Aims

At the end of the class, students should be able to
- understand main tax mechanisms and,
- evaluate the effects of taxation on corporate decisions, especially regarding the choice, location and financing of an investment, as well as the location and shifting of the tax base of a multinational company.

Main themes

The course is dedicated to provide the students with the principles of tax mechanisms and tax law and to introduce them to the tax dimension of corporate decisions. Therefore it offers a description of the mechanisms of the corporate income tax and of the taxation of the stakeholders of the company, in a way which allows the student to evaluate their effects on corporate decisions, especially regarding the choice, location and financing of an investment, as well as the location and shifting of the tax base of a multinational company.

Content and teaching methods

Content

The course starts with an economic introduction to the study of taxation which is organised around two topics, the economic functions of a tax and the incidence of taxation on corporate decisions. It continues with a survey of Belgian taxation and with the study of corporate income tax mechanisms. At that occasion, the taxation of individuals, as workers, managers or investors of the company, is also examined, but not in depth. A short introduction to V.A.T. and to the taxation of international flows of income compete the course.

The course consists in five main chapters

1. An economic introduction to the study of taxation;
2. Taxation and corporate decisions;
3. Corporate Income Tax and the headlines of the taxation of the workers, managers and investors of the company, with an evaluation of the effects on corporate decisions;
4. An introduction to the taxation of international flows of income;
5. An indirect tax, V.A.T.


Methods

Mainly ex cathedra the course includes some exercises.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

One section of the course, and of the examination, will include applications of ways of calculating profits.
Pre-requirement: A basic knowledge of finance (e.g. VAN and TRI).

Other credits in programs