-
Business valuations
We offer expert valuation advice in transactions, regulatory and administrative matters, and matters subject to dispute – valuing businesses, shares and intangible assets in a wide range of industries.
-
Capital markets
You need corporate finance specialists experienced in international capital markets on your side if you’re buying or selling financial securities.
-
Complex and international services
Our experience of multi-jurisdictional insolvencies coupled with our international reputation allows us to deliver the best possible outcome for all stakeholders.
-
Corporate insolvency
Our corporate investigation and recovery teams can help you manage insolvency situations and facilitate the best outcome.
-
Debt advisory
An optimal funding structure for your organisation presents unprecedented opportunities, but achieving this can be difficult without a trusted advisor.
-
Expert witness
Our expert witnesses analyse, interpret, summarise and present complex financial and business-related issues which are understandable and properly supported.
-
Financial models
A sound financial model will help you understand the impact of your decisions before you make them. Talk to us about our user-friendly models.
-
Forensic and investigation services
We provide investigative accounting and litigation support services for commercial, matrimonial, criminal, business valuation and insurance disputes.
-
Independent business review
Is your business viable? Will it remain viable in the future? A thorough independent business review can help your organisation answer these fundamental questions.
-
IT forensics
Effective ESI analysis is integral to the success of your business. Our IT forensics experts have the technical expertise to identify, preserve and interrogate electronic data.
-
Mergers and acquisitions
Grant Thornton provides strategic and execution support for mergers, acquisitions, sales and fundraising.
-
Raising finance
Raising finance - funders value partners who can deliver a robust financial model, a sound business strategy and rigorous planning. We can guide you through the challenges that these transactions can pose and help you build a foundation for long term success once the deal is done.
-
Relationship property services
Grant Thornton offers high quality independent advice on the many financial issues associated with relationship property from considering an individual financial issue to all aspects of a complex settlement.
-
Restructuring and turnaround
Grant Thornton’s restructuring and turnaround service capabilities include cash flow, liquidity management and forecasting; crisis and interim management; financial advisory services to companies and parties in transition and distress
-
Transaction advisory
Our depth of market knowledge will steer you through the transaction process. Grant Thornton’s dynamic teams offer range of financial, commercial and operational expertise.
-
Virtual asset advisory
Helping you navigate the world of virtual currencies and decentralised financial systems.
-
Corporate tax
Grant Thornton can identify tax issues, risks and opportunities in your organisation and implement strategies to improve your bottom line.
-
Employment tax
Grant Thornton’s advisers can help you with PAYE (payroll tax), Kiwisaver, fringe benefits tax (FBT), student loans, global mobility services, international tax
-
Global mobility services
Our team can help expatriates and their employers deal with tax and employment matters both in New Zealand and overseas. With the correct planning advice, employee allowances and benefits may be structured to avoid double taxation and achieve tax savings.
-
GST
GST has the potential to become a minefield and can be expensive when it goes wrong. Our technical knowledge can help you minimise the negative impact of GST
-
International tax
International tax rules are undergoing their biggest change in a generation. Tax authorities around the world are increasingly vigilant, especially when it comes to global operations.
-
Research and Development
R&D tax incentives are often underused and misunderstood – is your business maximising opportunities for making claims?
-
Tax compliance
Our advisers help clients manage the critical issue of compliance across accountancy regulations, corporation law and tax. We also offer business and wealth advisory services, which means we can provide a seamless and tax-effective offering to our clients.
-
Tax governance
Mitigate tax risks and implement best practice governance that will stand up to IRD scrutiny and audits.
-
Transfer pricing
Tax authorities are demanding transparency in international arrangements. We businesses comply with regulations and use transfer pricing as a strategic planning tool.
-
Audit methodology
Our five step audit methodology offers a high quality service wherever you are in the world and includes planning, risk assessment, testing internal controls, substantive testing, and concluding and reporting
-
Audit technology
We apply our audit methodology with an integrated set of software tools known as the Voyager suite. Our technology has been developed to produce quality audits that are effective and efficient.
-
Financial reporting advisory
Our financial reporting advisers have the expertise to help you deal with the constantly evolving regulatory environment.
-
Business architecture
Our business architects help businesses with disruptive conditions, business expansion and competitive challenges; the deployment of your strategy is critical to success.
-
Cloud services
Leverage the cloud to keep your data safe, operate more efficiently, reduce costs and create a better experience for your employees and clients.
