Business profits and permanent establishment — Articles V and VII: what part of this actually needs a professional?
Some of it, yes — and we will say so on the call if that is the honest answer. The parts that are worth paying for are the ones where a missed election, a missed deadline or an unverified threshold costs more than the fee: the permanent-establishment article defines fixed places, dependent agents, construction sites and service presences, with carve-outs for preparatory activity.
What if I have already filed and got it wrong?
That is a common starting point. We re-derive the position, identify whether an amendment or a disclosure route is the right vehicle, and tell you which one preserves the relief that is still available. The order matters more than the speed.
How long will it take?
It depends on the documents rather than on us. Once the pack is complete most filings turn around inside a fortnight; anything that needs a certificate from a tax authority runs on that authority's timetable, which we tell you at the start rather than at the end.
When does a construction project create a permanent establishment?
Most treaties give building sites and installation projects their own rule, turning on how long the work continues rather than on whether an office exists. Time is generally counted per site, and related contracts split between group companies are commonly aggregated to stop the threshold being avoided by paperwork. The period differs between treaties, so it is read from the one that applies. See permanent establishment risk.
What does Form W-8BEN actually do?
It tells a US payer that you are not a US person and, where you are entitled, claims the treaty rate on the income they are about to pay you — so withholding comes off at the reduced rate rather than the statutory one. It goes to the payer or the broker, never to the IRS, and it expires, so a stale form is a common cause of over-withholding. Getting it in before payment is the difference between a lower rate and a refund claim. See Form W-8BEN.
Should I use a branch or a subsidiary abroad?
A branch is the same legal entity operating in another country, so its profits and losses sit with the parent and it is taxed there as a permanent establishment. A subsidiary is a separate company, taxed in its own right, with dividends and withholding on the way home. Losses, repatriation cost and liability usually decide it, and the answer differs by country pair. See branch vs subsidiary.
What if an authority disagrees later?
The file is built to be defended: the position, the authority relied on, and the evidence, all recorded at the time. Representation in a review or objection is quoted separately when it is needed.
Can you work alongside my existing accountant?
That is how most of our engagements run. They keep the domestic file, we take the cross-border piece, and the scope boundary is agreed in writing so nothing is done twice or missed.