Pakistan recovers billions from untaxed offshore funds
And hop! - Rs1.8bn from untaxed offshore funds into Pakistan's possession. ... - Continue reading
Category: Tax Amnesty
Tax amnesty plan faces hurdles – Credit Suisse
MANILA, Philippines – Investment bank Credit Suisse said an effective tax amnesty program would face hurdles in the Philippines due to the country’s strict banking secrecy law. In its Asian daily report titled “Philippines: Credible threat still lacking,” Credit Suisse economist Michael Wan said the planned program announced by Finance… – Continue reading
Panama: The ABC Of The Tax Amnesty In Panama Law 99 Of 2019
With this new legal initiative, the taxpayers have the opportunity to clear tax debts without interests, surcharges and fines and to file forms past due without penalties. ... - Continue reading
BIR Officials: Congress not inclined to lift Bank Secrecy
“The suggestion has been brought up many times before and lawmakers with the support of the business community rejected it,” said a revenue regional director who declined to be named. He recalled that many congressmen even protested when the BIR in 2014 tried to require taxpayers to include in their… – Continue reading
What happened to the proposed amendments to Bank Secrecy Act?
The news is replete with discussions on the refiling of the proposed bills for the other TRAIN Packages with the 18th Congress. However, there seems to be no discussion yet on any proposed amendment to the Bank Secrecy Act, Republic Act (RA) 1405, as amended, particularly the proposed amendments to… – Continue reading
Turkey proposes another tax amnesty for repatriation of foreign assets
Turkey comes up with another effort to fight profit shifting ... - Continue reading
Pakistan: Imran Khan announces tax evasion amnesty scheme
The prime minister is seeking to end Pakistan’s rampant tax evasion as he secures a major IMF bailout. Only about 2 million tax returns are filed in Pakistan annually. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who ran on a campaign of tackling corruption, gave a televised address on Monday calling on… – Continue reading
Estate tax amnesty
Death and taxes. This pretty much sums up Revenue Regulations (RR) 6-2019, issued by the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), implementing the estate tax amnesty provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11213, the “Tax Amnesty Act of 2019” or Tax Amnesty Act. The regulations take effect… – Continue reading
BIR to release final estate tax amnesty regulations within next few days
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will release within the next few days the final estate tax amnesty regulations to settle the estimated P6.2 billion outstanding tax debts due from the heirs of the decedents all over the country. Taxpayers are given two years from the effectivity of the finalized… – Continue reading
BIR issues RMO on Amnesty for Tax Delinquents
In our April 21 article, we discussed Revenue Regulations (RR) 4-2019, the implementing rules and regulations covering the Tax Amnesty on Delinquencies (TAD) under Republic Act 11213, the “Tax Amnesty Act of 2019.” The regulations took effect on April 24, 2019. Under the TAD, any person may enjoy the benefits… – Continue reading
Tax amnesty to regularize undeclared assets approved by Pakistan cabinet
Only a million people out of a population of more than 208 million pay income tax in Pakistan Recently signed IMF bailout plan requires government to squeeze around $5 billion in extra taxes ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Tuesday announced a new tax amnesty scheme aimed at broadening the government’s revenue… – Continue reading
Number of tax return filers increases to hit record 1.96 million
KARACHI: Number of tax return filers has increased around seven percent year-over-year to hit the record 1.96 million for the tax year 2018 as the government extended the deadline of filing three times to April 30, sources said on Wednesday. The FBR received 1,963,348 returns by April 30, 2019, which… – Continue reading
FBR documents Rs75 billion properties under amnesty scheme in July-March
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has documented Rs75 billion worth of properties during the first nine months of the current fiscal year of 2018/19 under a tax amnesty scheme; although the revenue collection fell a quarter year-on-year on uncertainty about the concessions, sources said on Tuesday The sources… – Continue reading
A perspective on tax amnesty
Tax amnesty is defines as “grant of an opportunity to a specific class of society to declare their undeclared assets by payment of a meagre amount of tax in addition to grant of immunity from default surcharge, penalties and prosecution”. It is introduced by the governments to fulfill the slogan… – Continue reading
Amnesty for tax delinquents
In our previous articles, we’ve discussed Republic Act (RA)–1213, the “Tax Amnesty Act of 2019” (Tax Amnesty Act), particularly the fact that President Duterte vetoed several provisions, specifically the General Tax Amnesty (GTA). The GTA was supposed to cover all national internal revenue taxes (i.e., income tax, withholding tax, value-added… – Continue reading
Indonesians who hide assets abroad face punishment
The Directorate General of Taxation will seriously investigate Indonesian assets that are not reported through the annual tax return form (SPT), and is preparing punishment for non-compliant taxpayers, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said over the weekend. She said the first step would be for the Directorate General of Taxation… – Continue reading
New tax amnesty bill a ‘very tall order,’ says lawyer
MANILA – Passing another general tax amnesty bill, which will include provisions to amend the bank secrecy law, is a “very tall order” with lawmakers “sensitive” on the issue, a corporate tax lawyer said Tuesday. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier called on Congress to pass another general tax amnesty bill which… – Continue reading
New IRS offshore amnesty regime imposes bigger penalties for secret accounts
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance on the voluntary disclosure regime now in force, following the termination of its offshore predecessor on 28 September 2018. The new rules are effective for all disclosures after that date. And the possible penalties have gone up quite significantly. One of… – Continue reading
Government targets 16.6% tax revenue growth in 2019
