Corporate Tax Advisors in UAE for Businesses

A corporate tax advisor is responsible for explaining how UAE Corporate Tax affects the financial dealings of an enterprise and how to comply with the UAE Corporate Tax.

The need for corporate tax advisory services arises if a company requires assistance in determining its taxable income, considering its transactions in a group and its right to exemptions.

The list of corporate tax advisory services UAE includes:

• Corporate tax applicability and obligations assessment
• Taxable income and deductible expenses assessment
• Corporate tax planning and reliefs
• Free zones’ corporate tax advisory
• Related parties and transfer pricing assessment
• Corporate tax groups and restructurings assessment
• International transactions and foreign income assessment

Corporate tax advisory aims to help management make informed decisions based on applicable legislation, reliable accounting records and the company’s actual circumstances. The underlying rules are set out in the UAE Corporate Tax Law.

At GetMyAccounting, we offer services that are unique to your company’s business operation, business structure and any other corporate tax issues.

1. Corporate Tax Liability and Assessment

The liabilities associated with the corporate taxes depend on the entity, the resident status and the type of business being undertaken.

The experts at our firm undertake the following analysis:

• Nature of business and licensed activities
• Nature of business - mainland or free zone
• Corporate tax registration status
• Financial year
• Residency issues
• Tax exemption issues

We would be able to conduct an assessment to understand your liability and issue areas.

Businesses that need assistance with their corporate tax registration in UAE can review the separate registration requirements, documentation and EmaraTax application process.

2. Corporate Tax Planning UAE

Corporate tax planning entails knowledge of the effect of business dealings and financial arrangements on the company’s tax status.

We can advise you on:

• Deductions and non-deductions of expenditure
• Identification of any exemptions and relief available
• Effects of group structures and dealings
• Consequences of business expansion
• Effects of any corporate restructuring
• Documentation required to substantiate the tax treatment

The corporate tax planning process must reflect real business dealings and should be in accordance with UAE tax regulations.

There is no guarantee of tax savings or liability reduction.

3. Taxable-Income Assessment and Filing Readiness

An accounting profit of the entity will be different from the taxable income as UAE Corporate Tax legislation requires certain adjustments.

The adjustments will include the following:

• Accounting profit/loss
• Business expense
• Entertainment expense
• Interest and other finance charges
• Exempt income
• Inter-company expenses
• Tax losses and their adjustment

We help businesses identify transactions requiring further documentation, reconciliation or technical consideration. The objective is to build a traceable bridge between the financial statements and the taxable-income position used for filing. Once that position and the supporting records are ready, businesses requiring return preparation and submission can proceed to the dedicated Corporate Tax filing service.

4. Corporate Tax Advisory for Free Zones

Free zones may be eligible for 0% Corporate Tax based on the qualifying income generated by such companies if the relevant requirements are met.

However, free zone registration does not automatically mean that every source of income qualifies for the 0% rate.

Services under our Free Zone Corporate Tax Advisory include:

• Qualifying and Non-Qualifying Income
• Classifications of Business and Revenue
• Transactions with customers from the mainland
• Transactions with other entities in the free zone
• Substance Requirement
• Transfer Pricing
• De Minimis Requirement
• Audit Financial Statements and Records, if any

The relevant tax treatment depends on the entity’s activities, income and compliance with the requirements for Qualifying Free Zone Persons. Refer to the FTA Free Zone Persons Guide for further guidance.

5. Small Business Support Services and Tax Loss Assessment

Eligible Resident Persons may elect for Small Business Relief where the applicable conditions are satisfied. For Tax Periods ending on or before 31 December 2026, Revenue must be AED 3 million or less in the relevant Tax Period and all previous Tax Periods. Qualifying Free Zone Persons and certain members of Multinational Enterprise groups are not eligible for the relief. See the FTA Small Business Relief guidance for the applicable conditions.

This review process may consist of:

• Assessing income on the basis of the required thresholds
• Determining if there are any limitations on the qualifications
• Analyzing previous tax losses
• Assessing potential tax reliefs available
• Determining the required documentation
• Assessing the impact on future periods

The qualifications for tax relief must be assessed on the basis of the requirements of the tax period and not just income/profits alone.

6. Related Party Transactions and Transfer Pricing

Companies that engage in business dealings with their shareholders, group companies, or any other related party may have the need to evaluate these transactions based on the transfer pricing legislation in the UAE.

These include evaluations for:

• Identification of related party
• Management fees among related parties
• Loans from group company
• Interest agreements
• Payments to related parties
• Business contracts
• Documentation requirements for transfer pricing

Transactions governed by transfer pricing principles must essentially be arm’s length transactions.

