Apple involved in $74bn tax evasion scheme

The clamour surrounding Apple’s tax affairs in Washington on Monday is set to reverberate around the world in the coming days, following revelations that taxpayers abroad have suffered more than those in the US from the company’s tax avoidance tactics.
In one unusual arrangement, Apple cut a deal to pay a corporation tax rate of 2 per cent or less in Ireland over the past decade, far below the usual 12 per cent rate. It then passed billions of dollars of earnings through subsidiaries in the country, enabling it to escape large tax payments to other countries around the world.

All of Apple’s sales outside the Americas are channelled through the country, according to Monday’s revelations, which were contained in a report from the Senate’s permanent subcommittee on investigations.

The implications were not lost on politicians in Washington, even though the Senate’s investigation was prompted by purely domestic concerns about a massive leakage of US tax that would otherwise have been paid by some of the country’s richest multinationals.

Apple was also accused of shifting profits out of the US by booking part of its research and development costs through a company in Ireland, even though, by its own admission, “virtually all” of its R&D takes place in the US. That enabled it to also book revenues in Ireland, cutting tax on about $10bn a year in profits that otherwise would have fallen due in the US.

Apple also defended its recent decision to fund a large share buy-back plan by issuing $17bn in debt rather than repatriating part of its $102bn in foreign cash reserves, which would have led to a tax charge of up to 35 per cent.

Related Articles Ameriabank Brings Apple Pay to Customers Apple lays groundwork for first-ever debt issue Apple profits fall for first time in a decade Apple shares fall below $400 on fears of slowing sales Judge cuts Apple award versus Samsung, sets new damages trial Apple smart watch efforts confirmed by US patent Apple, Facebook, Twitter suffer malware attack Apple's Tim Cook: Shareholder lawsuit a 'silly sideshow' Apple, Microsoft and Adobe summoned by Australia Apple cuts iPhone part order