Identify whether a business is transferred
A connected set of business assets capable of continued operation may differ from a sale of separate assets. Describe the activities, contracts, people and resources transferred and what the buyer intends to do with them.
Assess the transaction form before signing
A share transfer and an asset transfer start from different VAT positions. Property can require separate analysis. Examine tax treatment together with legal structure, funding and any continuing lease or service arrangement with the seller.
Transfer the VAT history as well as the assets
Past investments and adjustment positions may remain relevant to the successor. Include those records in the handover and align the seller’s closing records with the buyer’s opening records. Explicit price and tax-risk arrangements reduce the chance that different assumptions emerge only after completion.
Source and background: Belastingdienst – Onderneming wijzigen of beëindigen.
