Tax aspects of foundations

Fundacije kot na namen vezano premoženje so v kontinentalnem pravnem redu prisotne že vse od rimskega prava, pravi razcvet pa so doživele v obdobju po drugi svetovni vojni. Poleg prvotnih namenov splošne koristnosti in dobrodelnosti so se razširile tudi na področje zadovoljevanja zasebnih namenov v obliki družinskih in podjetniških fundacij. Pri tem je davčni vidik delovanja fundacij eden pomembnejših pogojev, ki na delovanje fundacij deluje spodbujajoče ali zaviralno. Država s svojo zakonsko regulativo bistveno vpliva na pojavnost fundacij in njihovo (ne)vključenost v gospodarski in družbeni sistem. Države k opredeljevanju fundacij in pogojem za njihovo delovanje pristopajo različno, od zelo restriktivnega načina (primer Slovenije) do zelo liberalnega (primer Liechensteina). V nalogi je primerjalno obravnavanih šest držav. Poleg že omenjenega Liechtensteina in Slovenije še Avstrija, Nemčija, Velika Britanija in Združene države Amerike, kjer lahko prav na področju določanja pogojev za ustanovitev in delovanje ter obdavčevanja opazujemo razlike v pristopu in posledice. Zakonodaja, ki ureja davčno področje, je za obstoj fundacij izjemnega pomena, saj z mehanizmi davčnih olajšav, oprostitev in drugih ugodnosti ustanovitelje spodbuja ali zavira pri odločanju o ustanovitvi fundacije, vpliva pa tudi na odločitve donatorjev, da darujejo premoženje že obstoječim fundacijam. Z davčno zakonodajo je neposredno povezana tudi dopustnost namenov (liberalni ali restriktivni pristop), ki prav tako vpliva na številčnost in pomen fundacij v posamezni državi. Slovenski Zakon o ustanovah spada med najrestriktivnejše v Evropi, saj dopušča le ustanavljanje splošnokoristnih in dobrodelnih fundacij. Davčni režim je tudi za sicer dopustne splošno koristne fundacije izrazito neugoden. Zato bi bila nujna sprememba zakonodaje v smislu liberalnejšega pristopa k opredelitvi namenov, za katere je dovoljeno ustanavljati fundacije in vpeljava novih oblik, to sta podjetniška in družinska fundacija. Istočasno je potrebno vzporedno vzpostaviti ustrezno davčno politiko in izgraditi primerne mehanizme nadzora. Zaradi tega so potrebne tako spremembe predpisov, ki urejajo ustanovitev in pogoje za delovanje fundacij kot tudi zakonodaje, ki ureja obdavčitev fizičnih in pravnih oseb ter dedovanje.Foundations as purpose-bound organizations have been present in the continental (civil) legal system ever since the ancient times and Roman lawhowever, the real boom in foundations did not happen until the end of World War II. Since then foundations have broadened the scope of their activities and are currently, in addition to their initial objectives of providing general public utility and charity, serving also private interests (e.g. as family and business foundations). Taxation plays an important role and can have either a stimulating or inhibiting effect on foundations. Through legal regulations, states importantly contribute to the number and the inclusion of foundations in (or exclusion from) the economic and social system. The approaches to conceptual definition and operating conditions of foundations, adopted by different countries, range from very restrictive (e.g. Slovenia) to very liberal (e.g. Lichtenstein). The present paper features a comparison of six such approaches: in addition the already mentioned Liechtenstein and Slovenia, also of the approaches adopted by Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom and the USA. The most striking differences can be observed between the establishment and operation criteria as well as between the applicable taxations. Tax legislation is of vital importance for foundations’ existencemechanisms of tax relief and tax exemption encourage or discourage, alongside other benefits, the establishment of new foundations as well as influence decisions of donors to contribute assets to the already existing ones. Directly linked to tax legislation is the admissibility of intentions (e.g. liberal or restrictive approach), which also affects the number and importance of foundations in individual countries. The Slovene Foundations Act is one of the most restrictive laws governing foundations in Europe and allows for the establishment of public utility foundations and charities only. Moreover, the Slovene public utility foundations face a very unfavourable tax system. This calls for a change of the existing legislation with a view to generating a more liberal approach to establishing intentions, which would lead to the introduction of new legal foundation forms, i.e. the business and family foundation. At the same time, effective tax policy and proper supervision mechanisms should be put in place. The requisite changes to this end include amendments to laws regulating the establishment and operation of foundations as well as to the inheritance and tax legislation