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Check our newest soultions in the scope of property tax, family foundations, R&D tax relief, B2B contracts and many more!  

Check our newest soultions in the scope of property tax, family foundations, R&D tax relief, B2B contracts and many more!  

Premiere of the Made in Poland Report 2024

Premiere of the Made in Poland Report 2024

Poland: A Prime Destination for Businesses Aiming to Contribute to Ukraine’s Recovery

Poland: A Prime Destination for Businesses Aiming to Contribute to Ukraine’s Recovery

ESG at ALTO – Ewa Solarz will head a new business line

ESG at ALTO – Ewa Solarz will head a new business line

[Focus On Business] Poland: A Prime Destination for Businesses Aiming to Contribute to Ukraine’s Recovery

With a population exceeding 38 million and ranking as the sixth-largest economy within the European Union, Poland currently stands as one of the most attractive destinations to do business, renowned for its welcoming investment climate. This, among others, is significantly underpinned by the country’s strategic geographical location at the heart of Europe, intersecting major trade routes.

In addition, with the hopeful prospect of an imminent end to the war in Ukraine, Poland emerges as a beacon of potential for companies aiming to contribute to the reconstruction of the war-torn region.

 

War in Ukraine and its impact on Poland’s entrepreneurial landscape

Since the outbreak of war, an estimated 6 million Ukrainian refugees have sought refuge and asylum in European Union countries. As of July 18, 2023, according to UNHCR data, Poland emerged as the primary destination for these displaced individuals, with approximately 1.6 million Ukrainians applying for asylum or seeking temporary protection within its borders.

Since then, Poland has not only become a shelter for refugees but also a new home for Ukrainian businesses. These Ukrainian companies have sought a safer operating environment, appreciating such advantages as Poland’s geographical location and cultural proximity. In addition, experts emphasize that, despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian companies are actively preparing for their country’s recovery. They are eager to establish partnerships that provide a solid foundation for future expansion, both into Western European markets and their homeland, Ukraine. Some even entertain that the branches established in Poland may become permanent, leading to mutually beneficial collaboration between Polish and Ukrainian businesses.

Taking the above into account, Poland emerges as an ideal destination for entrepreneurs looking to participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts. However, to ensure success of this endeavor, it is essential to consider key aspects related to opening and running a business in Poland.

 

Specific business operational opportunities

First of all, it seems essential for an entrepreneur to determine at the outset whether they are establishing an entity in Poland or not. This aspect is especially important in the light of possibilities that Poland offers as one of the few countries in Europe which allows employment under a foreign contract without the requirement to establish a branch. The Polish employment system offers a variety of work arrangements corresponding to the specific needs of individuals based on their working environments.

Consequently, distinct forms of employment exist, each characterized by different principles of income taxation (progressive, linear or lump sum), social security contributions and labor law obligations. These forms encompass, among others: appointment to the Management Board, managerial contracts, B2B (business-to-business contracts), employment contract.

Also, under certain business justifications and proper structuring, individuals may choose to perform their duties based on two different legal forms, taking advantage of the benefits associated with various employment or cooperation arrangements, so-called “split structures”.

 

Hints on taxation of individual’s income

Taxation of an individual’s income plays a pivotal role in selecting the most suitable form. Certain forms offer tax preferences that are for instance provided for creative workers, by transferring copyrights to the employer, or for businesses conducting research and development activities.

However, choosing the most advantageous form of taxation often carries risks if not managed properly, and preferably should be executed with the guidance of a tax advisor, to ensure that proper accounting practices are in place. Due to the scope of duties performed, some activities may not fall under a given form of employment. Misclassifications may lead to the tax authorities questioning a chosen form of cooperation, potentially reclassifying e.g. the B2B contract as an employment contract and subjecting it to the progressive taxation rules (32% PIT above the threshold of PLN 120 000 income).

The aforementioned solutions are in accordance with the presently effective legal regulations.

