“Your Trusted Partner for Tax Planning, Efficiency and Compliance”

In our ever-changing international and local economic environment, tax regimes evolve. Increased globalization in and of itself creates complex tax issues. Ethiopia’s complicated tax legislations coupled with a continual revision of its tax regimes, including introduction of new tax regimes, create additional layer of complexity for businesses that operate in or in connection with Ethiopia. The complex and evolving nature of Ethiopian tax regime requires deep knowledge of Ethiopian tax laws, tax treaties, information-sharing programs, and a keen understanding of the cross-border tax implications of most transactions.

At Makkobilli Law Firm, we fully understand the gravity of our clients’ situations and we believe in providing our clients with superior legal counsel to help them understand and comply with Ethiopian tax and customs laws, avoid penalties and fines, and protect their assets and interests. We have a team of seasoned attorneys and experts who have a deep understanding of the legal and procedural issues in Ethiopian tax and customs law, and who also recognize the uniqueness of each case. We also have partnerships with certified auditing firms, enabling us to deliver a holistic solution to our clients’ tax and customs related issues. We deliver our services with integrity, intelligence and innovation, and our service fees are both reasonable and affordable.

Please refer our tax and customs related services below to see how we may help you:

A. Tax and Customs Law Consultancy

Our tax and customs consultancy services include:

‣Advising startups and established companies create compensation and stock plans that minimize potential tax impacts;

‣Negotiating on behalf of retiring or existing business owners engaged in a merger or acquisition by leveraging our tax law acumen and general counsel experience from a position of intellectual agility and strength;

‣Advising clients involved in mergers & acquisitions, spin-offs and joint ventures on the most tax-efficient transactional structures;

‣Guiding and assisting businesses, individuals and nonprofit organizations through the audit process;

‣Consulting not-for-profit and tax-exempt organizations on the unique tax concerns they face;

‣Consulting corporate and financial institution clients on tax-efficient ways to structure holdings and investments; and also helping them to restructure these investments in response to changing commercial and regulatory needs;

‣Counseling our private equity clients on a broad range of tax issues, including the tax aspects of the acquisition and disposition of portfolio companies;

‣Consulting on Ethiopia’s transfer pricing rules for the goods and services exchanged between subsidiaries, affiliates, or commonly controlled ‣companies that are part of the same larger business enterprise;

‣Advising high-net-worth individuals and families in all aspects of estate planning, estate and trust administration, multigenerational wealth transfer planning, income taxation, estate and gift taxation, the formation and administration of tax-exempt charitable entities, and prenuptial and post-nuptial planning;

‣Undertaking high quality researches on particular aspects Ethiopian tax and customs laws based on the needs and requests of our clients;

‣Developing tax specific checklists based on the scope and nature of our clients’ business operation; and

‣Educating, training and raising the awareness of our clients and their employees on Ethiopian tax and customs laws and practice.

B. Representation/Legal Assistance in Tax Controversy and Tax Debt Resolution

When taxes do kick in, they are hefty and a lot is at stake. An audit, tax assessment or unpaid tax debt can create serious financial troubles or may even cause criminal penalties in the most serious cases. Simply put, the lawyer you choose to represent you matters a great deal. Whether a dispute is anticipated, is already at the audit or administrative settlement stage, or has progressed to encompass alternative dispute resolution techniques or litigation, we work closely with you to develop the most effective and creative solutions.

Our services in this regard include:

‣Where tax authorities have erroneously assessed tax debts, protesting the assessment and showing how much, if any, taxes are owed;

‣Preparing and submitting various applications, including tax objection notifications, to federal and state tax authorities in response to erroneously assessed tax debts;

‣Working to create installment agreements, offers in compromise and other arrangements for clients with tax debts;

‣Representing clients on ongoing tax investigations and tax audit exit conferences;

‣Representing clients before federal and state administrative and judicial proceedings in relation to erroneously assessed tax debts; and

‣Representing and vigorously defending clients suspected of failure to file, tax fraud and other criminal charges.

 

C. Tax Due Diligence

‣Conducting tax due diligence to help assess tax compliance and filing status of the target company under Ethiopian tax regimes, including any tax returns, payments, refunds, or penalties;

‣Helping our clients assess their tax risk and working with them to develop strategies for mitigating that risk;

‣Assessing tax implications of a proposed deal structure, including any tax consequences, benefits, or obligations for the buyer or the investor;

‣Assessing tax opportunities or challenges for the post-transaction integration, including any tax synergies, savings, or exposures; and

‣Helping our clients negotiate terms and price of a deal, based on the tax risks and benefits.