Cross-border Tax Talks

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Adriana Rodriguez, a PwC international tax partner based in Mexico City, for a discussion recorded at PwC’s International Tax Conference. Doug and Adriana discuss the core features of Mexico’s corporate tax system, including corporate income tax, withholding taxes, VAT, inflation adjustments, CFC rules, capital gains planning, and the impact of the multilateral instrument on treaty access. They also explore whether Mexico is likely to adopt Pillar Two, how Mexican multinationals are preparing for compliance, the role of incentives in inbound investment, the continued relevance of the maquila regime, rising audit and transfer pricing pressure, expanding tax authority digitization, and practical lessons for multinationals investing in Mexico.

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Chris Desmond, leader of PwC’s US Global Trade Services practice and, as Doug notes, a ‘reformed transfer pricing partner.’ Doug and Chris discuss the current fragmented trade environment, why tariffs may remain a lasting feature rather than a short cycle, rising customs enforcement, the Supreme Court’s IEEPA decision and the operational complexity of securing refunds, and how companies should assess gross-versus-net refund exposure across suppliers and customers. They also cover why the tariff environment is forcing customs, tax, and transfer pricing teams to work more closely together, how first sale operates and why it remains under scrutiny, and practical steps tax leaders should take on coordination, data, and documentation.

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Laura Valestin, an International Tax Services Partner in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services practice, where she focuses on financial transactions. In this episode, recorded at PwC’s International Tax Conference in Carlsbad, Laura unpacks the latest Section 987 developments following Notice 2026-17. Doug and Laura discuss what Section 987 is, why it matters for foreign currency gain or loss in branch and disregarded entity structures, the long regulatory history from the 1991 proposed regulations through the 2024 final rules, the new simplified equity-and-basis-pool method, remittance and loss-suspension mechanics, hedging rules, the proposed CFC election, reliance and applicability dates, and practical taxpayer action items, including comment opportunities and modeling decisions for 2025 and beyond.

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Anja Manuel, co-founder and principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates, and Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm, and a former diplomat, author, and foreign policy advisor. Doug and Anja discuss the geopolitical forces reshaping cross-border business, including the Iran conflict and its implications for oil, shipping, Gulf investment, and AI infrastructure; China’s internal trajectory, tariffs, critical minerals, Taiwan, and supply-chain strategy; the growth outlook for Southeast Asia and India; Europe’s competitiveness challenges and the war in Ukraine; Venezuela’s political and investment risks; the effect of possible US midterm shifts on foreign policy; and whether international institutions, alliances, and the broader global economy still offer reasons for optimism despite a highly unstable backdrop.

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Steve Kohart, a New York City-based international tax partner at PwC and former advisor to the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy and Administration. Doug and Steve discuss the January side-by-side agreement’s implications for US-parented multinationals, why Pillar Two remains relevant through QDMTTs, and how the CBCR transitional safe harbor bridges to the permanent simplified ETR safe harbor. They unpack what ‘simplified’ really means: financial accounting standards, denominator and numerator adjustments, deferred tax ‘bad DTLs,’ and the practical reality of a third set of books. The conversation also covers JV complications, Chapter 6 M&A/reorg rules, transition provisions (9.1.1–9.1.3) and excess negative taxes, new flexibility for return-to-provision adjustments, integrity rules, and what guidance and compliance planning teams should prioritize next.