For individuals temporarily relocated to Poland or with their center of personal or economic interests located outside Poland, determining tax residence is also crucial, adhering to the Polish Personal Income Tax Act and relevant tax treaties to prevent double taxation. Notably, Polish tax residents are taxed on their global income, whereas non-Polish residents are only taxed on income generated within Poland, making it essential to navigate these complexities with the aid of a professional tax advisor.

Finally, it is essential to emphasize that there is no “shadow payroll” concept in Poland. Individuals who are Polish tax residents or derive income from the territory of Poland are obliged to withhold monthly tax advances to the relevant tax authorities.

With regard to Polish Social Security (ZUS) and healthcare duties, depending on the business setup, these obligations may be fulfilled either by the employer or the individuals themselves.

 

Ensuring compliance

To mitigate these risks and streamline operations, many businesses choose to outsource these obligations to professional consulting and accounting firms, who ensure that all fiscal responsibilities are accurately and punctually managed, thereby avoiding negative consequences and reducing operational costs.

In the field of human resources and payroll, professional consulting companies provide comprehensive support starting from the necessary registration depending on the type of employment, along with all related obligations in the field of insurance and taxes, through monthly calculation of remuneration and, at the end of the year, preparation of annual declarations. They also support entrepreneurs in the event of termination of employment, settlement of payroll and issuance of necessary documents.

 

ALTO joins Allinial Global – an international advisory and accounting firms’ association

We are pleased to announce that ALTO has expanded its international reach by joining Allinial Global – member-based, award-winning association of independent advisory and accounting firms with a joint revenue of 5.6 billion USD, empowering them since its founding in 1969.

With a presence of over 38,000 outstanding professionals spanning 107 countries, members of Allinial Global leverage their global insight alongside local expertise. This collaboration enables them to provide top-tier solutions, assisting clients in transforming their visions into tangible realities.

Joining Allinial Global is a very important step towards ALTO’s strategic development. It strengthens our ability to transform our firm and services, by giving us access to vast resources and worldwide connections, that only organisations such as Allinial Global are equipped to provide. I also believe that ALTO will prove to be a valuable member providing relevant support and CEE region insight to other member firms and their clients” – says Kamil Lewandowski, Chief Growth Officer at ALTO.

“We are excited for the opportunity to work closely with other member firms which will directly benefit our clients, as we will be even better equipped to support them in any business challenges they are facing, especially related to their international expansion. We believe that the power of international collaboration combined with local perspective will enable us to bring our services to the next level, implementing the most advanced solutions for us and our clients” – adds Przemysław Gut, Business Development Director at ALTO.

As a member of Allinial Global, ALTO is committed to providing the most flexible and client-centric solutions possible, especially when accompanying companies in their international endeavours. As they strive for growth and business development requiring truly international support, ALTO will now be even better equipped to provide them with foreign expertise. As members of Allinial Global undergo a strict verification process, their community not only creates a collaborative setting for sharing leading practices in consulting, but also consists of over 260 renowned advisory companies providing services around the world. As a result, ALTO gains almost limitless possibilities to support its clients in any of their international affairs including international expansion.

Accounting at ALTO continues to grow: 3 managers strengthen the team

Three managers with diverse business backgrounds have recently joined ALTO’s rapidly growing accounting service line. This is an important step towards further diversifying and adapting the company’s offering to clients from different industries, as well as towards an even better coordination with other company departments, in particular the Personal Tax Services team.

In the fast-growing sector of accounting services, ALTO continues its mission to deliver the highest quality service to its clients. The new managers joining the team are:

  • Monika Anaszko – Senior Manager with many years of experience advising real estate companies. Her addition will enable us to support the automation and optimisation processes for handling the ever-growing portfolio of real estate companies. Monika’s strengths lie in her focus on building long-term partnerships with clients.
  • Anna Borowska – Senior Manager with extensive experience in outsourcing companies, and in setting up the accounting department at a major law firm. She will be responsible for developing cooperation between the accounting and tax departments, which is one of the pillars of ALTO’s strategy for 2023-2026. Her knowledge and skills in the area of team management and maintaining client relations will enrich the competence of the entire team.
  • Jolanta Salamonik-Trzeciak – HR and Payroll manager with over 20 years of experience. Jolanta joins the team to strengthen the international client service area. Her expertise and planned close working relationship with the Personal Tax Services team will be key to handling big companies in need of a truly wide range of HR and payroll support.

