Abstract
research is motivated by the increasing popularity of employers providing tax assistance services to their employees and the potential implications this has on the tax treatment of fringe benefits.
An in depth literature review of qualitative data was applied in this dissertation to examine the tax treatment of fringe benefits resulting from employers paying for tax compliance expenses on behalf of their employees. The study takes an international perspective, analysing the practices and regulations relating to employers paying for tax compliance expenses on behalf of their employees in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
In each jurisdiction, the author considered the definition of a fringe benefit or benefit kind and the various fringe benefits provided by employers to employees as detailed in the tax legislation. Focus will be given to the employer’s responsibility, liability and tax treatment (where applicable) associated with the benefit resulting from employers paying for tax compliance expenses on behalf of their employees in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The paper concludes by summarising the key differences and similarities in those jurisdictions.
KEY WORDS
Fringe benefits
Benefits in kind
Fringe benefits tax