Actually, Ireland shut it down, with delayed windows for current users, in 2014. So, maybe it was being abused more when it was first investigated, but not now.
Still not sure why the EU hasn't forced all countries to conform to their tax laws. And punish the countries, not the companies, who set up these loopholes over the past 35 years.
Also, you can't call a plan 'unlimited' unless its, you know, actually unlimited. Using a lot of data in an unlimited plan does not make someone an asshole. It shows the company as stupid.
In 2014, the Irish government announced that companies would no longer be able to incorporate in Ireland without also being tax resident there, a measure intended to counter arrangements similar to the double Irish.[4] Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan addressed the "Double Irish" during the presentation of his 2015 budget. Under the new rules, companies not already operating in the country may not pursue the “Double Irish” scheme as of January 2015; those already engaging in the tax avoidance scheme have a five-year window until 2020 to find another arrangement.
Most bizarre part of all of this: Ireland says Apple doesn't owe any extra taxes to Ireland. EU says Apple DOES owe extra taxes to Ireland.
What if Ireland refuses to take the payments from Apple, believing they are illegal per Irish tax laws?
Why are they pursuing a legal loophole in Ireland, though maybe not EU, after it's been used openly & publicly for 35 years?
Why is Ireland not punished for not just allowing, but encouraging local tax provisions that are supposedly in direct violation of EU laws? And they continue to do this, by altering this method slightly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Under Finance Act 2015, a new system has been introduced whereby innovative companies who choose to incorporate in Ireland can now benefit from the introduction of the Knowledge Development Box (the “KDB”) in Ireland, the scheme is seen a replacement for the “double-Irish” tax system which was recently closed. An effective tax rate of 6.25% can be obtained on qualifying profits generated in periods commencing on or after 1 January 2016.
So it sounds like Ireland's tax laws have been out of compliance for half a century. Free movement of capital, but not taxation.
So why now, and why Apple? And since the EU is only now going after a ~35 yr old accounting practice, Apple can fairly have assumed that the practice was perfectly legal until recently.
It must make you so angry to realize how much more Musk has accomplished already compared to what you will ever be able to accomplish. He's become a billionaire three times over - paypal, tesla, spaceX - and driven those arenas far further forward than anyone else at the time.
And the most you're capable of is calling people moron on the internet.
Slashdot Mirror
My Mac SE was the most powerful computer on campus that the average student had access to.
Only way I could do fusion modeling in advanced physics.
This was in 1988.
Ironically, Apple could buy just about any corporation that hates it.
I guess that's one definition of success.
That is Google's core business after all.
Never forget that.
Did you even read the reuters article?
With quotes from the Apple CEO and president in the 1980s?
Apple did it first, Google made it popular around 2008-2010.
Which is about as long as Congress (who gets big $ from Google lobbying) has been talking about a low/no tax repatriation.
And the NYT made it famous outside technical/legal circles.
Maybe you should try limiting your google searches to before the NYT article.
Actually, Ireland shut it down, with delayed windows for current users, in 2014. So, maybe it was being abused more when it was first investigated, but not now.
Still not sure why the EU hasn't forced all countries to conform to their tax laws. And punish the countries, not the companies, who set up these loopholes over the past 35 years.
Also, you can't call a plan 'unlimited' unless its, you know, actually unlimited. Using a lot of data in an unlimited plan does not make someone an asshole. It shows the company as stupid.
It's also very weird that, in reading around their site, they only use the term sometimes even though most everything they talk about is a VM.
Seriously? You can't use google? Or wikipedia?
here's a pdf from the first footnote on the wikipedia article. It's an article written in 2007.
http://www.gtlaw.com/portalres...
Apple came up with this method in the 1980s. It's been well known for a lot longer than any silly NYT article.
http://www.reuters.com/article...
What the fuck is a 'droplet'?
And they only provide it in some datacenters. Basically, same as everyone else - not fully rolled out.
None of them.
Now what?
Ireland says that Apple is fully compliant with Irish tax law. All taxes paid for earnings in Ireland have been paid, per Ireland.
EU says they're not.
What if Ireland refuses to take an EU forced Apple payment because they believe it would be illegal under Irish tax laws?
Double Irish has been around since the 1980s *and is still legally in use today*. But even back then it, legally, produced very low tax rates.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
In 2014, the Irish government announced that companies would no longer be able to incorporate in Ireland without also being tax resident there, a measure intended to counter arrangements similar to the double Irish.[4] Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan addressed the "Double Irish" during the presentation of his 2015 budget. Under the new rules, companies not already operating in the country may not pursue the “Double Irish” scheme as of January 2015; those already engaging in the tax avoidance scheme have a five-year window until 2020 to find another arrangement.
Most bizarre part of all of this:
Ireland says Apple doesn't owe any extra taxes to Ireland.
EU says Apple DOES owe extra taxes to Ireland.
What if Ireland refuses to take the payments from Apple, believing they are illegal per Irish tax laws?
Again, though.
Why are they pursuing a legal loophole in Ireland, though maybe not EU, after it's been used openly & publicly for 35 years?
Why is Ireland not punished for not just allowing, but encouraging local tax provisions that are supposedly in direct violation of EU laws?
And they continue to do this, by altering this method slightly:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Under Finance Act 2015, a new system has been introduced whereby innovative companies who choose to incorporate in Ireland can now benefit from the introduction of the Knowledge Development Box (the “KDB”) in Ireland, the scheme is seen a replacement for the “double-Irish” tax system which was recently closed. An effective tax rate of 6.25% can be obtained on qualifying profits generated in periods commencing on or after 1 January 2016.
Fair point.
So it sounds like Ireland's tax laws have been out of compliance for half a century. Free movement of capital, but not taxation.
So why now, and why Apple? And since the EU is only now going after a ~35 yr old accounting practice, Apple can fairly have assumed that the practice was perfectly legal until recently.
Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich has existed as a tax strategy, founded by Apple and approved by Ireland, since the late 1980s.
Another problem. Apple was in Ireland a decade before the EU existed.
Apple was in Ireland, and established as its European headquarters, well before the EU existed. 1980 vs 1993.
By hacking into manufacturer data? Because I doubt any of them would willingly give that data out.
Well, with open source phones, you don't have to do that surreptitiously.
Then I think your point was way too subtle.
if Apple found a loophole that allowed them to legally dump poisonous metals wherever they like, would you take the same stance?
Payment for double taxation is not remotely like polluting the earth.
You're right, the taxes I pay are completely fucking comparable to the taxes Apple doesn't pay by exploiting loopholes.
No, Apple's loopholes are exactly like you (and I) taking deductions for mortgage insurance, kids, depreciation on rental property, etc, etc, etc.
It must make you so angry to realize how much more Musk has accomplished already compared to what you will ever be able to accomplish. He's become a billionaire three times over - paypal, tesla, spaceX - and driven those arenas far further forward than anyone else at the time.
And the most you're capable of is calling people moron on the internet.
It's the fastest car that wasn't a hand-built $800,000 individually tuned 'production' car. How anyone can call it a production car is laughable.
The hand built labor that justifies the price does invalidate the fact that they're not production.
Oh, and you can buy a P100D now.
https://www.tesla.com/models/d...
LOL, Tesla is actually planning on a production line or two for it.
Not a few hundred, hand built 'production' cars.
Oh, and costs less than $500,000, unlike all the hand built labor of those other 'production' cars.
If they're not IN production, then they're NOT production cars.