For us, joining of Monika, Anna and Jolanta means an even better diversification of talent in the team. It will also strengthen its competence to solve diverse and interdisciplinary problems and to take on ever newer challenges – the kind of challenges faced by our clients’ modern businesses.

The hiring of the three new managers is another step in ALTO’s development and reflects our continued investment in providing comprehensive accounting and tax solutions. We are confident that these new skills and perspectives, which all of the ladies will bring to the organisation, will contribute to the further growth and improvement of our service portfolio. In turn, this will enable us to better support our clients – both local and international – in their commercial success.

 

 

ALTO at Gdański Business Center from October 2nd

  • ALTO has leased 1,280 m2 of space in the Warsaw office complex Gdański Business Center.
  • Gdański Business Center, part of the Savills Investment Management portfolio, offers 101,000 m2 of leasable space in total.

Savills Investment Management (Savills IM), a global real estate investment manager, has signed an agreement with ALTO for the lease of 1,280 m2 of space in the office complex Gdański Business Center. The new tenant will move into the facility on ul. Inflancka in Warsaw in October 2023 and will arrange its office space on the fourth floor of Building C. The agreement will be valid for eight years.

ALTO is one of the fastest-growing advisory firms in Poland. The firm delivers professional services in the areas of Tax, Legal, Accounting and Payroll, as well as Technology in Tax Services. ALTO’s key areas of focus are insurance, real estate, financial services, PE/VC, technology, healthcare/life sciences, energy and logistics. The firm’s team is composed of over 170 tax and legal advisors, certified accountants and other professionals.

Anna Piątek, Junior Asset Manager at Savills Investment Management, said:

“It is my pleasure to thank ALTO for trusting us and choosing our complex. We are extremely satisfied that the Gdański Business Center offer and the activities that we undertake are recognized by dynamically growing companies. I have no doubt that the office space at Gdański Business Center will create an attractive working environment for ALTO.”

Julia Racewicz, Head of Asset Management, Office & Logistics at Savills Investment Management, added:

“We see the agreement with ALTO as a confirmation of the strong position of our property in the highly competitive Warsaw office market.”

According to Kamil Lewandowski, Partner and Co-Founder at ALTO:

“At ALTO, we work together to be a great place for people, and we go to every effort to create the best possible conditions for their development. Hence, we are confident that the environment in which we operate on a daily basis plays an important role. Therefore, when deciding to change the location of our Warsaw office, we took into account the attractiveness of the place, transport infrastructure and, above all, the quality and class of the office building. And all this with one goal in mind—we all want to feel comfortable in our new space. We truly believe that both the ALTO team and our clients will appreciate this change. Our thanks go to Savills IM for their enthusiastic welcome for us as a tenant, and we look forward to our continued successful cooperation.”

Both parties were advised by CBRE in the transaction.

Gdański Business Center is a modern complex consisting of four class A office buildings in the centre of Warsaw. The project was completed in 2014 (phase 1) and 2016 (phase 2). Apart from the office space, the complex also features restaurants, a café, a beauty salon, a kindergarten, a medical centre, the Zdrofit fitness club, and a public courtyard with greenery and street furniture elements. Gdański Business Center offers 1,379 underground and 76 on-grade parking spots and biking infrastructure, with 416 bicycle racks, changing rooms and showers. The tenants of the complex include Provident Polska, KPMG, Allianz, Philip Morris, Euronet, KMD, Uber, Nielsen, and Dell.

