Design variants in crowdfunding

LBG Austria - Summary: Crowdfunding has become increasingly important as an alternative to traditional forms of financing in recent years. Depending on the type of consideration, the following types of crowdfunding with different income tax effects can typically be distinguished:

Crowdinvesting and Crowdlending (subordinated loans): crowd investing is characterized by the fact that investors provide capital in the long term and in turn participate in the company's success. In crowd lending, subordinated loans are issued and interest is paid in return. From the capital acquirer's point of view, compensation to investors is usually tax-deductible only if the capital invested is debt capital. The investor may receive income from capital assets, operating income, interest income or income from participations, depending on the nature of the consideration, the type of company of the capital acquirer and whether the investment is made out of private assets or business assets.

Crowdsponsoring: in crowd sponsoring, investors/sponsors receive non-monetary consideration, such as advertising services. From the point of view of income tax, it must be distinguished between sponsoring or pre-financing of products. For the capital acquirer, sponsoring payments constitute income tax receivable. This is only deductible for the sponsor if the payment is made on an operational basis, has a broad public advertising impact and there is an appropriate relationship between performance and consideration.

Crowddonating: is usually used for the promotion of Projects in the creative, cultural and art Scene. The investor/donor is waived entirely on a consideration. From the point of view of the recipient of the donation, as far as the operational area is concerned, there is an operating income. For the donor, the donation is tax deductible only if the recipient of the payment is a favoured beneficiary.

The income tax assessment of crowdfunding financing is always dependent on the individual case, both from the point of view of the investor and from the point of view of the receiver. In this regard, the classification as equity or debt capital (crowdinvesting, crowdlending) as well as the evaluation as pure pre-financing, sponsoring or donation (crowd sponsoring, crowd donating) are decisive. In addition, depending on the type of company and whether the investment is made from private assets or business assets, a different tax assessment may result.

Contact & Advice: This information naturally shows basic aspects of the topic - for completeness and correctness no guarantee can be given despite careful preparation. LBG will gladly advise you in your individual situation. Please contact one of our 31 Austria-wide locations (www.lbg.at) or welcome@lbg.at - we will gladly bring you together with one of our experts, who is very familiar with your request.