2015-12-20 16:22:39송병형 기자(bhsong@)
미 부동산, 35년만에 해외자본 족쇄 풀려…미국 '자본의 블랙홀' 되나
▲ 미국 뉴욕 맨해튼의 고층빌딩 숲. 해외 연금의 미국 부동산 투자에 대한 족쇄가 풀리면서 미 부동산 시장에 해외 자본의 대규모 유입이 예상된다. <사진=연합뉴스>
[메트로신문 송병형기자] 미국 의회가 자국 부동산에 대한 해외 연금 펀드의 투자를 막아 왔던 '부동산 투자에 대한 외국인 투자 과세법(FIRPTA)'을 35년만에 철폐했다. 2008년 금융위기 이후 각국 연금 펀드가 글로벌 투자의 '큰 손'으로 부상했다는 점에서 미국으로의 대규모 자본 유입이 예상된다. 특히 미국 연방준비제도이사회의 금리 인상과 맞물리면서 미국이 세계 자본의 블랙홀이 될 가능성이 점쳐진다.
19일(현지시간) 블룸버그통신에 따르면 전날 미 의회를 통과한 2016회계연도 예산안에는 해외 연금 펀드에 대해 1980년 도입된 FIRPTA의 적용을 완화하는 내용이 포함됐다.
FIRPTA는 외국인이나 외국 기업이 미국에서 부동산을 매매할 때 얻은 수익에 대해서 법이 규정한 방식과 절차에 따라 반드시 세금을 내도록 제도화했다. 외국인이나 외국 기업으로부터 부동산을 매입하는 쪽이 매입가의 10%를 보관한 후 그 보관금을 부동산 이전 날짜로부터 20일 이내에 미국 연방 세무국에 지불하는 방식이다. 세무국은 부동산을 처분함으로 인해 발생한 수익금에 대한 세금을 산출한 후에 남은 금액을 외국인이나 외국 기업에게 돌려준다. 미국 부동산투자신탁(리츠)협회에 따르면 여기에 각 주와 각 지방행정단위에서 추가로 부과하는 세금까지 더해지면 외국인이나 외국 기업이 부담해야 하는 세금액은 거의 60% 가까이나 된다.
해외 연금 펀드는 리츠에 참여해 미국의 부동산을 매입했을 때 전체의 5%의 지분을 넘어서면 FIRPTA의 적용을 받아야했다. 전체 지분의 5%라는 제한으로 인해 해외 연금 펀드는 미국의 부동산에 대한 투자를 늘릴 수 없었다. '리얼 캐피털 애널리틱스'에 따르면 올해 미국 부동산에 대한 해외 투자는 784억 달러였고, 이는 미국 부동산에 대한 전체 투자액인 4830억 달러의 16% 수준이다. 해외 연금 펀드는 약 75억 달러로 전체 해외 투자의 10% 수준에 그쳤다. 미국 투자회사인 '시굴러 거프'의 제임스 콜은 "해외 연금의 낮은 퍼센티지는 FIRPTA 때문"이라고 말했다.
이번에 미 의회가 통과시킨 법은 이를 10%로 늘리는 내용이다. 이는 잠재적으로 해외 연금 펀드에 부동산 시장을 개방한 것이라는 평가다. 제임스 콜은 "법이 바뀐 것은 게임체인저(변화의 주도자)가 될 것"이라고 말했다. 규제가 완화되면서 수천억 달러의 자본이 미국의 부동산 시장으로 유입될 것이라는 설명이다. 미국의 로비단체인 '리얼 에스테이트 라운드테이블'의 제프리 드보어 역시 "세제 장벽이 무너지면서 부동산과 인프라 투자가 활성화 되는데 도움이 될 것"이라고 했다.
