US Expansion – Opportunities and Challenges

Following the game-changing innovations and global digital revolution of the last 25 years, companies around the world now have unprecedented opportunities to reach new markets. The United States remains one of the most attractive markets for any company that wants to fuel its global growth, have access to investment capital and increase profits. The US is also a highly legalistic society with complex tax laws and regulations. Emerging technologies and the ways that consumers around the world access products and services continue to create grey areas in tax laws during this time of rapid progress.

Check our events page for upcoming US expansion seminars.

Cross-border global markets

The advancement of technology has created markets without borders and businesses of all sizes have the ability to use cloud-based platforms and apps to transact and engage with people anywhere in the world. Companies can quickly and easily mass distribute products and online services, transacted with only the tap of a touchscreen.

New technologies, new business models

Software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) are some of the commonly offered cloud-based services. With cloud-based software platforms, the user usually does not have rights, possession or interest to the software. Instead, they pay to have access to the application itself or to products which can be downloaded or streamed from the platform. This poses a challenge in determining the character of income and whether a transaction results in a sale, lease or provision of services.

Proudly supporting entrepreneurs

We are proud to actively support the early stage and scale-up communities. Passionate entrepreneurs often look to the United States as a key place to fuel their next stage of growth.

We advise entrepreneurs on how to navigate the complex US tax landscape by gaining an understanding of their expansion goals – whether that involves selling products and services to US customers from abroad, opening offices on the ground, or obtaining US investment.

US Expansion in 10 steps

Through our connected networks, we can get entrepreneurs and portfolio companies the advice they need for these considerations:

1. Culture
2. Legal
3. Recruitment, HR and Admin
4. Immigration
5. Location
6. Insurance
7. Banking
8. US Funding
9. Timing
10. Tax

Smart structures for all 50 states

While keeping in mind the multi-state landscape of the US market, we develop a considered tax structure that will:

  • Lower tax exposure to the parent company
  • Minimize the group’s overall tax liability
  • Determine US Effectively Connected Income (ECI) and sources of income
  • Assess state tax liability
  • Analyze permanent establishment position

We are involved with tech and start-up events all over the world.  For help with your US Expansion plans, contact: Nora Rothrock.

Download our brochure for entrepreneurs here.

Did you Know?

  • Fact Seven

    Thanks to FATCA banks must disclose their American account holders to the IRS or local tax authority.
  • Fact Six

    The IRS is actively looking for non compliant US persons.
  • Fact Five

    It takes an average of 16 hours to do IRS Form 1040.
  • Fact Four

    There are over 500 IRS tax forms.
  • Fact Three

    Since 1916, illegal income has been taxable.
  • Fact Two

    US persons must file tax
    returns no matter where they live and work.
  • Text One

    7 million Americans abroad
    only 500,000 compliant