Wednesday 28 November 2012

Holding oprichten in Bulgarije

Indien u ervoor kiest deel te nemen als directeur van een Bulgaarse onderneming, dan valt op grond van het belastingverdrag tussen Belgie en Bulgarije, de heffingsbevoegdheid van vergoedingen aan directieleden onder Bulgaars belastingrecht. De heffingen over inkomstenbelasting vallen dus in Bulgarije en niet in Belgie.
 Hiermee wordt het salaris van een directeur tegen 10% belast dit in tegenstelling tot de Belgische inkomstenbelasting welke kan oplopen tot 56%.

Information about how to make an invoice pursuant to the Bulgarian standards:

VAT on the invoices:
If your company was incorporated already but not registered for VAT, when you issue invoices, all invoices must be without VAT with deal description art. 113, (9) of the LVAT.
After the VAT registration you can issued invoices as follows:
1.1. You must issue invoices with VAT to Bulgarian companies and physical persons also registered for VAT in Bulgaria.
1.2. You must issue invoices with VAT to Bulgarian companies and physical person not registered for VAT in Bulgaria.
1.3. You must not issue invoices with VAT to Belgium companies and physical person registered for VAT in Belgium. The reason for this is art. 21, (2) in relation to art 86, par. 3 of the Bulgarian Law for Value Added Tax.  
1.4. You must issue invoices with VAT to Belgium companies and physical person not registered for VAT in Belgium.
1.5. Your company must file monthly VAT reports to the National Revenue Agency (NRA) till the 14th of the present month for the previous one. Till 14th of January you must file the VAT report for December, till 14th of February you must file the VAT report for January etc. In order the reports to be accurate we require all accounting documents for the previous to be send to us not later than 5th date of the present month. We always sent emails regarding this few days before that.
1.6. You must issue invoice only for the scope of acitivity your company do as per documents.
2. Number and date of the invoices
2.1. It is preferable to issue first proforma invoice and upon receipt of the payment to issue the original invoice. 
2.2. All invoices (proforma and original) must be with consecutive number and date. For example: you cannot issue invoice number 0000000010 with date 20.02.2012 and then invoice 0000000011 with date 18.02.2012. You must issue 0000000010 with date 20.02.2012 and then invoice 0000000011 with date 21.02.2012. The first invoice always starts with number 0000000001.
2.3. You must issue invoice upon five days after receipt of payment. Our advice is to issue the invoice on the same date of receipt the payment or if you issue few days later the date of the invoice to be the date of the payment. 
2.4. All original invoices must consist ten digits. For example: for the original invoices 0000000001, 0000000002 ..... 0000000120 etc., or 1000000001, 1000000002 ..... 1000000120 etc. The most important is the number of the invoices to be from ten digits which are consecutive numbers.
2.5. The same as p.2.4 is valid for proformas. The must consist ten consecutive digits and can start with INV or PRF. For example INV0000001, INV0000002 ..... INV0000120 etc.
 
You can issue invoice in one or two language as per your request. After sending to us scan copy of your invoices we will enter them into the bookkeeping software that will generate the invoice in Bulgarian anyway.
The information herein is based on reliable sources and data. The information provided is extent to the permitted by applicable Bulgarian Laws and Belgium Regulations.
If you need further information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Saturday 24 November 2012

Makkelijk ondernemen vanuit Bulgarije

Ondernemer worden is makkelijker dan de meeste mensen denken.

Om ondernemer te worden dient men enkel ondernemend te zijn. Zodra je iets doet naast "de baan bij de werkgever" ben je misschien al ondernemer geworden.

Veel mensen denken dat er voor het worden van een ondernemer eerst vergunningen, diploma's of financiële zaken nodig zijn.

Dit is soms zelfs dé reden waarom men er nog niet aan toe is om ondernemer te worden.

Het starten met ondernemen kan echter al veel gemakkelijker.

Bel Belgian Bulgarian Tax and Law Consultants en wij zullen u geheel vrijblijvend wegwijs maken in de wir war van regelgeving.

Thursday 22 November 2012

Begroting rond, tijd om te beslissen uw bedrijf naar Bulgarije te verhuizen.

