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Thursday, March 28, 2024

BIR relents, moves tax deadline to mid-June

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THE Bureau of Internal Revenue says it will defer the implementation of the e-filing system for two months for “No Payment” returns but keep the manual filing deadline on April 15.

In a memo, Commissioner Kim Henares said the  deferment was aimed at giving taxpayers more time to file their tax returns.

“In order for the Bureau to focus on ITRs with payments, ‘No Payment’ returns may be filed manually on or before April 15, 2015, with the Revenue District Office where they are registered,” Henares said in the document.

“No Payment” returns filed manually shall be re-filed electronically on or before June 15, 2015, Henares said.

“The penalties imposed under RR No. 5-2015 on filing using a mode/venue different from that prescribed shall be waived provided the subject ITRs have been re-submitted electronically in the BIR’s systems on or before June 15, 2015.”

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Henares made her statement even as an official on Sunday urged the BIR to do something about Senator Bam Aquino’s plea to defer for another three months the deadline for filing income tax returns using the new system and to similarly defer the penalties imposed for filing beyond the April 15 deadline.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made the plea as a result of the shift to the electronic system for filing tax returns.

“The Bureau of Internal Revenue continues to give information to the public with regards to the filing of income tax returns,” Coloma told the state-run dzRB radio.

“With regards to the proposal of Senator [Bam] Aquino, it would be better if the BIR would address the concern because they are the agency who understands the present situation, and if it is really necessary to extend the deadline for this. They are the ones who have information that would be a basis to address this concern.”

Aquino on Thursday urged the BIR to extend for another three months the deadline for filing income tax returns using the new electronic system.

He also reiterated his call to suspend the imposition of penalties.

“We should make things easier for our taxpayers and not make things difficult for them,” Aquino said.

He said the BIR should stick to its new policy as mandated by Revenue Regulation 5-2015 but extend the deadline for filing for another three months.

“The BIR also needs to ensure that their online system can handle the volume of downloads that will only increase in the next few days,” Aquino said.

He said the BIR people’s inability to explain the new procedures were adding to the taxpayers’ woes.

“The BIR’s local offices have conflicting statements on how to proceed, who are covered and the determination of penalties,” Aquino said.

“This creates uncertainty in our taxpayers which in turn leads to dissatisfaction.”

Aquino also urged the BIR to establish online kiosks or stations in their local offices with personnel who will help input the returns of taxpayers and teach them the new procedures.

“This way, the BIR can fulfill its objective of migrating our taxpayers online while dispelling any possible doubts and fears from our taxpayers on the new system,” he said.

He earlier asked the BIR to cancel the imposition of penalties on the taxpayers covered by the Electronic Filing and Payment System or eFPS or Electronic BIR Forms or eBIRForms for failure to file tax returns under the electronic system until next year.

The BIR issued Revenue Regulation 5-2015 on March 15, 2015 that was published in a national daily two days later, giving taxpayers less than one month to comply with the new policy. The deadline for filing income tax returns is April 15.

Under the new regulation, all taxpayers who fail to file their returns using the mandated eFPS or eBIRForms should pay a fine of P1,000 per return as prescribed by Section 250 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

 

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