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송병형 기자(bhsong@)
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외국 연기금의 미국 부동산 투자 쉬워진다
연기금에 의한 투자의 걸림돌 조항 삭제
외국 연기금을 미국 연기금과 동등 대우
가 -가 +
등록 2015-12-20 15:58
미국 뉴욕의 고층건물들. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images) 2015.12.20 ⓒ게티이미지/멀티비츠 photo@focus.kr
(서울=포커스뉴스) 미국 부동산에 대한 외국인 투자에 지난 35년 간 적용돼 온 세법을 완화하는 법안에 버락 오바마 미국 대통령이 서명함으로써 금융위기 이래 자본의 주요한 원천이 돼 온 외국인 투자자에 의한 부동산 구입이 늘어날 가능성이 생겼다고 블룸버그가 19일(현지시간) 보도했다.
정부 폐쇄를 방지하기 위해 통과된 1조1000억 달러 규모의 지출법안에 포함된 해당 조항은 부동산 투자에 있어 외국 연기금을 미국 연기금과 동등하게 대우하도록 하고 있다. 이 조항은 1980년에 제정된 ‘외국인부동산투자세법(FIRPTA)’의 적용을 받는 투자자들에게 부과되는 세금을 적용 제외시킨다.
사모펀드 시귤러거프의 제임스 코를 전무는 “FIRPTA는 역사적으로 수 조 달러 상당의 외국 연기금들에 미국 부동산에 대한 직접 투자를 가망 없는 것으로 만들어 왔다”면서 “이번 세법 개정은 흐름의 판도를 뒤바꿀 중요 사건”이라며 이로 인해 수천 억 달러의 신규 자본이 미국 부동산으로 흘러들어올 수 있을 것이라고 말했다.
세계 경제위기 이래 외국인 투자자들은 상대적으로 높은 수익과 안전 자산을 좇아 사무용 건물과 쇼핑센터에서 아파트와 창고에 이르기까지 미국 부동산으로 몰려들었다. 이런 수요 덕분에 상업용 부동산 가격은 기록적으로 올랐다. 많은 외국인 투자자들은 그들 자신을 소수파로 만들어 FIRPTA를 우회하려고 부동산 구매를 조직화했다.
새로운 법률은 또 FIRPTA에 따른 의무를 지우지 않으면서 외국 연기금이 공개적으로 거래되는 미국 부동산 투자신탁을 최대 10% 구매하도록 허용한다. 이는 이전의 5%에서 2배로 인상된 것이다.
부동산업계 로비단체인 부동산원탁회의의 최고경영자 제프리 드보어는 “미국으로 들어오는 투자에 대한 케케묵은 세금장벽을 철폐함으로써 FIRPTA 완화는 부동산과 인프라 사업을 위한 민간자본의 동원에 도움이 될 것”이라고 말했다.
미국 부동산에 들어온 외국인 투자는 올해 약 784억 달러로 미국 부동산에 대한 전체 투자액 4830억 달러의 16%였다. 외국인 투자 가운데 연기금의 몫은 75억 달러로 약 10%였다.
송철복 국제전문위원 scottnearing
Withholding tax
Buyers of U.S. real property interests are required to withhold 10% of the full sales price on ANY purchase of a USRPI, subject to only four exceptions.[18] Withholding is not required:
By a purchaser for use as a residence for a price $300,000 or less, OR
Where the purchaser receives a statement from the seller that the seller is a not a foreign person.[19]
Upon acquisition of an interest in a nonpublicly traded domestic corporation where the corporation provides the required affidavit.
Upon acquisition of shares of a publicly traded corporation.
