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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) |
| 01 What is Tax Planet? |
Tax Planet is a global network of legal and accounting professionals with a particular focus on national and international taxation.
See also 'Mission' and 'Expertise'.
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| 02 How is Tax Planet legally structured? |
Tax Planet is a network of independent professional service providers, a non-operating informal organisation without legal status. Tax Planet itself provides no services. The network parties (members, administration etc.) are self-governed units and perform their services on an independent basis. No legal affiliation exists among them, each party is solely responsible for its own obligations and not authorized to obligate another one or the network as a whole.
Membership does not contain legally binding commitments or obligations.
The lean organisational structures allows an administraton at very low costs.
The establishment of a legally recognized entity is anytime possible (e.g. a Swiss association according to Art 60 ff of the Swiss Civil Code).
See also 'Legal Notice'.
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| 03 What is the main difference to other networks? |
Although legal and accounting networks exist in vast numbers, they usually do not specialize in any particular field and are unlimited in size. Tax Planet, on the other hand, is a specialized network of a limited number of member firms with a pool of experts focusing on tax (domestic and international).
This conception allows an optimum size, strength and global coverage within a defined field of practice and has a clear profile that also leads to a clear differentiation in the market.
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| 04 Who can become a member? |
The network consists of member firms and a pool of experts. Member firms need to appoint individuals to the pool of experts to become a member. Our objective is to have a global presence with a few tax advisers in all major countries of the world (in average about 3 to 5). While member firms needn't be limited to tax advisory services, the pool of experts is exclusively open to professionals (lawyers, CPAs etc.) with a particular focus on national and international taxation.
Member firms that fully and solely represent a country in the pool of experts are considered to be a sole member in that place.
Membership does not contain legally binding commitments or obligations.
Contact
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| 05 Are members subject to admission checks? |
Professionals who prove competence on the basis of a self-assessment or reliable information on the internet needn't provide further information.
In case of reasonable doubt, further information may be required.
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| 06 Who carries the operating costs? |
The project and start-up costs are funded by Martin Ruchti, the initiator of Tax Planet. Costs that accrue afterwards are planned to be largely funded by moderate contributions, probably with effect from January 1, 2009.
Tax Planet is a network platform designed to meet the needs of international tax professionals. Thanks to the lean organizational structure costs can be kept very low. As the qualification of the experts is crucial for the networks' success, the cost-allocation is, in our opinion, an issue of secondary importance. To push the development and to avoid braking forces we are willing to bear cost overruns until a good development status is achieved.
Cost contributions (fees) are planned on a very low and non-binding basis according to recommendations, self–assessed by each member and limited to both sides (e.g. depending on the network-driven value between EUR 300 and max. EUR 600 per expert/year, limited to about 3 to 5 experts/country in case of an exceeding number of professionals appointed to the pool of experts). Also individual arrangements are possible.
Tax Planet is operated as an NPO.
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| 07 What about the website's content? |
The website serves as a platform for the self-presentation of the organisation and its members as well as a resource for tax and related information, publications and professional contacts worldwide.
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| Pool of Experts |
Each professional of the pool of experts is listed on this page and has an own zone on the website including a page with a brief outline and contact details as well as an information page for the publication of own issues (articles, case studies etc.). The pages also contain links to the website of the related member firm and the corresponding country-page in the research section. The zone can anytime be extended by further pages according to the needs and wishes.
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| Member Firms |
Each member firm is listed on this page along with a link to the own website.
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| Research |
Contains mainly tax and tax-related links and information on countries, international organisations and global issues, but also goes beyond that. Many deep-links to selected web resources are provided in order to facilitate the finding of relevant information. The country guides are expected to be broadly supported by the corresponding local members.
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| Notice Board |
Central place to post memos, downloads and links in order to call the others attention to matters of particular interest or concerne.
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| Forum |
A web forum is probably one of the best places to discuss topics with a global audience. The forum is first and foremost designated for the discussion of tax and administrative network matters, but can just as well be used as a notice board for memos and links to resources on other websites.
The forum related FAQs page is in the forum section. |
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| 08 Does Tax Planet have periodic meetings? |
Meetings are planned not only to exchange factual information, but also to foster friendships and to share emotions and feelings.
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| 09 What about the network's organizational structure? |
The network organization has not as yet been worked out in all details. For the time being, we regard this situation as a key factor of success allowing lean procedures and a high degree of flexibility. Furthermore, we also do not intend to impose rules in a non-democratic manner.
It is planned to give the organization a democratic structure in due course.
The establishment of a legally recognized entity with a formal organization is anytime possible (e.g. a Swiss association according to Art 60 ff of the Swiss Civil Code).
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| 10 Why are the sections 'Pool of Experts' and 'Related Firms' not operated? |
Names are kept in confidence during the start-up process. The webpages 'Pool of Experts' and 'Related Firms' remain closed for this period of time.
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| 11 Are the images on the website subject to restrictions? |
The use of images with identifiable people is subject to approval by the concerned people. The majority of the other images is in the public domain worldwide and a few in the research section are subject to the GNU Free Documentation Licence.
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| 12 The research section includes so-called 'deep-links', could that be a legal problem? |
According to the current trends in the international internet law, deep-linking is generally allowed and riskless for the linker, if certain restrictions like framing, by passing of barriers, advertisements on the linking page etc. are being regarded.
The research part of the website meets all these requirements. However, providers of websites who dislike the link are kindly asked to let us know, so that the link can be removed.
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| 13 Are incoming links allowed? |
Any kind of incoming links are allowed.
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| 14 Is there a possibility of taking part in the start-up work? |
If you are interested, please get in touch.
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Page last updated:
2-06-2008
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