Morgan & Morgan advised Avianca Holdings, S.A. in Exchange Offer of Senior Notes for US$550,000,000
Panama, November 1, 2019.
Morgan & Morgan advised Avianca Holdings, S.A., a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Panama (the “Company”), in launch and consummation of an exchange offer of the Company’s previously issued US$550,000,000 8.375% Senior Notes due 2020 for newly issued US$550,000,000 8.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 (the “Exchange Notes”). The Exchange Notes will have terms that are identical in all material respects to the terms of the Existing Notes, except that, among other differences, (1) the Exchange Notes will be issued by the Company and will be guaranteed by Avianca Leasing, LLC and Grupo Taca Holdings Limited (“Taca”), which were co-issuers of the previous notes, and will additionally be guaranteed by Avianca Ecuador S.A., Tampa Cargo S.A.S., Aviateca, S.A., Latin Logistics, LLC, International Trade Marks Agency Inc., and a newly created intermediate holding company (“Parent HoldCo”), which did not guarantee the previous notes, (2) the Exchange Notes will be secured by a pledge or assignment of (a) the AVIANCA brand and certain other intellectual property registered in different jurisdictions, including Panama, (b) certain unencumbered aircraft which are currently owned directly by or in trust for the benefit of Tampa Cargo S.A.S. or by Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A. – Avianca (“Aerovias”), and (c) the residual interest in substantially all aircraft which are owned and financed now or in the future by the Company and its subsidiaries, and (3) the Exchange Notes will automatically be exchanged (the “Mandatory Exchange”) for an equivalent principal amount of 9.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (the “New Notes”) on December 31, 2019 upon the closing of an investment of not less than U.S.$250 million of new equity or convertible debt in Avianca Holdings from United Airlines, Inc. (“United”), Kingsland Holdings Limited (“Kingsland”) and one or more financial institutions, of which at least U.S.$200 million thereof will be made by United and Kingsland (the “Stakeholder Investment”) and the receipt of such funds on or prior to December 31, 2019.
BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as the Dealer Managers of the Exchange Offer, with BofA Securities, Inc. acting as Global Coordinator of the Exchange Offer. Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, acted as indenture trustee and collateral trustee, Citibank, N.A. acted as transfer agent, registrar and principal paying agent, and Cititrust Colombia S.A., Sociedad Fiduciaria, acted as Colombian collateral agent.
Partner Ricardo Arias; senior associate Aristides Anguizola; and associates Allen Candanedo and Maria Eugenia Brenes, participated in the transaction.
Panama: Regulations applicable to tax deductions from school expenses
Angélica Ortiz, Taxation Department, Morgan & Morgan
Law 37 of June 5, 2018, adds line 9 to article 709 of the Fiscal Code, which is related to the annual income tax deductions to which natural persons are entitled, regarding school expenses incurred by the taxpayer with respect to their dependents. Additionally, Executive Decree 368 of December 26, 2018 and Resolution No. 201-1635 of May 13, 2019, establish the regulations applicable to the deduction of said expenses.
From the regulations indicated above, we highlight the following aspects:
- School expenses, including tuition and school fees, supplies, uniforms and school transportation, incurred by taxpayers with respect to their minor dependents, will be deductible from the taxable income.
- School expenses related to the payment of tuition and credit hours incurred by taxpayers with respect to their dependents of legal age who are still under their tutelage, attending third-level or higher education.
- The deduction may be up to a maximum annual amount of B/.3,600.00, for each dependent; and may also be applied to taxpayers who pay for their own studies, as long as they submit their tax return declaration.
- Employees who pay Income Tax, in order to make the deduction, must: i) submit an affidavit of the fiscal period in which they incurred those expenses and ii) submit a petition requesting the deduction, duly accompanied by the detail of school expenses and supporting documentation (invoices).
- Invoices or equivalent documents supporting the school expenses to be deductible must be issued in the name of the father, mother or the person who has legal tutelage of the student. They may also be issued in the name of the dependent.
- The deduction of school expenses will be recognized only for payments made in the Panamanian territory.
- The financial obligation of parents with their children of legal age will be until they reach 25 years-old.
