NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
Income taxes
In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” deferred tax assets and liabilities are for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each period end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. A valuation allowances is established, when necessary, to reduce net deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.
ASC 740-10-25 prescribes a more-likely-than-not threshold for consolidated financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax positions taken (or expected to be taken) in a tax return. It also provides guidance on the recognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, years open for tax examination, accounting for income taxes in interim periods and income tax disclosures. There are no material uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021.
The Company is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Florida. However, all of the Company’s operations are conducted solely by its subsidiaries and VIE in the PRC. No income is earned in the United States and the management does not repatriate any earnings outside the PRC. As a result, the Company did not generate any U.S. taxable income for the three months ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. As of December 31, 2021, the Chinese entities’ income tax returns filed in China for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 are subject to examination by the Chinese taxing authorities.
The parent Company, China HGS Real Estate Inc.’s both U.S. federal tax returns and Florida state tax returns are delinquent since 2009. Its tax years ended September 30, 2009 through September 30, 2021 remain open for statutory examination by U.S. federal and state tax authorities.
On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Act”) was signed into law making significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code. Changes include, but are not limited to, a U.S. corporate tax rate decrease from 35% to 21% effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the transition of U.S international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a territorial system, and a one-time transition tax on the mandatory deemed repatriation of cumulative foreign earnings as of December 31, 2017. Due to the complexity involved in applying the provisions of the Tax Act, we made reasonable estimates of the effects and recorded accrued amounts in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021, including approximately $2.3 million provision on the deemed repatriation of undistributed foreign earnings and an additional $1.3 million provision for delinquent U.S. and State tax fillings. The Company plans to engage a tax professional to file its delinquent tax returns in 2022. Failure to furnish any income tax and information returns with respect to any foreign business entity required, within the time prescribed by the IRS, subjects the Company to civil penalties.
Land appreciation tax (“LAT”)
In accordance with the relevant taxation laws in the PRC, the Company is subject to LAT based on progressive rates on the appreciation of land value, which is calculated as the proceeds of sales of properties less deductible expenditures including borrowing costs and all property development expenditures. LAT is exempted if the appreciation values do not exceed certain thresholds specified in the relevant tax laws.
The whole project must be completed before the LAT obligation can be assessed. Accordingly, the Company should record the liability and the total related expense at the completion of a project unless the tax authorities impose an assessment at an earlier date. The methods to implement this tax law vary among different geographic areas. Hanzhong, where the projects Mingzhu Garden, Nan Dajie and Central Plaza are located, implements this tax rule by requiring real estate companies prepay the LAT based upon customer deposits received. The tax rate in Hanzhong is 1%. Yang County, where the Yangzhou Pearl Garden and Yangzhou Palace projects are located, has a tax rate of 0.5%.