taxpayers are forced to pay taxes since the income tax is already taken from their wage: they basically fund everything in Italy. While people who have companies try to avoid taxes in every way they can.

Remember George Carlin (he said it referring to the USA to be honest)

You know how I define the economic and social classes in this country? The upper class keeps all of the money, pays none of the taxes. The middle class pays all of the taxes, does all of the work. The poor are there just to scare the shit out of the middle class. Keep 'em showing up at those jobs.

[countryfree]

Well, those 60 billions, if real, would now be invested or spent in Italy, so that makes money for business. If 1,000 tax dodgers buy a new car registered in Italy, go to a restaurant every day and have marble floors installed in their bathrooms, it's all good.

What sort of logic is that? So the honest taxpayers who paid their dues on time are idiots for not stashing their money abroad? This might give a temporary boost to the local economy. But in the long term, measures such as this one will encourage even more tax evasion, and the government revenues will definitely take a hit.

No, because tax evasion in Italy (like nearly everywhere) is getting more and more difficult. Credit card use is on the rise, event at small restaurants, so there's much less income which can be hidden, and the Italian government has also forbidden the use of cash for transactions over a certain amount. Could be 1,000 € but I'm not sure.

[BADecker]

Who made taxation, and who said that handling money in certain ways was illegal? People did it.

Why do some people have the ability and right to impose tax on others? They don't. Why not? Because taxation is stealing. If they steal, it is because they are stronger. Stronger doesn't make it right. It only makes it doable.

[Beliathon]

Seriously though, nuke Italy. Start with Venice.

[bryant.coleman]

No, because tax evasion in Italy (like nearly everywhere) is getting more and more difficult. Credit card use is on the rise, event at small restaurants, so there's much less income which can be hidden, and the Italian government has also forbidden the use of cash for transactions over a certain amount. Could be 1,000 € but I'm not sure.

Only legal businesses will be complying with this € 1,000 limit on cash transactions. Can the Italian government enforce this measure on the members if he Cosa Nostra and the Sacra Corona Unita? I don't think so. They will continue to earn their drug money in hard cash and then they will send that money to Geneva. During the next tax amnesty, this cash will flow back to Sicily and Puglia.

[bitsmichel]

No chance that'll ever happen in the USA. The banksters and the private jet tax dodgers they serve own the government. All of it.

Bankers are the most powerful entity here.

[acquafredda]

Seriously though, nuke Italy. Start with Venice.

Most interesting comment so far, applause.

[bryant.coleman]

No chance that'll ever happen in the USA. The banksters and the private jet tax dodgers they serve own the government. All of it.

Bankers are the most powerful entity here.

Don't you think that this tax dodger amnesty happened after intense lobbying by the banking cartels? It is not possible to indulge in tax evasion, without support from various banks. And what makes tax evasion easier in Italy is the fact that there are a large number of banks which operate in both Switzerland and Italy.

[BCEmporium]

Italy public debt:

2,312,978,780,537€

Those 4,000,000,000€ will surely make a difference... 

[zenitzz]

If this is a result of what has been declared there must be a whole lot more still out there undeclared..its not as if the Mafia would be volunteering their real books for audit..the Catholic Church either for that matter.