The remuneration for waiving a right of usufruct to a private property is taxable as compensation in accordance with Section 24 No. 1 letter a of the Income Tax Act (ITA) if the owner of the usufruct right at the time of the waiver has actually leased the property and earned taxable income from rental and leasing. According to a recent decision of the Supreme Tax Court, this applies irrespective of whether the taxpayer receiving compensation for lost or foregone income was under legal, economic, or actual pressure at the time the agreement for waiver was concluded.
In a most recent judgment, the Supreme Tax Court clarified that compensation (settlement) payments in connection with an interest rate swap may be deducted as business expenses if they are used to hedge an operational interest rate risk. However, this requires that the business loan and the interest swap transaction are exactly or at least approximately matched in respect of their content (portfolio, volume, term and amount).
The Supreme Tax Court held that the compensation payment for the early abandonment of an interest rate swap is to be taxed as a separate item, rather than as part of the results of the main transaction.
In a most recent decision, the Supreme Tax Court held that the income tax payable on the compensation for loss of earnings which was subsequently reimbursed by the tortfeasor (injuring party) is subject to income tax in the hands of the injured party.
In a recent circular, the Federal Ministry of Finance /MoF) commented on the VAT treatment of compensation payments in the event of a premature termination of telecommunication contracts with a minimum commitment term.
In a most recent decision, the Supreme Tax Court held that profits from special compensation for the general partner of a limited partnership pursuant to Section 5a (4a) sentence 3 Income Tax Act attributable to the period following the cessation of the commercial and promotional activity of a partnership are not part of the trading profit subject to trade tax.
According to a ruling of the Supreme Tax Court, the compensation for use received in the context of the reversal of a consumer loan agreement after revocation is not subject to income tax.
In a request for a preliminary ruling from the District Court of Ravensburg (Landgericht Ravensburg) the European Court of Justice was asked for an interpretation of Directive 2014/17/EU on the creditor’s right to receive compensation for premature repayment of a loan. The ECJ held that it must be ensured that the calculation by the creditor of its loss of profit from the premature termination, considering the flat rate return on the sum repaid early is fair and objective, and that it does not exceed the creditor’s financial loss.
The mutual termination of an employment is normally (also) in the interest of the employer. A severance payment made in return is therefore generally tax privileged. The Lower (regional) Tax Court of Hesse decided that this also applies in the event of an additional payment because of the (premature) termination of the employment relationship prior to the date as originally set in the termination agreement.
According to a decision of the Supreme Tax Court published on 9 November 2017 a profit pooling agreement will not be recognised for tax purposes where the compensation agreement with the external shareholder contains both the right to a variable compensation payment calculated on the basis of the profits of the subsidiary/controlled company/"Organgesellschaft" (“subsidiary”) and a fixed amount.