De begroting is rond in Belgie, na veel geleuter en eigenlijk plat gezeik is het er toch van gekomen. Beetje accijnsverhoging en effe prutsen aan de spaarcentjes van de goedgelovige werkmens en klaar kwam Di Rupo.

Misschien toch tijd om nog even te herhalen dat het perfect mogelijk is om met een Bulgaarse vennootschap in Belgie te werken. Meer nog, het is zelfs mogelijk met een Belgisch BTW nummer op een Bulgaarse vennootschap zaken te doen in Belgie en je belastingen te betalen in Bulgarije. Mits inachtname van de nodige voorzorgen en de juiste spelregels is er geen mogelijkheid voor de Belgische fiscus om hiertegen op te treden, tenzij ze natuurlijk hun eigen gestemde wetten en de regels van Europa gaan overtreden. En toegegeven, die Belgische belastingsinspecteurs weten meestal niet waar de klepel hangt en ze durven nogal eens in het wilde weg rond zich heen schoppen met als gevolg dat er zeer vaak ten onrechte toch aanslagen gebeuren op de in Bulgarije zeer zuur verdiende centjes. Maar met een goede consultant en de juiste advocaat is de aanslag meestal te overzien en de centjes te redden. Er is veel jurisprudentie op heden die de belastingsplichtige in het gelijk stelt. Er bestaan nog rechters in Belgie die de wetgeving kennen, ze worden zeldzaam maar ze bestaan.

Mocht u met uw bedrijf willen vertrekken uit Belgenland, aarzel dan niet ons te contacteren. Bij eenvoudige vraag per email zenden wij u een pakket aan informatie.

Het grootste en mooiste klooster van Bulgarije ligt in het Rila gebergte



Een bijzonder klooster en tevens het grootste van Bulgarije is het Rilaklooster.Dit klooster is opgericht ter nagedachtenis aan Ivan Rilski die als kluizenaar leefde in de grotten enkele kilometers van het klooster. In de 18e eeuw is het klooster leeg geplunderd en in 1883 is het nog eens afgebrand. N. Rilski nam het initiatief tot wederopbouw van het klooster. In het museum bij het klooster staat een bijzonder kruis, met daarop 140 vakjes waar meer dan 1500 menselijke figuurtjes op zijn gemaakt. De monnik Raphael is er twaalf jaar lang mee bezig geweest en nadat hij klaar was is hij blind geworden van het priegelwerk. Daar komt ook de naam monnikenwerk vandaan.
De kerk van het klooster is ook bijzonder mooi, eens per jaar komen er veel mensen uit heel Bulgarije om het beeld van Maria te kussen dat in het klooster staat. Tot beneden aan de berg waarop het klooster staat staan mensen hiervoor in de rij. Ook brengen ze cadeaus mee zoals doeken om bij het beeld neer te leggen. Zeker een bezoek waard.

Voor wie is een Bulgaarse holdingstructuur interessant?



·         Web­winkels
·         Affil­i­ate ondernemingen
·         Fran­chise ondernemingen
·         Scheep­vaart ondernemingen
·         Inter­na­tionale werknemers
·         Soft­ware & IT ondernemingen
·         Techin­sche ontwikkelaars
·         Mode indus­trie
·         Top sport
·         Pro­duc­tie industrie
·         Onderne­min­gen met inkom­sten uit intel­lectueel eigen­dom (royalties)
·         Vast­goe­donderne­min­gen
·         Onderne­min­gen met (tijdelijke) opdrachten in het buitenland
·         Overige inter­na­tionale handel
·         Overige E-commerce ondernemingen

o      Mocht u vragen hebben, of interesse voelen voor het oprichten van een holdingstructuur in Bulgarije, aarzel dan niet ons te contacteren via email: taxandlawconsult@gmail.com

Bulgaarse BV (OOD) te koop

Wij kunnen voor u oprichten in Bulgarije:
Bulgaarse BV (ood) of Bulgaarse naamloze vennootschap (AD).

U kan ook een bestaande vennootschap overnemen zo u denkt dat het snel moet gaan. Wij hebben steeds ready made vennootschappen klaar zonder geschiedenis.
Via onze eigen boekhoudienst kunnen wij ook uw boekhouding verzorgen.