To the extent withholding is required, the amount of withholding may be reduced below 10% of the full price only upon certification by the IRS that a reduced amount applies. Such certification is permitted only if the seller applies to the IRS for reduced withholding by filing Form 8288-B no later than the closing date of the sale.[20] The certification will specify the proper amount of withholding, subject to the stated closing price.[21]
Penalties apply to a purchaser who fails to withhold, file Form 8288 with the IRS,[22] or pay the required withholding within 20 days of the sale.[23]Property Tax Act
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (FIRPTA), enacted as Subtitle C of Title XI (the "Revenue Adjustments Act of 1980") of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980, Pub. L. No. 96-499, 94 Stat. 2599, 2682 (Dec. 5, 1980), is a United States tax law that imposes income tax on foreign persons disposing of United States real property interests. Tax is imposed at regular tax rates for the type of taxpayer on the amount of gain considered recognized. Purchasers of real property interests are required to withhold tax oᆞn payment for the property. Withholding may be reduced from the standard 10% to an amount that will cover the tax liability, upon application in advance of sale to the Internal Revenue Service. FIRPTA overrides most nonrecognition provisions as well as those remaining tax treaties that provide exemption from tax for such gains.
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History
Prior to 1981, foreign persons (nonresident, non citizen individuals and non-U.S. corporations) often were exempt from U.S. tax on sale of real estate in the United States. Congress passed FIRPTA to require all foreign persons to pay tax on dispositions of any interests in U.S. real estate. The law specifically provided that its provisions took precedence over any existing tax treaties that provided otherwise.
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Persons and property subject to tax Edit
Foreign persons are generally exempt from U.S. tax on capital gains.[5]
Under FIRPTA, however, foreign persons are subject to tax on gains from disposition of U.S. real property interests (USRPIs).
An interest in property is any direct equity interest in the property, such as a fee simple ownership, but does not include interests solely as a creditor. Thus, co-owners of property each hold an interest in the property, but a bank holding a mortgage does not.[6]
Real property is land, buildings, and land improvements.[7] Generally, whether property is or is not real property is determined under U.S. tax law concepts, not state law. Thus, gas pumps and awnings at gas stations are not real property under U.S. Federal tax law, even though they may be realty under state law. For FIRPTA purposes, real property also includes unsevered natural products of the land (e.g., oil and gas in place in the ground, uncut timber, unharvested crops) and personal property associated with the use of real property.[8]
A United States real property interest (USRPI) includes shares of a U.S. real property holding corporation (USRPHC). A USRPHC includes any U.S. corporation if more than 50% of such corporation's assets were USRPIs at any testing date.[9] Disposition of an interest in a USRPHC is subject to the FIRPTA tax and withholding but is not subject to state income tax. This may be compared with the disposition of a USRPI owned directly, which is subject to the lower federal capital gains rate but is also subject to the state income tax.
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Taxpayers generally must recognize gain upon disposition of property. Where the proceeds are received in more than one year, the gain is recognized proportionately over the years received.[10]
Taxpayers exchanging property may not be required to recognize gain on certain transactions. Among these are like kind exchanges,[11] corporate formations,[12] contributions to or distributions from partnerships,[13] certain corporate reorganizations,[14] and certain other transactions. FIRPTA provides that such nonrecognition provisions generally do not apply, and gain must be recognized. Two exceptions do apply. First, gain is not recognized if the property received in the exchange is a USRPI which, if disposed of immediately after the exchange, would be subject to FIRPTA. Second, the IRS may provide other exceptions in regulations. Temporary regulations providing very limited exceptions have expired.[15] Regulations provide limited exceptions treating certain partnership interests as USRPIs, and thus nonrecognition.
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For Amount of gain
Under general U.S. tax principles applicable to FIRPTA, gain is equal to the excess of the amount of money or fair market value of property received over the amount of adjusted basis of the property exchanged.[16] Where the amount received is subject to a contingency, the amount is not recognized until the contingency is resolved.eign Investment in Real
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Tax imposed Edit
FIRPTA gain is subject to tax as effectively connected income.[17] Nonresident alien individuals are subject to tax on such income at regular graduated tax rates for U.S. individuals. The deduction for personal exemptions, certain adjustments to gross income, and most itemized deductions are not allowed. Foreign corporations are subject to tax on such income at regular corporate income tax rates. The branch profits tax under Internal Revenue Code section 884 may apply, subject to the branch termination exception. The alternative minimum tax may also apply.
