How is AEoI Different from FATCA and CRS?
FATCA and CRS are the two warriors of the government fighting to eradicate tax evasion.
But so is AEoI. So what’s the difference?
The problem is that compliance in the EU market gets overly complicated when it is compared to Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI). And, no matter how good the initiative seems, from the viewpoint of financial institutions, it just means more compliance requirements to be fulfilled.
What’s more, as new market regulations emerge each day, it becomes all the more challenging to stay up to date with the government’s requirements.
However, the biggest challenge eligible entities face is determining the difference between Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI) from FATCA and CRS. So let’s lay down these key differences clearly.
Let’s begin by understanding what AEoI is.
An Introduction to AEoI
The term AEoI refers to the cross-border sharing of financial information by tax regulators and administrations.
Automatic Exchange of Information includes:-
● Foreign Account Tax Compliance (FATCA) for US Persons
● Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories
● Common Reporting Standard (CRS)
That’s right. AEoI is the umbrella concept introduced by the UK government and tax administrators and regulatory authority for the financial institutions, which is a combination of both FATCA & CRS.
The primary difference between AEoI and FATCA/CRS is their applicability.
AEoI applies to UK financial institutions and residents of the UK or any part of a non-resident financial institution located in the UK. On the other hand, FATCA and CRS apply to the rest of Europe’s financial institutions, except the UK.
Aim of AEoI
Simply put, the AEoI regulations are designed to increase the level of tax compliance across the world. The implementation of which is complicated, particularly since there are two similar but not entirely compatible components: FATCA and the CRS.
While we are at it, let’s also explore the fundamental differences between FATCA and CRS.
Difference Between Exchange of Information for FATCA and CRS
The requirements laid down under FATCA and CRS are applicable to all financial institutions based in Europe, except the UK.
● Purpose of FATCA and CRS
Both FATCA and CRS aim to ensure that all eligible taxpayers disclose all their income and assets held in offshore accounts via their tax returns, allowing tax authorities to identify discrepancies or fraud.
● Scope
Simply put, FATCA requires assistance from financial institutions to locate offshore accounts of US persons. CRS also requires financial institutions to report offshore accounts but has a much broader scope as it includes tax residence and reporting financial accounts from over 100 countries.
● Requirements Under FATCA and CRS
Both FATCA and CRS regulations require global financial institutions to identify customers who directly or indirectly hold accounts in countries where they are not tax residents. Financial institutions are required to do this by asking customers to complete and submit a document known as a self-certificate.
After submitting this certificate, financial institutions then report requisite information to their local tax authority, who pass it to the concerned country’s tax authority.
Facing Challenges with AEoI or FATCA/CRS Reporting?
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