Amended Section 911 Is Full of Surprises: Some Welcome, Some Not

As many in the IES arena are well aware by now, amendments to the foreign earned income and housing exclusions were enacted by the U.S. Congress in May 2006 with passage of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005. In light of guidance on the housing cost limitation in certain foreign locations in October 2006 and subsequent analysis, aspects of the new section 911 appear to be more beneficial, while questions have been raised whether, in many cases, the section 911 exclusion should be claimed at all. IES professionals Martha Klasing and Bob Rothery in Washington, D.C. take another look at the new section 911, the recent guidance, and consider the impact on international assignment programs.
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Tracking Option: Alternative to the Deemed Exercise Rule in Singapore

In situations where foreign employees in Singapore are dealing with stock option awards, an alternative to the “deemed exercise rule” for these employees is the Tracking Option which allows them to be taxed at the point of income realization instead. But in what ways is the Tracking Option more attractive and under what circumstances? IES professionals Dennis McEvoy and Liang Mun Chuan look at the pros and cons of each alternative.
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“Claim of Right” Doctrine: Key to Recovery of Tax

It’s that time of year folks; yes, the end of year means frantic collection of data from the four corners of the globe. And even when complete information is received, there is always the challenge of determining how to treat each item. Data collection, not to mention determining the correct treatment of various items, can be highly time-consuming and difficult. In this article, IES professional Bob Rothery, looks at the pitfalls and how to mitigate them and perhaps even avoid some.
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France: Review of Changes in Assignment Tax Planning Over Recent Years

Ann Atchadé, an IES professional in Paris, reminds us that the last few years have seen a number of major changes to the tax treatment of international assignees in France. However, on some levels, the changes have been haphazard and poorly formulated. Ann takes a critical look at the changes, what they aim to achieve, and what they mean for international assignees into and out of France.
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What You Need To Know About the Updated Russian Labor Code

Got employees in Russia? Alice Sidorow and Alevtina Borisova, Moscow-based IES professionals, highlight the many recent changes to Russia’s Labor Code. They note it is would be advisable for employers to consider these amendments in more detail and perform internal “compliance checks,” to make sure that employment contracts are in line with the current Labor Code’s provisions and that there are no potential breaches of policy or law.
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Worldwide Digest

We are providing readers with a link to the IES practice's Flash International Executive Alert newsletters, which are archived right through the most recent issue on the IES Web site. Readers can scan the titles and select the news stories that are most relevant to their international assignment situations.
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