The complex is located next to the Dworzec Gdański M1 metro stop and the Warszawa Gdańska railway station. There are also many bus and tram stops as well as city bike rental points near the project, which guarantees excellent transport options to other districts of Warsaw. The proximity of the Gdański Bridge also facilitates access to the right bank of Warsaw. There are numerous amenities in the vicinity of the complex, e.g. the Westfield Arkadia shopping mall.

The property, which was awarded a BREEAM Excellent certificate, was purchased by Savills IM on behalf of a global pension fund.

More information about Gdański Business Center is available at https://gdanskibc.pl/en/, as well as on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Friendly Workplace distinction for ALTO

This time, we boast the “Friendly Workplace 2023” Special Award granted to us by the editors of MarkaPracodawcy.pl

As the competition’s jury justifies: “our award is given in particular for ALTO’s organizational culture, focused on the employee and built on the basis of values such as cooperation, openness, responsibility, and courage. (…) We highly appreciate ALTO’s concern for the comfort and atmosphere of work and the sphere of Work-Life Balance. We pay tribute to the Family Day program and the support for the initiative of employees in the sphere of integration and common passions (ALTOwarriors). These types of activities we highly support. We equally appreciated ALTO’s commitment to employee health care, including education for preventive health care. Our attention was also drawn to the company’s culture of knowledge sharing and the Manager’s Academy training series inaugurated in 2022.

  • “Marka Pracodawcy” (Employer Brand) is a respected and one of Poland’s most opinionated HR websites dedicated to PEOPLE & CULTURE and Employer Branding. For 16 years, it has been supporting companies that care closely about their employees’ development, health, safety and satisfaction.
  • As part of its awards, Friendly Workplace recognizes companies and institutions that boast a modern approach in the area of personnel policy and employee development. It rewards those companies that respect and support the work-life balance model, create a healthy, friendly and inclusive work environment, focus on open and partner relationships with employees, and invest in the development of their professional competencies, passions and interests.

We are very pleased to receive this award, and we hope that in the coming years we will be able to continue our activities, which will systematically prove that this expression of appreciation of our efforts is fully deserved!

 

ALTO Accounting department strengthens further!

In early August, the accounting department at ALTO welcomed four new accountants of various levels. These individuals bring with them extensive experience, particularly in serving real estate companies. This allows us to provide even more comprehensive and specialized services to clients in this sector, as well as expand our services for the renewable energy sector. The addition of new team members is not only in line with ALTO’s long-term development strategy but also addresses the current demands of the market.

 

As of August 1st, the ALTO accounting team has been bolstered by the following professionals:

  • Julita Bogucka: Senior Accountant. With over a decade of experience, she has been providing accounting outsourcing services to the real estate sector.
  • Maciej Wilkos: Independent Accountant with extensive professional experience. He provides comprehensive support to companies with foreign capital, mainly in the commercial real estate industry.
  • Karolina Jurek: Senior Accountant. She has gained several years of professional experience in a rapidly expanding tax and accounting group in Poland and the CEE region.
  • Aleksandra Rakowska: Accountant with years of experience acquired from various industries.

 

We are delighted that these individuals have chosen to join ALTO and continue their career growth within our team. The addition of new members to the accounting department is a vital part of ALTO’s strategy for years 2023-2026, which includes further dynamic strengthening of the accounting area, both in terms of team size and the scope of services provided. Our aim is to promptly respond to all market needs and propose innovative solutions tailored to our clients’ evolving businesses. This reinforcement marks one of the initial steps in that direction, with more already in progress.

 

This is an encouraging sign that our company is an attractive employer and a place where employees are keen to develop their skills and recommend us to others – as has been the case here. I believe that both our organization and its people, along with our clients, will benefit significantly from the contributions of Julita, Maciej, Karolina, and Aleksandra. Their expertise will enable us to offer even better accounting support to companies in the real estate and energy sectors, where we currently see great potential. It shows that we are moving in the right direction, solidifying ALTO’s position in the market, and we have no intention of stopping!” – says Dagmara Witt-Kuczyńska, Managing Director of ALTO Accounting.