The government is targeting Rp 1.51 quadrillion (US$99.29 billion) in tax revenues for 2019, or 16.67 percent higher than this year’s target. Meanwhile, it has set a 12.11 percent tax-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio. “We have implemented tax amnesty. It was an initial step. We also have access to banking… – Continue reading
Tax amnesty ends for undeclared EU assets
The automatic exchange of information between Switzerland and the European Union came into effect on Monday. Owning property abroad without declaring it will no longer be possible. The deadline of September 30 ended the possibility of coming forward voluntarily, reported Swiss public television, RTS, on Sunday. For latecomers who have… – Continue reading
FBR to take action against tax dodgers from next week
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is all set to launch a major crackdown against individuals with concealed and untaxed offshore assets from next week as the revenue body bets on financial information shared under an international treaty, officials said on Friday. The officials said the FBR finalised the… – Continue reading
Chasing tax evaders worldwide
Indonesia is set to join the global treaty on the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) on tax matters this month, and will then have virtually all the “high-caliber weapons” it needs to hunt down tax evaders — not just within the country but anywhere in the world, including tax-haven countries…. – Continue reading
Pak authorities trace 2,750 properties worth Rs4.2tr in Dubai
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani investigators with the cooperation of Dubai authorities have traced 2,750 overseas properties in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These overseas property empires were allegedly acquired by Pakistani nationals with illegal flight of capital and plunder of the hard-earned taxpayers’ money worth around Rs4,240 billion. Based on three intelligence… – Continue reading
Pakistanis’ hidden foreign assets worth around $350bn
ISLAMABAD: Authorities probing illegal foreign accounts and properties of thousands of Pakistanis made shocking revelations on Tuesday that the volume of these assets hidden in different tax havens abroad reached up to US$350 (Rs43 trillion). Interestingly, the authorities also revealed for the first time that only accounts and properties worth… – Continue reading
Properties in UK: 75pc FBR notices issued to people from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: The people belonging to Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad are on top on account of receiving 75 percent tax notices from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for owning expansive properties in UK out of total 600-700 properties. This information has been shared by the UK tax authorities in a… – Continue reading
FBR to send tax notices to 600-700 potential tax evaders in UK
ISLAMABAD: After expiry of the tax amnesty scheme that had failed to lure owners of offshore assets abroad in a big way, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided dispatching tax notices to 600-700 individuals having rental income from possessing expensive properties in the UK in a bid to… – Continue reading
FBR lauches probe into UK assets of 500 rich Pakistanis
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will begin probe into the money trails of 500 high net-worth Pakistani individuals and companies having properties in the UK from August 1 (today) to discover their ‘probable’ tax evasion as an amnesty scheme for concealed local and foreign assets expired on Tuesday,… – Continue reading
Behind the amnesty
The extension of the deadline of the tax amnesty scheme has not borne the results it was expected to. The FBR is said to have taken the advice of accounting firms to extend the deadline, but the results have not matched the early optimism. Despite this, though, the amnesty scheme… – Continue reading
Affluent people seek declaration of foreign assets at 2 percent tax
By end of last month, over $6 billion of overseas assets had been declared by Pakistani nationals on which they paid $290 million in taxes and the amnesty scheme has been extended to the 31st of July earlier this month Affluent individuals are pushing the interim government to permit them… – Continue reading
FBR says ‘bulk of declarations’ under tax amnesty received from Dubai
KARACHI: Dubai is the offshore destination of choice for Pakistanis to park untaxed money as bulk of funds against declaration of foreign assets under the amnesty scheme were received from the Emirates, a top tax official said on Saturday. “We will disclose more details regarding declarations of foreign assets on… – Continue reading
Pakistan to start receiving information on offshore accounts in September
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is poised to receive information about offshore financial accounts in September 2018. This was stated by the spokesperson and member policy Dr Muhammad Iqbal while addressing a press conference on the ongoing Tax Amnesty Scheme on Friday. Due to the initiatives by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and… – Continue reading
Wealthy Kenyans With Billions Hidden in Offshore Accounts Rush to File Returns Ahead of Amnesty Deadline
As June 30th deadline to file returns with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) fast closes in, a section of rich Kenyans who have hidden assets overseas are rushing to return the assets to avoid paying taxes. Tax consultants told Business Daily that the wealthy lot is repatriating the cash to avoid… – Continue reading
Govt to maintain investment climate, tax reform in setting 2019 tax target
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said the government will consider several scenarios in determining its 2019 tax revenue target while adhering to its commitment to maintaining a conducive investment climate and pushing for tax reform. “The tax revenue target will be set in consideration of current global and national… – Continue reading
Banks given 15 days to share foreigners’ data with FBR under OECD obligations
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has given a 15-day timeline to banks and brokerages to furnish financial data of foreign customers as the country signed in an international convention for information exchange to curb tax evasion, officials said on Wednesday. The officials said FBR directed financial institutions, including… – Continue reading