If specific benchmarking and documentation is required, this can be done on a separate basis.

7. Corporate Tax Grouping Advisory for Several Firms

Organizations that conduct business through several UAE-based firms may require a determination of corporate tax grouping.

Under UAE Corporate Tax rules, eligible resident juridical persons may form a Tax Group where relevant conditions are met. These generally include the parent company directly or indirectly owning at least 95% of the subsidiary’s share capital, holding at least 95% of its voting rights, and being entitled to at least 95% of its profits and net assets, alongside other conditions. See the FTA Tax Groups Guide.

Our advisory review process may consist of:

• Group ownership and shareholding structure
• Qualification as a Tax Group
• Alignment of financial year and accounting standards
• Intra-group transactions
• Possible tax loss issues
• Implications of entering or leaving a group by an entity
• Requirement of separate company accounting

The establishment of a Tax Group may not necessarily be the right approach to all group structures.

It is advisable to evaluate the treatment, qualifications, and implications prior to applying for the same.

8. Analysis of Foreign Income Sources, Branches, Permanent Establishment and Tax Credit

The factors related to taxes based on foreign sources of income, foreign branches, foreign permanent establishment and foreign taxes may have relevance for the UAE enterprises doing business outside of the UAE.

The approach to be taken would depend upon the nature of the business structure and the tax laws.

The recommendation and guidance could include:

• Foreign income analysis
• Foreign branches analysis
• Permanent establishment analysis
• Foreign tax credit analysis
• Double taxation analysis
• Tax treaties analysis
• Foreign tax analysis

Where foreign-source income is taxable in the UAE, a Foreign Tax Credit may be available subject to applicable conditions and limitations. Refer to the FTA Corporate Tax FAQs for further information.

Another way to deal with the international aspects of corporate taxation is to work with experts from other countries.

9. Corporate Tax Law Compliance and Filing Readiness

Prior to completing the corporate tax return, the following filing readiness issues will be considered:

• Registration(s) and applicable tax year
• Accounting issues
• Tax adjustments and documentation issues
• Filing issues

The advisory engagement focuses on assessing the company’s tax position, reviewing supporting records and identifying issues before filing. Businesses that require preparation of the return and its submission through EmaraTax can use our separate corporate tax filing UAE service.

A tax health check for corporations offers an organized summary of possible issues related to tax compliance that management should focus on.

The health check allows for the prioritisation of the gaps by the management; however, the health check does not substitute for an FTA audit.

Some of the common aspects to consider include:

A review of accounts periodically can help organizations deal with these risks.

A business could benefit from corporate tax consulting if it is entering into a new tax year, undergoing reorganization or having trouble with a particular transaction.

Seeking advice before major transactions or filing decisions allows businesses to identify relevant considerations earlier.

Proper record keeping is essential because companies would need to provide evidence of how their taxable profits and corporate tax situation were calculated.

Under UAE Corporate Tax requirements, relevant records and documents generally need to be retained for at least seven years after the end of the applicable tax period.

The organization must maintain records relating to their computation of taxes, allowances, and transactions.

Our professional team will help you determine any weaknesses in your records with respect to our corporate tax advice services.

1. 1
   Step 1: Initial Meeting

   There will be a discussion of the business activities of the organization, as well as its owners and registration details.

2. 2
   Step 2: Financial and Documentary Review

   The accounting records, financial statements, and other relevant documents will be reviewed according to the scope determined.

3. 3
   Step 3: Company Tax Assessment

   The tax considerations, possible tax amendments, allowances and risks are assessed by our specialists.

4. 4
   Step 4: Findings and Suggestions

   We will tell you about our findings which have been made during the assessment process together with suggestions.

5. 5
   Step 5: Support after the Assessment

   According to the agreement, we will assist you in additional review of documentation, clarification or registration procedures.

The scope of work is agreed according to the individual requirements of your company.

In accordance with the scope of the business activities and tax advisory queries, some of the general documents are:

• Trade license and company details
• Corporate tax registration number, if any
• Financial statements and trial balance
• General ledger and schedules
• Business income and expenses
• Inter-related party agreements
• Free zone documents, if any
• Prior corporate tax filings, if any

More documentation can be required in case of technical tax advisory services.

Depending on the engagement agreed to, your business will get:

Delivery is dependent upon the scope agreed upon and the level of complexity of tax requirements of the business.

GetMyAccounting specializes in offering corporate tax services with special emphasis on the needs of the business.

For businesses that need broader implementation support rather than a one-time review, we can help organise internal processes, accounting readiness, compliance calendars, filing responsibilities and record-maintenance practices.

Recommendations are made considering the available data and relevant laws. No specific FTA ruling and taxation result can be assured.