Taxpayers urged to do self-assessment

Apr 17, 2010 News

Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Khurshid Sattaur, is urging taxpayers to complete the self-assessment section of their Income Tax Return Forms by doing the Income Tax computation. He pointed out that persons are in the habit of lodging incomplete returns which result in the authority being unable to enter them in its data base.
“When persons file incomplete returns a lodgment receipt cannot be issued, and if efforts to contact such persons prove futile, then the taxpayer is listed as having not filed a return and may subsequently be issued with a demand notice. The fact is that the system will not accept an incomplete return and the GRA will have no record of the taxpayer filling a return for the particular period,” Mr. Sattaur said.
In a press release, the GRA noted that such lapses on the part of taxpayers will have future consequences if for some reason the taxpayer should need a compliance or tax liability certificate.
The Commissioner-General is quoted as saying that in cases where a person fills out a return on the behalf of a taxpayer, the person filling out the return should indicate this on the return so that in case of any discrepancy, the person can be contacted to rectify it.
He said the person should sign the Return form and state their address and the date the Return was completed as proof that they did indeed prepare the Return on behalf of the taxpayer.
Persons are also required to state the capacity in which the Tax Return was made, such as a trustee, agent or attorney.
Sattaur further stated that taxpayers are also neglecting to do the tax computation that will allow them to personally assess the taxes they should pay based on income from all sources for the earning period.
He said that in the case of self-employed persons, self-assessment is necessary as it allows this category of taxpayers, who pay advance taxes based on estimated income, to know whether they overpaid or underpaid taxes. On the other hand, employees may owe taxes or be entitled to a refund as a result of errors in the calculation of taxes deducted. Where taxes were underpaid, these persons have until April 30, 2010 to pay outstanding taxes.
Self-employed persons must submit an Income and Expenditure Statement along with their return, while employees are required to obtain a 7A or 7B Slip from their employers which must be attached to the return being lodged.
Failure to pay taxes can result in a penalty of up to five per cent per month of the unpaid taxes. Further, persons who fail to file returns on time may be required to pay an additional two per cent of the tax assessed.
Where a notice is issued demanding the return, a penalty of five per cent of the tax assessed will apply if the return is not submitted in the time frame specified in the notice.
Moreover, taxpayers are reminded to quote their Taxpayer Identification Number to enable the processing of Returns.

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Taxpayers urged to do self-assessment

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