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FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act) Witholding
Withholding of Tax on Dispositions of United States Real Property Interests
The disposition of a U.S. real property interest by a foreign person (the transferor) is subject to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (FIRPTA) income tax withholding.
FIRPTA authorised the United States to tax foreign persons on dispositions of U.S. real property interests.
A U.S. real property interest includes sales of interests in parcels of real property as well as sales of shares in certain U.S. corporations that are considered U.S. real property holding corporations.
Persons purchasing U.S. real property interests (“transferee”) from foreign persons, certain purchasers’ agents, and settlement officers are required to withhold 10 percent of the amount realized (special rules for foreign corporations).
Withholding is intended to ensure U.S. taxation of gains realized on disposition of such interests. The transferee/buyer is the withholding agent. If you are the transferee/buyer you must find out if the transferor is a foreign person. If the transferor is a foreign person and you fail to withhold, you may be held liable for the tax.
One of the most common exceptions to FIRPTA withholding is that the transferee (purchaser/buyer) is not required to withhold tax in a situation in which the purchaser/buyer purchases real estate for use as his home and the purchase price is not more than $300,000.
For further information from the IRS website regarding tax withholding and filing exceptions visit http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/FIRPTA-Withholding
NEW – March 2013 – important note to non-resident buyers – as stated below; the IRS considers the transferee/buyer to be responsible for ensuring that FIRPTA is handled in a transaction where the transferor/seller is a non-resident. In order to ensure a smooth transition on your eventual sale you must ensure that you retain proof that FIRPTA was satisfied on your original purchase.
If you purchase property from a non-resident seller and an exception to FIRPTA withholding does not apply then you must ensure that FIRPTA is satisfied as part of the closing. Check your settlement statement prior to closing where you should see 10% of the sales price withheld on the seller’s side of the settlement statement. Request a copy of the withholding certificate from the closing agent and, if withholding was calculated, request a copy of forms 8288, 8288-A and front and back of cancelled check. Retain these documents in a safe place along with your settlement statement and other closing documents.
Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) Withholding
U.S. Tax law requires that a non-resident alien who sells an interest in U.S. real property is subject to withholding, for tax purposes, of 10% of the gross sales price (i.e. $30,000 on a property with a sales price of $300,000). The withheld amount is required to be forwarded to the IRS, by the Closing Agent, within 20 days of the date of closing. These funds are held until the IRS is satisfied that all taxes due by the non-resident are paid. In order to apply for a refund you can either:-
File U.S. tax returns for each year that rental income was received, reporting all income and expenses; file a final U.S. tax return in the year following the year of sale, to report the sale and recover the balance of cleared funds. This process can take up to eighteen months depending on when, during the tax year, the property is sold.
File prior year tax returns (where required) plus an application for early release of cleared withholding on or before the date of closing. By making this submission, the 10% withholding remains with the Closing Agent whilst the IRS processes the Withholding Application and issues a Withholding Certificate for the cleared funds – usually around 90 days.
Please note that applying for and receiving a Withholding Certificate does not eliminate your requirement to file a final U.S. income tax return to report the sale transaction. In fact, when your final tax return is filed you may receive a further tax refund depending on the number of owners and length of time that the property was held.
In order to ensure a timely release of your funds it is extremely important that the following is obtained PRIOR to closing:-
Buyer’s names, address and SSNs – if U.S. Citizens
Buyer’s names, address and ITINs – if non residents
Or, if the buyers are non residents and do not have ITINs, the buyer’s completed Form W-7 (one per buyer) and authenticated copy of the picture page of their passport(s)
Without this information the Application for a Withholding Certificate and early refund will be rejected. We suggest that you request your Realtor prepare your sales contract contingent upon the buyers providing the above information.
If you wish us to prepare your IRS submission for an early release of your cleared withholding please contact our office for assistanc