Bel op nummer +32484413737 voor meer informatie.

Monday 19 November 2012

Bulgaria: EU programs

For the period 2007-2013 Bulgaria will receive financing from EU amounting to more than 7 billion Euro. Wide range of beneficiaries can take advantage of the funds, receiving financing for their project ideas. Vikon Accounting Ltd. can be you assistant in the entire process from finding out an appropriate opportunity for financing and receiving of information for the actual competitions to development and realization of concrete projects. We offer you:

  • Preliminary analysis and evaluation of the investment intention
  • Expert recommendations for increase of profits and decrease of costs
  • Development of strategies for financing on European and national programs
  • Introduction to the client with requirements of financing institution
  • Preparation of business plan
  • Making of legal analysis
  • Preparation of auction procedures in correspondence with requirements of European and national programs
  • Expert solutions about all technological, normative, ecological and other aspects connected with the concrete investment project.

    Business ideas
    Realize your business idea by using the financial instruments at national and European level. Our experts will help you choose the suitable measures and programs to finance your business idea in order to achieve the best economic results.
    The financing under these programs opens a number of new possibilities to every entrepreneur. This is a unique possibility to expand your business or start a new one with 30-50% less expenses or even at no cost at all.

    Start a new business in Bulgaria or make the property you have bought start generating an income for you. Set up your own small electric power station, a place for rural tourism, hunting and fishing, an internet services and technologies center, facilities for leisure, relaxation and sport, a processing or manufacturing business; start making wood products � details, furniture, designs, houses; offer a variety of services � both locally and globally and many, many more.

    The possibilities are almost unlimited and everything is up to your creativity and entrepreneurial skills.

    Our consultancy services are specialized in drafting and managing grants projects under the Operational Programs and other financial instruments. Our activities are primarily aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises and seek to help companies make use of the funds under grant schemes so they can invest in the business assets they need.

    We offer professional help and our expertise for the following activities:

    • A preliminary assessment of the draft proposal, a detailed analysis and consulting on choosing the most effective program for financing your idea, adapting the idea and project to the requirements, providing a standpoint on the possibility the project to be approved by the financial institution;

    • Preparing and drawing up of a successful project for applying for the respective grant � technical, financial and legal argumentation of the project, filing of the project and defending it before the competent body;

    • Execution and management of the project and of the realized business idea � our team will help you realize the project and perform the activities and fulfill the conditions set by the donor institutions. In each of the cases this is the crucial step for absorbing the funds under the agreement. If the project is executed improperly in any way, the monitoring body may refuse to grant the whole or part of the sum allocated.

    And last, but not least, our team will assist and advise you how to optimize the activity and management of the enterprise in order to achieve optimal financial results. We will offer you various business solutions in the country on the basis of which you can develop your ideas and undertakings.

  • Thursday 15 November 2012

    The Bulgarian Economy


    Industries

    Electricity, machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, construction materials, textile and apparel, ferrous and nonferrous metals, nuclear fuel.

    Agriculture

    Products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets.

    Exports

    Commodities: machinery and equipment; metals, minerals, and fuels; chemicals and plastics; food, tobacco, clothing

    Exports
    Partners: Italy 14.6%, Germany 11.7%, Turkey 9.2%, US 5.8%, Greece 5.7%, Belgium 5.4%, France 5.1%.

    Imports

    Commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles.

    Offshore Bulgaria / tax and Law

    When badly managed, tax can be one of the most stressful and potentially dangerous aspects of working abroad. With expert knowledge and careful planning, however, you can achieve both full compliance and good retention.
    As a widely-recognised leader in the domain of tax planning, we are able to create effective solutions for each individual situation. Our services include:
     • Personal financial planning for consultants: getting the most out of your personal financial situation and leveraging any benefits provided for by the local authorities.
    • Taxation compliance: surely the most important of any contract overseas is to ensure that you remain fully compliant in the eyes of your host country. A key aspect of our service is to ensure that this is always the case by means of accurate planning before the fact, and by taking care of your local tax return for you.
    • Expatriate taxation: contracting abroad presents a number of advantages from a tax perspective, but care must be taken to remain compliant both in your host country and at home.