- Taxpayers whose dependants have a level of disability but that does not prevent them from attending an educational or university center will be entitled to the deduction of all school expenses.
- School expenses will be deductible in the tax return declaration of the year 2019, and be settled in the year 2020.
- Published in 2019, Angelica Ortiz, News, Publications, Taxation, Taxation-es
Transfer Pricing Update in Panama
The regulation of Transfer Pricing is one of the mechanisms through which the Directorate General of Revenue (DGI) seeks to avoid the erosion of the tax base.
In Panama, it is regulated in the Fiscal Code in its Chapter IX from Article 762-A to 762-Ñ. The obligation on the issue of Transfer Pricing and specifically with the study is generated since the 2011 period. At that time it was applicable only in cases in which Panamanian taxpayers developed transactions with companies that were located in countries with which Panama had signed a treaty to avoid double taxation.
However, in the 2012 period, by means of Law 52-2012 in its Article 7, the scope of the obligation is modified and the scope of application is extended, so, from that period, all Panamanians taxpayers who carry out transactions with related companies located abroad are subject, provided that said transactions result in income, costs or deductions in the determination of the tax base, for purposes of Income Tax, of the fiscal period in which the transaction is declared or carried out.
In 2018 it is included that the entities that hold a Multinational Company Headquarters License (SEM) must report in the Affidavit of Income Tax following the arm’s length principle, that is, they must prepare it and present it within the framework of a transfer pricing study resulting from transactions with other companies of the group worldwide.
All of the foregoing means that the taxpayers subject to the Transfer Pricing obligation must inform their transactions with related parties located abroad in the Affidavit of Income Tax, submit the Form 930 of Transfer Pricing and the elaboration of the report.
It is necessary to point out that only the Transfer Pricing Report must be submitted, at the moment that the DGI makes the request, within a period no longer than 45 days from the notification.
Part of the efforts made by the DGI to incorporate BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) actions is reflected in Article 11 of Executive Decree 390 effective as of January 1, 2017, which allows the Tax Administration to request Information corresponding to:
- Consolidated financial statements of the economic group, as well as a list of intangibles.
- The organizational, legal and operational structure of the economic group of which the Panamanian taxpayer is a member.
- Description of the functions, assets and risks of the group companies.
- Also, as part of the required information, the group transfer pricing policies,
- A description of the value chain of the most important products and services, among others.
Given this situation, it is necessary for taxpayers to take into consideration the adoption of the local report (local file) and the master report in accordance with the BEPS standard.
On the other hand, we must bear in mind that Executive Decree No. 390 made an update on the Transfer Pricing regulations in force in Panama, where we can highlight the following points:
- It states that: the transactions of income, costs and deductions must be analyzed transaction by transaction, however, it is possible to perform an analysis in a grouped way given the nature of the transactions.
- Regarding the use of information from several periods, it will be possible to use it, provided that it adds value to the analysis.
- The comparability adjustments, which are made in the studies submitted by the taxpayers, may be applicable and accepted by the Tax Administration, provided that they comply with certain parameters.
- The taxpayer must include in the study, detailed information of the analyzed transactions, organization chart, its related companies and type of relationship, competitors’ detail, analysis of the sector in which it operates, among others.
- For the selection of comparable transactions, they must be justified by indicating the characteristics of the goods and services; as well as the functions, assets and risks; contractual terms; and economic circumstances, among other factors.
- On behalf of the DGI, emphasis is placed on their preference for internal comparables. Reason for which, the taxpayer must document any transaction potentially comparable to those made with related parties.
Currently, as part of the evolution of the issue of Transfer Pricing in our country, in April 2018, the DGI published Resolution No. 201-1937 which modifies form 930, (which must be presented through the eTax 2.0 system.)
Among the main changes in the declaration, the following points can be highlighted:
- The taxpayer must reveal if it is in a fiscal regime or special economic zone.
- Provide information about comparable transactions selected by the taxpayer.
- A section of questions related to the taxpayer and the economic group to which it belongs is added.
- An annex must be completed for intangible transactions such as: royalties, intellectual property, trademarks, among others.
- For cases in which a method based on profit margins has been used, it is necessary to reveal the name of the companies selected as comparable, the tax periods of the comparable companies used, as well as the country of residence.
