"Sod the poor, go offshore!" says James Bloodworth (Editor of Left Foot Forward and writer at the Independent) satirically drawing attention to tax havens where the super-rich can hide their money and avoid paying tax.
However there is a much simpler way to avoid tax and may possibly indicate the way global society is moving.
All you have to do is buy four (modest) properties in different countries and move between them, spending a quarter of the year in each. Most countries allow a three month "holiday" stay per year before they require a residence permit. You then become a perpetual tourist, not registered to pay tax anywhere.
On Newsnight earlier this week the "afropolitan" author Taiye Selasi was interviewed by Gavin Esler. Ms Selasi, discussing her vibrant and diverse diaspora heritage told us she has four homes all in different countries (two main homes and two "rooms" elsewhere). I'm sorry if I sound suspicious but I immediately wondered whether she was on the perpetual tourist tax scam (I was disappointed Gavin Esler didn't ask her where she paid tax, although she would of course have indignantly replied that she paid all her taxes in full).
Free movement is all very well, but do we really want a world where the wealthy professionals just move around not paying tax anywhere?
Perhaps one month should be the maximum for a holiday - anything more than this should require a visa.
However there is a much simpler way to avoid tax and may possibly indicate the way global society is moving.
All you have to do is buy four (modest) properties in different countries and move between them, spending a quarter of the year in each. Most countries allow a three month "holiday" stay per year before they require a residence permit. You then become a perpetual tourist, not registered to pay tax anywhere.
On Newsnight earlier this week the "afropolitan" author Taiye Selasi was interviewed by Gavin Esler. Ms Selasi, discussing her vibrant and diverse diaspora heritage told us she has four homes all in different countries (two main homes and two "rooms" elsewhere). I'm sorry if I sound suspicious but I immediately wondered whether she was on the perpetual tourist tax scam (I was disappointed Gavin Esler didn't ask her where she paid tax, although she would of course have indignantly replied that she paid all her taxes in full).
Free movement is all very well, but do we really want a world where the wealthy professionals just move around not paying tax anywhere?
Perhaps one month should be the maximum for a holiday - anything more than this should require a visa.
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