 

I warmly welcome all four individuals, especially as they are joining my own team directly. They are highly competent specialists, and their knowledge together with past experience will be invaluable in our daily work! I believe that both professionally and personally, this is a beneficial step for our department. I also have confidence that we are an appealing organization for our new colleagues, and together, we will find areas for further professional development and harnessing our potential” – comments Lidia Grzyb, Head Accountant & Team Leader at ALTO Accounting.

 

At ALTO, we appreciate unconventional thinking and strive for dynamic growth. Just like our clients, especially those in rapidly developing real estate and energy sectors, we are aware that technological advancements and evolving regulations demand innovative approaches to various issues while ensuring business security. However, with the right team and technological support, it is possible to keep pace with these trends and even anticipate them partially. Hence, experts play a crucial role, and we prioritize their recruitment and competence development within our organization. Acquiring and retaining talents is of utmost importance to us, as, in business, people genuinely make a difference.

Numerous awards in ITR World Tax and ITR World TP 2024

We have just congratulated our Litigation team on its nomination for the ITR EMEA Tax Awards 2023 as “Firm of the Year” in the Tax Disputes category, when it became clear that there are many more reasons to celebrate.

The just-announced results of the ITR World Tax and ITR World TP 2024 rankings earned us honors in as many as three categories:

  • General Corporate Tax
  • Transfer Pricing
  • Tax Controversy

What’s more, the ITR World Tax 2024 ranking also recognized the individual expertise that our experts demonstrated during the course of their projects – in the General Corporate Tax and Tax Controversy categories.

 

Congratulations to our tax teams, and at the same time to each individual awardee, on this extremely valuable honor to their work. You guys have the power!

We know that behind every success are great people and their hard work. We also know that such moments motivate us all to reach for the stars and set even more ambitious goals, so we wish you more great projects to work on ALTOgether.

We also remember our clients, whom we thank for their trust and constant presence, and the entire ALTO team for their unwavering commitment.

Strategy, changes, and further development plans

Since the beginning of our operations, we have considered ALTO’s role to be that of a trusted partner to our clients. In this spirit, we are constantly seeking new and more effective solutions, exploring ways to change ourselves and our organization to better meet your needs.

ALTO’s strategy for the years 2023-2026 defines our further development. One of the elements we want to inform you about is restructuring of our legal service line, previously operated through ALTO Legal. The change will involve separating our capital markets law team, led by Piotr Orczykowski, and our VC/M&A team, led by Rafał Kozłowski, from our current structure. These teams will continue serving clients in other law firms.

Legal advisory services, in all other areas, will still be provided within ALTO. Our team of lawyers will continue to advise you on civil law, corporate law and labour law matters, while a dedicated team within our accounting outsourcing department will support you in the field of corporate secretarial services.

These changes will be implemented starting from September 2023. Throughout this process, we will ensure uninterrupted legal advisory services, maintaining ALTO’s highest standards. All active projects will be continued and completed in accordance with individual agreements with clients.

The mentioned change aligns with ALTO’s strategy, which emphasizes the dynamic development of two service lines: tax advisory and accounting. In the coming years, our plans include, among other things, tripling our operational scale while significantly enhancing the client experience. We recognize that these objectives are challenging, but ambition in goal setting and commitment to achieving them have been with us from the very beginning.

On this occasion, we would also like to express our gratitude to Piotr Orczykowski and his team for their six years of joint work and their contributions to establishing ALTO’s position in the professional services market. We wish them success in their new business endeavours.

ALTO advised on EIT InnoEnergy’s investment in Coat-it

The transaction team of ALTO advised Coat-it sp. z o.o. and its founders Alicja Stankiewicz and Katarzyna Zielińska on the EIT InnoEnergy fund investment.

Coat-it is a producer of innovative additives based on nanomaterials used to obtain protective coatings.

