FBR drafts rules for active taxpayer category

FBR draws up rules for preparing a list of active taxpayers.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has drawn up rules for preparing a list of active taxpayers and sent a draft to stakeholders for soliciting their comments, it is learnt.

According to a notification issued by the FBR on Saturday, the stakeholders must send their suggestions and recommendations within 15 days of receiving the draft and if no comments were made the FBR would finalise the draft. The FBR will also put the rules on its website prior to finalising them.

The taxpayers who will come under the category will be paid refunds under the expeditious payment system and those who remain outside will be blacklisted.

The FBR will amend income tax rules for including conditions related to active taxpayers in the law. The FBR has set conditions for the taxpayers to become eligible for the active taxpayer category.

According to the criteria, the taxpayers who file income tax returns and statements as well as wealth tax statements regularly will be included in the category. Besides, those who file statements of tax deduction, deduct tax at source and pay advance tax will also come under the category.

Also, the FBR will include in the active taxpayer list all those who have electronically filed income tax returns and statements in tax year 2009. The employers who have electronically filed employer statements on quarterly basis in tax year 2009 and those taxpayers who have electronically filed withholding tax statements will be eligible for the category.

The taxpayers who comply with notices issued by the commissioner of inland revenue and instructions given by the FBR will also be part of the scheme.

Besides, those employees whose income was above Rs500,000 per annum in tax year 2009 and have filed income tax returns electronically will be eligible to be included in the category.

The notification said that registered taxpayers will automatically be included in the active taxpayer category provided they have no overdue income tax returns and statements to file and those who are non-compliant will be excluded from the list.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2011.