-
Internal audit
Our internal audits deliver independent assurance over key controls within your riskiest processes, proving what works and what doesn’t and recommending improvements.
-
IT advisory
Our hands on product experience, extensive functional knowledge and industry insights help clients solve complex IT and technology issues
-
IT privacy and security
IT privacy and security should support your business strategy. Our pragmatic approach focuses on reducing cyber security risks specific to your organisation
-
Payroll assurance
Our specialist payroll assurance team can conduct a review of your payroll system configuration and processes, and then help you and your team to implement any necessary recalculations.
-
PCI DSS
Our information security specialists are approved Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) that have been qualified by the PCI Security Standards Council to independently assess merchants and service providers.
-
Process improvement
As your organisation grows in size and complexity, processes that were once enabling often become cumbersome and inefficient. To maintain growth, your business must remain flexible, agile and profitable
-
Procurement/supply chain
Procurement and supply chain inputs will often dominate your balance sheet and constantly evolve for organisations to remain competitive and meet changing customer requirements
-
Project assurance
Major programmes and projects expose you to significant financial and reputational risk throughout their life cycle. Don’t let these risks become a reality.
-
Risk management
We understand that growing companies need to establish robust internal controls, and use information technology to effectively mitigate risk.
-
Robotic process automation (RPA)
RPA is emerging as the most sophisticated form of automation used to help businesses become more agile and remain competitive in the face of today’s ongoing digital disruption.
Budget 2013: Tax changes at a glance
Tax changes at a glance
While nowhere near a ‘tax budget’, Budget 2013 still provides a number of tax changes. The most significant tax change is a signalled $1 billion reduction in ACC levies for businesses and households. The main tax changes are covered below.
Business and household ACC reductions
The Government has signalled continuing improvements in ACC which will provide opportunity for significant levy reductions for both businesses and households while ensuring the system remains sustainable. The Government is allowing for a $300 million reduction in levies in 2014/15 and expects this will increase to $1 billion by 2015/16.
Business research and development concessions
The Government wants to encourage small innovative businesses to invest in R&D. Small innovative businesses are set to benefit from proposed tax changes which will allow them to claim tax losses on R&D up to a certain limit. This will benefit R&D intensive start-ups. A public consultation paper will be released in June 2013.
Business black hole expenditure
The budget will also provide tax relief for six areas of black hole expenditure:
- Immediate deductibility for capitalised legal and administrative fees for patent applications where no depreciable asset is recognised for tax purposes.
- Making certain fixed life resource consents granted under the RMA depreciable for tax purposes.
- Making certain abandoned resource consent applications immediately deductible, irrespective of lodgement of the application.
- Immediate deductibility for all direct costs associated with the payment of dividends.
- Immediate deductibility of annual stock exchange listing fees.
- Specifying that annual shareholder meeting costs are immediately deductible.
Multinational investor thin capitalisation restrictions
Previously signalled changes to the thin capitalisation rules for inbound multinationals will be made and will lead to some multinationals paying more tax in New Zealand as a result of excessive interest deductions becoming non-deductible for New Zealand tax purposes. Some technical issues are still to be resolved including, the ‘acting together’ test to ensure the resulting legislation is workable in practice.
Tax administration
The Government remains very satisfied with the work the Inland Revenue (IRD) has done in the property area over the past few years. The IRD will be allocated a small level of additional funding to further pursue property investment tax compliance. This will see a further $6.65million increase in IRD funding with an anticipated $45 million per annum return to the tax base.
Collaborative funding of $2.9 million will be used between eight Government departments, including the IRD, which will see improvements in the public’s interaction with Government in a digital environment. Against this ‘nominal’ level of investment it appears that the wider funding issues facing the IRD’s FIRST system will need to be addressed within current allocations.
Personal tax changes – overseas based student loan borrowers
Aside from the ACC levy reductions, there are targeted changes in the student loan rules for overseas-based borrowers. The Government will ‘up the ante’ in a range of ways including:
- Changes to repayment thresholds to reduce the repayment timeframe
- Changes to the child support border arrest system to include non-compliant overseas-based borrowers
- Information sharing between the IRD and Internal Affairs.
In terms of the tax impact, the highlight in Budget 2013 will be the ACC levy reductions which no doubt will be well received across all levels of the business community.
Further enquiries, please contact:
Greg Thompson
Grant Thornton New Zealand National Director and Partner, Tax
T +64 4 495 3775
E greg.thompson@nz.gt.com