Amnesty scheme must levy more than 20% tax
Islamabad: ANP ex-Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour has said that there should be minimum 20 per cent tax rate for non-filers and tax evaders as 5 per cent tax return is very low and should not be passed. Mr Bilour was speaking at a special seminar on ‘Post Budget (2018-19) overview… – Continue reading
Govt restricts scope of gifts among relatives to avoid tax evasion
Islamabad : The government has proposed the scope of gift scheme in order to avoid misuse for purpose of tax evasion. According to the Finance Bill 2018 issued here on Friday, it has been decided by the government to restrict the scope of gifts amongst the relatives of the taxpayer…. – Continue reading
Government spots 645 firms to probe tax issues of non-residents
KARACHI: Authorities have spotted more than 600 local firms to investigate the tax status and gather other financial information of non-residents, as new rules on data sharing, under an international treaty, kicked in to fight tax evasion, officials said on Friday. The officials said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)… – Continue reading
People await budget to declare assets under amnesty scheme: KTBA
KARACHI: People are awaiting budget announcement for the next fiscal year of 2018/19 to declare their local and foreign assets and benefit from the new amnesty scheme, a senior tax practitioner said on Wednesday. Khalid Mahmood, president of the Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) said bar members are receiving a… – Continue reading
President Mamnoon issues ordinance approving tax amnesty scheme
ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Sunday issued the Foreign Assets (Declaration and Repatriation) Ordinance bringing into effect a tax amnesty scheme announced by the prime minister earlier this week. The ordinance encompasses assets obtained on installments, declaration of property as per the “fair market value” and its confiscation by the… – Continue reading
FBR to offset exit of 0.52 million returns filers after tax exemption
KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is all set to offset a possible exit of 0.52 million returns filers from the net after the implementation of a tax exemption on certain income group from July 1, officials said on Saturday. “About 0.52 million income tax returns will be lost… – Continue reading
Indonesia Goes Hi-Tech in Hunt for Tax Assets After Amnesty
Jakarta. Indonesia’s tax office plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to update its outdated technology to boost low tax compliance and raise revenue collection in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, the country’s tax chief told Reuters. Indonesia completed one of the world’s most successful tax amnesties in 2017, but… – Continue reading
Foreign investors oppose tax amnesty scheme for offshore assets
KARACHI: Foreign investors expressed concern over a proposed tax amnesty scheme to bring back offshore investments, terming it as an injustice with compliant taxpayers, officials said on Monday. Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), representing major foreign companies in Pakistan recently shared its concerns, through a letter, with… – Continue reading
FG to Name, Shame, Prosecute Tax Evaders From March 31 ― Adeosun
The Federal Government is ready to prosecute, name and shame tax evaders that fail to utilise the tax amnesty programme, the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), to regularise their tax profiles, Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, declared on Thursday. She also disclosed that the Federal Government would… – Continue reading
Businesses divided over success of Tax Amnesty law
Businesses have expressed mixed reactions to the new Tax Amnesty policy being implemented by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Some have cast doubt over the policy’s ability to reduce tax evasion while others believe the policy could increase tax compliance. The concerns were raised at a session on the relevance… – Continue reading
Finance studying three types of tax amnesty measures
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Tuesday the government is studying three kinds of tax amnesty programs. Dominguez said these programs would include amnesty for the estate taxes, amnesty for those who were remiss in paying their taxes and amnesty for those who had tax cases. “There are three kinds… – Continue reading
Govt to announce amnesty for undeclared foreign assets ahead of OECD’s treaty
KARACHI: Government on Saturday said it may roll out an amnesty to allow offshore bank account holders to declare their wealth against nominal tax rates ahead of the implementation of OECD’s treaty to exchange financial details with foreign countries in September. Miftah Ismail, adviser to the Prime Minister for finance,… – Continue reading
Indonesia Posts Rp 132.1t Tax Shortfall in 2017
Jakarta. Indonesia failed to meet its tax revenue target in 2017, posting Rp 132.1 trillion — around $9.5 billion — in tax shortfall from the target set in last year’s revised budget, its Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday (02/01). Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the 2017 tax target was… – Continue reading
VAIDS: FG Amnesty On Tax Defaulter Ends March 2018 – Fowler
The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler has said federal government tax defaulters have until March 2018 to declare assets and income via the Voluntary Assets and Income declaration Scheme (VAIDS) or face the consequence. Fowler speaking at the media workshop programme in Lagos, recently, said… – Continue reading
Diokno proposes new tax amnesty
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) raised the possibility of granting a general tax amnesty to lure individuals and corporations with outstanding liabilities to settle their obligations without fear of being slapped with criminal charges. Following the tax settlement of cigarette-firm Mighty Corp. with the government, Budget Secretary Benjamin… – Continue reading
French Tax Amnesty Deadline Looms
The French Government has warned taxpayers that they have until the end of this year to disclose undeclared assets under its tax amnesty scheme, which as been running for more than four years. The Processing of Corrective Declarations (STDR) scheme was introduced by a circular dated June 21, 2013, and… – Continue reading
