Understanding the tax legislation is the first step in managing your taxes by minimising risk and costs by ensuring that you have the most efficient tax strategy. At BDO we explain the tax legislation in a language that is much easier to understand and making sure that you avoid the pitfalls and remain compliant at all times. 

We collaborate with our clients to identify their taxation requirements or concerns and use our local knowledge and detailed experience of the taxation landscape to deliver the expected results.  Our tax strategies cover such matters as (but not limited to) availability of carry forward tax losses, thin capitalisation, capital gains tax, availability of tax assets on mergers and acquisitions and withholding tax issues.

BDO is the only international accounting network firm that is well represented throughout the Pacific Region. With offices in Samoa, Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia we are well positioned to offer tax advice on doing business in the Pacific region.

If you are a Samoa business or individual wanting to do business and/or invest in New Zealand or Fiji (or anywhere else in the world) we can help you with:

• investment opportunities in these markets
• understanding withholding tax structures for these countries
• understand dividend tax implications
• establishing the right entity structure outside of Samoa to maximise shareholder wealth and minimise tax costs
• the implications of the double tax agreements with New Zealand
• group tax implications where holding company is in Samoa
• setting up your structure in the right manner from day

If you are foreign business or a foreign national looking at investing or doing business in Samoa we can help you with:

• foreign investment application and company incorporation
• business license application and other statutory applications
• understanding the withholding tax structure for Samoa
• the right debt-equity structure to ensure compliance with thin capitalisation rules
• investment tax credit and tax exemptions for tourism development
• investment application support and providing business support services as well as liaising with the right people at the right level.

For more information on doing business in Samoa have a look at our Doing Business in Samoa Guide or contact your BDO advisor for more information.