    • Offshore taxation issues: there are many misconceptions and inaccuracies that are often repeated with regard to offshore tax. Depending on your circumstances, widely divergent laws may apply and varying advantages may be enjoyed, but detailed local knowledge and stringent attention to detail is required: there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to questions such as these.
    With our help, you can get the most out of advantageous situations and avoid the common pitfalls of international tax. We will guide you at every stage of your contract and take into account every detail of your personal situation in order to maximise your retention and compliance.

    The most basic information about the taxes in Bulgaria.

    VAT rates
    The Value added tax rates in Bulgaria is 20% for domestic supplies, intra-community procurements and imports from non-EU countries and 7% reduced rate for certain tourist services. The 20% VAT tax is payable up to the 14th of the present month for the previous one together with the submission of the monthly VAT report. If the VAT tax is paid on a later stage there is a penalty interest for each and every day delay.
    Tax rates
    The corporate profit tax rate in Bulgaria is flat at 10%. The corporate tax is payable up to 31st of March of the present year for the previous one. If it is not paid up to this term there is a penalty interest for each and every day. Usually the tax authorities distraint the bank acocunts and the property of the company which does not pay the corporate tax upon one month after the deadline.
    The withholding tax at 5% on the gross amount of dividends and it is payable up to one month upon the decision for distribution of dividents.
    The personal income tax is flat at 10%. It is payable not only for the salary of an employee or manager of a company but also for person who had received income over contract for services. The personal income tax for salaries of employees and managers for example is 10% of the balance of the gross salary minus the social insurance payable on behalf of the employee. For gross salary of BGN 1`000 the social insurances on behalf of the employee are BGN 129, which mean that the personal income tax is BGN 87.10. The personal income tax payable by physical person for fulfillment a job over a contract for services is 10% balance of the remuneration over the contract minus up to 25% normative acknowledges expenses. This mean that if a computer web designer for example creates website for a company and the company pays him BGN 1000 remuneration over the contract, the web designer must pay BGN 75 personal income tax. The Personal income tax is deducted from the employee salary and it is payable by the employer. The personal income tax over contract for services is payable by the executor of the contract. The income is proved with a document issued by the assignor of the contract. In some cases both parties may agree the personal income tax to be deducted from the remuneration of the executor and paid directly from the assignor.
    The representative tax is 10% and it is payable for services as rent a car or payment of a business meeting dinner.
    This is the most basic information about the taxes in Bulgaria.

    10 vuistregels bij oprichting Panamese Stichting



    Stichting oprichten in Panama

    1. De naam van de stichting moet het woord "Stichting" bevatten en moet vooraf gaan aan een unieke naam die niet gelijkaardig is aan een andere stichting in Panama. Het handvest kan worden geschreven in elke taal in het Latijnse alfabet. Normaal gesproken Engels of Spaans.
    2. De stichting moet een minimum kapitaal van US € 10.000 hebben, kapitaal die vervolgens kan worden verhoogd door de oprichter van de Stichtings Raad of een derde partij. Het stichtings kapitaal blijft eigendom van de oprichter (s) idem voor  andere activa. Dit bedrag hoeft niet te worden gestort op een bankrekening voorafgaand aan de toekenning van het stichting charter, en de bankrekening van de stichting/bedrijf  kan buiten Panama (bv Zwitserland).
    3. De namen en adressen van de raadsleden in de stichting en van de  oprichter worden bekend gemaakt, indien de oprichter dat wenst kan er voorzien worden in lokale nominees. Indien natuurlijke personen is een minimum drie (3) vereist. Als u voor rechtspersonen kiest is een minimum van een (1) voldoende.
    4. De woonplaats van de stichting (meestal die van de lokale agent).
    5. De naam en het adres van de ingezeten van de stichting agent (advocaat of een advocatenkantoor) die moet de stichting charter vóór haar inschrijving in het Openbaar Register Office goedkeuren.
    6. Het doel van de stichting moet een niet-winstgevende doel zijn maar commerciële activiteiten kunnen worden uitgevoerd, mits zij in overeenstemming zijn met het algemene doel. De stichting kan optreden als een holding op voorwaarde dat de winsten van bedrijvigheid ten voordele van de stichting blijven.
    7. De procedures die kunnen gebruikt worden  om de beheerders te begunstigen en , te benoemen blijven de bevoegdheid van de oprichter.
    8. Het recht om het charter van de stichting te wijzigen blijft voorbehouden aan de stichter.
    9. De duur van de stichting kan beperkt worden in de tijd.
    10. De bestemming van de gelden van de stichting en van de activa bij liquidatie en de procedure voor liquidatie moeten beschreven worden..