EIT InnoEnergy is an organisation committed to supporting pioneering technologies in sustainable energy, and a leader in the drive to decarbonise Europe by 2050.

ALTO provided transaction services by negotiating the transaction documentation and supporting the closing.

ALTO’s legal team was led by Rafał Kozłowski (Counsel & Attorney-at-law) supported by Szymon Tyniec (Senior Associate & Advocate) and Bartosz Nawrot (Junior Associate).

Banking – Olga Mochocka to head the new outsourcing department at ALTO

In order to meet the expectations of its clients, ALTO is launching a Banking department within its accounting business line, which will provide outsourcing of payment-related processes and thus increase the financial security of its clients. It will be headed by Olga Mochocka, a Treasury Manager with many years of experience in business support, who has recently joined the team.

The dedicated team will handle liaising with banks, making all payments and much more. Separating it from the general accounting team will provide clients with even greater financial security, better relationships with banks and significant relief during time-consuming processes.

– At ALTO, we focus on the continuous development of our services – so that we can continually adapt them to the needs of modern business. I am convinced that the cooperation with Olga and the separation of the banking process outsourcing department from the general Accounting department are a step in this direction. The separation of competences and strengthening of the banking area will allow us to better use the potential of this area for our clients – comments Dagmara Witt-Kuczyńska, Managing Director at ALTO Accounting.

Support in the area of banking and payment processing is of great importance for both companies entering the Polish market and those with an established position on it. Particularly as liaising with banks, opening and closing accounts or administering banking privileges is a tedious process, even more so for people who do not deal with this on a daily basis. Hours on the helpline, complicated internal procedures and ICT systems do not make things any easier. To an even greater extent, this applies to foreign companies, for whom this kind of paperwork is further complicated by the communication barrier.

– It is precisely in such situations that specialists who know the subject “inside out” come to the rescue. In addition to knowing the ins and outs of banking procedures, it is important to know who will be able to help with the topic and how. And we, as a specialised department made up of people with years of experience in the industry, are able to solve them efficiently, using long-standing relationships. I am delighted that I will now be able to develop this kind of service within ALTO by creating my own department. I think this is the right direction, and the market demand for this kind of support is really high, especially among those companies that do not have their own extensive accounting departments. Our clients receive professional support from a dedicated team – comments Olga Mochocka, Treasury Manager at ALTO.

Taking on the role of banking systems administrator from clients, ALTO also handles payroll and employee issues. The banking team prepares all transfers within the company – including payments for contractor invoices, employee and Board salaries, social security contributions and taxes.

In addition to facilitating the day-to-day liaison with banks, the new banking department will also provide risk management – including by supporting KYC identification and verification, FATCA or CRS (Common Reporting Standard) reporting. It will also take over seamless communication in the process of confirming bank balances during audits. In addition, it will assist in the analysis of bank charges incurred and the negotiation and renegotiation of bank agreements to best safeguard the interests of our clients. In addition to providing full cash management, the new department can negotiate favourable bank rates on behalf of clients.

Thanks to good and well-established relationships with banks, ALTO is able to support companies where standard procedures fail. This not only streamlines transfer activities and saves time on the client’s side, but also minimises the risk of mistakes and soothes the nerves associated with incorrect accesses, incurring unjustified charges, transferring funds to the wrong addressee or in a way that potentially exposes them to financial repercussions. External support is therefore both effective and allows for significant improvements to existing controls.

*** 

Olga Mochocka, Treasury Manager in ALTO’s accounting department, supports Polish and foreign clients in their daily work with, among other things, payments, account opening and access administration, as well as ongoing contacts with banks. She also manages projects and additionally has extensive experience in process optimisation.

Olga graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics with a degree in international relations and from the University of Economics and Humanities with a degree in finance and accounting. Prior to joining ALTO, she gained her many years of professional experience in one of the world’s best-known companies in the FMCG sector as well as an international law firm and a European tax and accounting group.