GTN Mobility Tax Blog

This article was originally published in Mobility Magazine.

Corporate moves are surging. According to an Atlas Van Lines report, 70% of all companies reported an increase in employee relocations last year. Unfortunately, relocating employees in the US or abroad could require tax obligations that not all HR and mobility professionals are prepared for.

What’s more, many leaders often assume their relocation management company (RMC), mobility tax provider, or local payroll provider will automatically handle tax compliance for their domestic and international moves. That’s not always the case. This article will look at the common misconceptions about relocation tax compliance and lay out tips to help your team avoid tax violations and maximize tax savings for moving expenses.

Global mobility programs are a win-win solution for both your company and your mobile employees.

In today’s rapidly evolving global economy, technology has made it easier to work across different time zones and borders. This connectivity allows seamless collaboration with colleagues worldwide. However, it also means that tax and immigration authorities can more effectively monitor and enforce compliance.

In the face of revenue shortfalls, the Israeli tax authority has recently focused its efforts to crack down on tax evasion by going after Israelis who have left the country without properly breaking tax residency. Although these rules and collection efforts are not new, this new compliance initiative highlights the critical importance for Israeli residents and their employers to understand the tax implications of relocating outside of Israel. Through education and proactive tax planning, unexpected scrutiny and surprise tax bills can be avoided.

Imagine this: you are sitting at your desk working to finalize the weekly status update. In walks the president of the company and says, “In order to increase our business, we are expanding overseas. I would like to send Jane Smith to Germany for three years. How soon can you make this happen?”

I’ll bet the questions that race through your mind are the same as every other HR manager tasked with sending employees internationally for the first time:

• Where do I start?
• What do I need to consider?
• What processes need to be in place?

UPDATED: February 7, 2020 

On January 31, 2020 the UK left the EU and has entered into an 11-month transition period. Now that this departure has taken place, it is a good time to carefully review the impact this will undoubtedly have on employees assigned to the EU.

Last week we shared information about withholding US social security tax from wages. This week, we want to talk about social security within the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland. Many of the conversations we have with companies sending business travelers intra-EU involve a deep sigh and a shake of the head. Getting the Posted Worker Directive (PWD) and social security withholding obligations correct when sending an employee from one EU-member state to another is a necessary statutory requirement; yet for most it is an administrative challenge.