Tax & Legal

Taxation can have a significant impact on real estate investment returns, not only on account of headline tax costs, but also because of the risk of penalties, interest and double taxation costs that can arise if investments are not properly structured or tax compliance obligations are not satisfied.

Conversely, with tax efficient structuring at the outset and effective ongoing tax risk management, investment returns can be enhanced through the mitigation of taxes and tax-related costs.

Effective tax risk management means integrating consideration of tax issues into all stages of the real estate business life cycle:

• Taxes should be factored into the structuring at the outset of real estate business or investment
• Tax compliance and reporting obligations need to be handled in an efficient and timely manner on an ongoing basis
• The impact of changes in tax laws and practice must be monitored
• Appraisal of exit strategies or development opportunities, such as mergers and acquisitions, must include analysis of the tax implications.

Our real estate tax specialists are familiar with the constraints of the PRC regulatory environment and the options available for structuring and financing real estate investments in the PRC on a tax efficient basis. With our network of offices in key cities throughout China, we can also readily access the local tax bureaux so that local variations in tax rates and practices can be appropriately reflected in the accurate appraisal of investments.

As well as advising clients on specific investments and acquisitions, we have extensive experience in advising clients on the structuring and launching of fund investing in Chinese real estate, including leading global institutions.

We also provide tax compliance services for numerous clients in the real estate sector, and are experienced in dealing with groups comprising large numbers of SPVs.