    Procedure for obtaining a personal tax number in Bulgaria



    I am writing this in relation to the procedure for obtaining a personal tax number in Bulgaria. You must file a standard application form at the Bulgarian Revenue Agency with a copy of your passport/identity card and appoint an address for living in Bulgaria. The tax number you receive at the same day. The procedure can be done by explicitly empowered person with notarized Power of Attorney.
    Regarding the accountancy I am sending you basic information below:
    VAT registration
    After the company registration in Bulgaria the next step is the VAT registration. The Bulgarian VAT legislation is based on the EU VAT rules and Directive 2006/112/EC. The VAT registration is completely separate procedure from the company registration and it is done for two working weeks after the company registration once all documents required are filed at NRA. The VAT registration in Bulgaria pursuant to the Bulgarian legislation can be compulsory or voluntarily. The compulsory VAT registration is for companies which income turns BGN 50`000 or make purchases from abroad for more than BGN 20`000. The voluntarily registration can be done anytime before the company income turns BGN 50`000. Once the company is VAT registered it must file VAT report to the National Revenue Agency (NRA) on a monthly basis. The Bulgarian tax authorities are very strict in terms and regulations related to the VAT law. For that reason the VAT reports must be filed each and every month up to the 14th of the present month for the previous one, they must be correct and contain all the information required about the accounting deals made due the month.

    VAT rates
    The Value added tax rates in Bulgaria is 20% for domestic supplies, intra-community procurements and imports from non-EU countries and 7% reduced rate for certain tourist services.

    Tax rates
    The corporate profit tax rate in Bulgaria is flat at 10% and the withholding tax at 5% on the gross amount of dividends. The personal income tax is 10% as well. 

    Accounting services
    We take care for filing correct VAT report to the authorities and send information every month if something must be changed or it is not correct. The client can always contact us if any questions regarding the accountancy of his company arise during the month for consultation. We take care for the accountancy of the company which includes not only filing the VAT reports, but also: preparation of employee documents and servicing them on a monthly basis, filing the documents required to the National Social Institute, preparation of payslips and payrolls, preparation and filing of annual reports;

    It is very important also to know that the company must have a service contract/contract for the services the company provides with all clients and suppliers. The contracts can be bilingual but one of the languages must be the Bulgarian one. Very important also is the accountancy to have passive access the bank account of the company. Passive access means that the accountancy has username and password for the online banking system of the company and it can follow the transactions and the movement. This is needed in order the bank operations to be accounted correctly and on time. The passive access does not give the accountancy the rights of execution payments but only to make payment orders in the system.
    Monthly and annual reports
    The VAT monthly VAT reports are filed and the tax is due by the 14th of the following month for the previous one. The VAT tax period is a calendar month. All expense and income invoices must be submitted for the month they are received or issued in. Another very important document is the Annual Report. The annual report of the company contains Tax Declaration and Financial report. It is filed up to March 31 of the present year for the previous one at the Revenue Agency and the National Statistic Institute. It is also filed at the Registry Agency up to 30 of June of the present year for the previous one. Annual report must filed even if the company had been non active during the year. The tax (fiscal) year is the calendar year with no availability to opt for different reporting and accounting dates.

    Our start-up fee for bookkeeping is EUR 125 and includes creating of a profile in the accounting software depends on the company needs and scope of activity. Our fees for monthly accounting services are based on the monthly number of accounting documents and the number of the employees.
    An accounting document is each and every document issued or received on behalf of the company, inclusive: invoices (clients` and suppliers`), bank statements, tickets, receipts, orders and any kind of document for an income or expense of the company.
    The information herein is based on reliable sources and data. The information provided is extent to the permitted by applicable Bulgarian Laws and Belgium Regulations.
    If you have further questions related to the information above or other accounting issues please do not hesitate to contact us.