Tax
The Ugandan tax system features corporate and personal income tax, value added tax on goods and services, customs and excise duties, and stamp duty. There are also a number of statutory levies and social security payments. Taxes are collected by self-assessment and by withholding tax on payments to residents and non-residents. Employers are obliged to withhold and account for income tax on employee remuneration and benefits (the PAYE system). Penalties and interest on non-compliance and late payment of taxes are onerous, and the Uganda Revenue Authority conducts regular audits and investigations of taxpayers.
PwC Limited offers a range of tax services to assist taxpayers with tax planning, compliance and tax revenue negotiations. Our staff with accountancy, legal, or revenue training and experience, specialise in corporate and withholding tax, employee and personal tax, indirect tax (customs), or company secretarial and related corporate services.
With our pre-eminent client base of multinational and major national companies, our staff have the opportunity to develop in-depth expertise in industries such as banking and insurance, energy and mining, telecommunications, manufacturing and retail, tourism, and agriculture.
Together with our network of offices across Africa, we offer international tax advice, as well as advice on the structuring of commercial operations both regionally and internationally. As with any tax regime, the amount of tax payable can vary considerably depending on how the business is structured, and on the manner in which transactions are undertaken.
Consider the following:
- Do you want to know and take advantage of the available unilateral and double taxation relief and incentives in Uganda?
- Are you thinking of acquiring or disposing of a company (shares or assets) and want to know the most tax efficient way of doing it?
- Are you looking at investing in Uganda so as to maximize the benefit of tax incentives and minimize tax costs?
- Is balance sheet restructuring being considered with a view to improving shareholders’ wealth and you would like to do this efficiently from a tax point of view?
- Do you want to know the impact of withholding taxes, VAT and Excise duties on third party and inter-company transactions in country and across borders?
- Are you thinking of deploying staff into Uganda and wish to know how best to manage the tax cost on the company and the expatriate?
Our tax team:
- assists our clients with the preparation and filing of income tax returns for companies and branches and advises on the payment of provisional and final taxes;
- conducts tax "health checks" to provide assurance on compliance with income tax, withholding tax, PAYE, social security, and VAT payments;
- advises and assists with tax repayments
- negotiates on your behalf with the Uganda Revenue Authority, applies for waivers of penalties and interest, raises objections to assessments, and provides support in the case of appeals to the Tax Tribunal.
Through the relationship that we have built with stakeholders over the years, we are given an opportunity to contribute to tax policy and tax administration. Our views are respected and taken into account when changes are made to legislation.