Fines and other measures for non-compliance
An element to consider with the modification of the form is that, due to the level of details requested, it is very important to have the Transfer Pricing Report prior to the presentation of the declaration.
For cases in which the filing of Form 930 is not made, taxpayers could be sanctioned with 1% of the total gross amount of the transactions with related parties of the period, up to a maximum of $1,000,000.
On the other hand, if the Tax Administration makes the request for the Transfer Pricing Report and the taxpayer does not provide the documentation, it would result in a fine ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 in the first instance and, from $5,000 to $10,000 in case of being recidivist.
The DGI has the power to close the taxpayer’s premises for 2 days in the first instance; and if it is a recidivist it can be up to 10 days and if the breach continues it could reach up to 15 days.
With the described scenario and the actions taken by the DGI, it is vital that taxpayers advise each other correctly in order to comply with the requirements within the established deadlines and thus avoid any type of contingency that may arise in the issue of Transfer Pricing.
Our expert team is at your disposal to jointly achieve the due fulfillment of this obligation.
How can we work together?
Compliance in Transfer Pricing
A transfer pricing study that adequately and concisely complies with the transfer pricing information required by current regulations allows concentrating the management in this matter towards the optimization of resources.
At Morgan & Morgan, together with Grupo Camacho Internacional, we have the knowledge and experience to prepare the documents required by the DGI, validating the prices traded between companies of the same economic group and also serving as compliance support for cases of tax review.
Transfer pricing management
Transfer pricing management consists of the planning, design, implementation and active control of compliance with policies, strategies and actions related to the matter, in order to ensure compliance with current regulations in Panama and internationally.
Our ability to assess and understand the needs of each company allows us to guide your company through a highly personalized service, ensuring compliance and efficient tax management.
Questions from the DGI
When the DGI determines that the transactions carried out and analyzed by your company do not comply with the arm’s length principle, it will make an incremental adjustment in the income tax.
Our experience, both in the preparation of the documentation and in their respective defense, enables us to deal with the highest professional level in handling cases and the attention of particular consultations.
- Published in 2018, 2019, Adolfo Campos, Publications, Taxation
Morgan & Morgan participated in Seminar on Property Taxes
Panama, November 20, 2018. Adolfo Campos, senior associate and tax specialist, took part as speaker in the Seminar on Property Taxes in Panama-New Law 66 of 2017.
During the event the speakers talked about the most relevant aspects of Law 66 of 2017 which will begin to take effect on January 1st, 2019.
The activity was organized by the National Bar Association of Panama.
About Morgan & Morgan
Morgan & Morgan advises companies and individuals in matters pertaining to the Panamanian taxation system, including special taxes regimes. The firm has an experienced team of attorneys with broad knowledge in tax law addressing all sorts of industries, such as, financial services, technology, shipping, energy, real estate, intellectual property, retail and wholesale business, who can readily identify obstacles and solutions but mostly the opportunities clients can expect to achieve upon making business in Panama.
- Published in 2018, Adolfo Campos, News, Taxation
Associates of Morgan & Morgan participated in regional updating program on International Taxation
From February 29 to March 3, 2016, the International Taxation updating program was held in San Jose, Costa Rica, about Panama, Mexico and the Central American region. At said event, attorneys Amanda Barraza de Wong and Adolfo Campos, associates of Morgan & Morgan’s Tax Department, were invited to expose on a perspective of the taxation system of Panama.
CFOs, CEOs and other important executives from companies in the region attended, and had the opportunity of knowing the origins and trends of the tax systems and how they will apply to their companies.
MMG (Seychelles) Ltd. obtained Corporate Services License
We are pleased to inform you that MMG (Seychelles) Ltd. has obtained its Corporate Services License. This development attests to the M&M Group’s continuous commitment to expansion and diversification of services.
Seychelles is well known for its comprehensive corporate and financial service legislation, its growing network of double taxation agreements (DTAs), taxation information exchange agreements (TIEAs) and the tax-exempt Seychelles International Business Companies (IBCs).
If you have any further questions regarding IBCs in Seychelles, please do not hesitate to contact us at corporate@morimor.com