The Bahamas Can Significantly Increase Its Property Tax Revenue By Adopting Advanced Tax Compliance Measures Targeting Foreign Property Owners

Strengthening the Tax Net: Advanced Strategies for Capturing Property Tax Revenue from Foreign Property Owners in the Bahamas, Including High-Profile Individuals

 

By Dr. Kevin J. Turnquest-Alcena 
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas

 

“Deo adjuvante, non timendum.”

“With God as My Helper, I have nothing to fear

 

Introduction

The Bahamas has made progress in enhancing tax compliance, particularly concerning property taxes for foreign property owners.  However, enforcement challenges persist, especially with high-profile individuals such as celebrities, who often own valuable properties in the Family Islands.  By leveraging technology, automated systems, and implementing strategic legislation, the Bahamian government can further enhance its revenue collection while minimizing administrative burdens.

This article explores innovative strategies to improve tax collection from foreign property owners, with a focus on high-profile individuals, based on proven international best practices.

Current Strategies and Challenges

• Property Tax Enforcement: Foreign nationals are required to pay property taxes on their Bahamian properties.  However, enforcement remains weak, particularly in the Family Islands, due to challenges in identifying foreign owners and auditing underreported properties.

• Digitalization and Automation: Digital tax platforms have simplified the registration and payment processes for property taxes.  However, challenges persist in identifying unregistered or underreported foreign-owned properties, especially in the Family Islands where tax records are often incomplete.

Proposed Strategies for Enhanced Tax Compliance: Celebrity and High-Profile Property Owners

1. Pre-Landing Automated Tax Declaration for Foreign Property Owners and Celebrities

High-profile individuals, including celebrities, should be required to complete a digital pre-landing tax declaration before entering The Bahamas.  This system would flag property ownership and require declarations of rental or timeshare income.

Evidence-Based Approach: Countries like Australia have successfully implemented similar pre-arrival tax declaration systems, which ensure that foreign property owners fulfill their tax obligations prior to arrival.

2. Time-Share and Rental Income Verification

The Bahamas could collaborate with real estate agents, property management firms, and platforms like Airbnb to track rental and timeshare income.  The collected data could be automatically submitted to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), cross-referenced with ownership records, and taxed appropriately.

Evidence-Based Approach: Spain has successfully partnered with short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, mandating that rental data be shared with tax authorities to ensure compliance.

3. Post-Landing Verification and Tax Payment System

Upon arrival, foreign property owners, particularly high-profile individuals, should be prompted by immigration officials to verify whether they have declared all rental or timeshare income and paid relevant property taxes.  Non-compliance should result in financial penalties and restrictions on property-related activities, such as selling or leasing.

Evidence-Based Approach: The United States' Internal Revenue Service (IRS) works with the Department of Homeland Security to track foreign investors' income earned from U.S. properties, ensuring tax compliance through cross-agency collaboration.

4. Automated Flight Plan and Property Ownership Linkage

The Bahamas could link flight plans and property ownership records to automatically detect any property associated with high-profile travelers.  This would trigger notifications for undeclared or unpaid property taxes.

Evidence-Based Approach: The UK’s HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) uses real-time flight data to track high-net-worth individuals and ensure compliance with tax obligations related to overseas property investments.

5. Mandatory Property Code Registration and Tax Documentation

Assigning a unique Property Identification Number (PIN) to each foreign-owned property would help monitor transactions, including timeshares, rentals, and sales.  This would facilitate tracking and enforcing tax compliance for property-related activities.

Evidence-Based Approach: Canada has implemented mandatory registration of foreign-owned properties with unique property identification numbers, resulting in a significant reduction in tax evasion.

6. Collaborative Efforts with Private Jet and Yacht Charter Companies

Many high-net-worth individuals travel to The Bahamas by private jet or yacht.  The Bahamas could require private jet and yacht charter companies to share passenger data with immigration officials, which would then be cross-referenced with property ownership records.

This would trigger automated tax notifications for undeclared property income, such as rentals or timeshares.  Evidence-Based Approach: The European Union’s Passenger Name Record (PNR) Directive mandates that transportation companies share passenger data with tax authorities, ensuring that high-net-worth individuals comply with tax regulations.

7. Real-Time Rental Income Tracking and Automated Notifications

The Bahamas should partner with digital platforms like Airbnb and local property managers to implement real-time rental income tracking.  Automated systems could send notifications to foreign property owners, reminding them of their tax obligations whenever their property is rented, ensuring timely payment of taxes.

Evidence-Based Approach: The OECD has published several case studies on how governments can collaborate with digital platforms to track rental income and improve tax compliance.

Conclusion

By adopting advanced tax compliance measures targeting foreign property owners, particularly high-profile individuals, the Bahamas can significantly increase its property tax revenue. Implementing pre-landing and post-landing tax declaration systems, real-time rental income tracking, and flight data linkages will streamline tax collection and close existing loopholes.

Drawing from international best practices in countries such as Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom, The Bahamas can create a more efficient and equitable tax system, ensuring that foreign property owners contribute fairly to the Bahamian economy.

References

1. FIRB. (2020). Foreign Investment Review Board Annual Report. Australia Government.

2. Spain’s New Tax Rules for Holiday Rentals. (2020). Spanish Property Insight.

3. IRS. (2020). Tax Guide for Foreign Investors. U.S. Government Publishing Office.

4. HMRC. (2019). High-Net-Worth Individuals Compliance Overview. United Kingdom: HM Revenue & Customs.

5. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). (2021). Foreign Ownership of Canadian Property: Trends and Compliance.

6. European Commission. (2016). Passenger Name Record Directive.

7. OECD. (2021). International Framework for the Digital Economy.  OECD Publishing.

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