Latest news with #FinanceAct2022
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
IMF rejects wealth tax, chicken duty
Listen to article The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has objected to the government's contentious proposals to impose a capital value tax on moveable assets and to slap a 5% federal excise duty on one-day-old chicks — measures that underscore the business-as-usual approach of the tax machinery. While the IMF did not endorse the tax on moveable assets and one-day-old chicks, it did agree to the imposition of a tax on digital services aimed at raising Rs10 billion in revenue, according to sources in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). There is also a budget proposal to increase the tax on dividend income of mutual funds from 15% to 20%. The withholding tax on interest income may also go up from 15% to 20%, according to officials of the FBR. Among the proposals that may be announced on budget day is the withdrawal of income tax exemption for venture capital companies and funds, according to senior FBR officials. The income tax exemption for the cinema business may also be withdrawn. There has so far been no relief in reducing the income tax rates for the highest slab of 35%, and the 10% surcharge on monthly incomes exceeding Rs500,000 may also remain, said FBR sources. However, the IMF has agreed to reduce the income tax rates for the remaining four slabs, providing some relief on monthly incomes below Rs500,000. It has not agreed to increase the income tax exemption threshold to Rs1.2 million but has approved cutting the rate from 5% to 1%. The sources said that the government wanted to reintroduce the wealth tax in the form of a capital value tax on all moveable assets, excluding shares of listed companies. The proposal had also been presented at the level of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said FBR officials. The proposal to impose tax on moveable assets such as cash and gold was also shared with the IMF, said the officials. However, the IMF did not endorse the proposal on the grounds that the government should tax income instead of taxing wealth. The FBR wanted to target cash balances in banks to raise revenue, according to FBR officials. Through the Finance Act 2022, the government had introduced a 1% CVT on foreign assets worth over Rs100 million owned by resident Pakistanis, but it has been challenged in the courts. The finance ministry and the FBR on Tuesday gave a briefing to PM Sharif about the budget contours, including measures that the IMF has cleared so far, the sources added. Some issues were still outstanding, including the relief for the real estate sector and the capital value tax. President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday convened a National Assembly session for June 10, where Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will deliver his second budget speech. The Economic Survey of Pakistan is expected to be unveiled on June 9, the third day of Eid. The FBR also wanted to introduce a 5% federal excise duty on one-day-old chicks, but the IMF did not support the idea. It pointed out that, on one hand, the FBR claims there are high taxes on food in Pakistan, and on the other hand, it recommends such proposals. Proposals like the tax on one-day-old chicks and moveable assets indicate that the FBR has run out of ideas. The IMF's concern was that taxing one-day-old chicks was not aimed at broadening the tax base; rather, it targeted a specific industry, said the sources. The FBR did not conduct any study before proposing the tax on chicks, which are an essential food item. The measure was rooted in a tax case involving just one company among hundreds, revealing the shallowness of the proposal. Last month, President Zardari issued the Tax Laws Amendment Ordinance, 2025, and one of the reasons was a poultry sector company. The government inserted a new section, 175C, in the Income Tax Ordinance through ad hoc legislation. The sources said that proposals to impose a 5% federal excise duty on all processed foods — including chips and biscuits — were also considered. Effectively, the 5% FED means the sales tax rate will increase to 23%, and after adding further tax and withholding taxes, the overall cost of taxation will jump to 29%. The prime minister was not in favour of doubling the federal excise duty on fertiliser and raised the issue with the IMF at the highest level. However, during last month's talks, the IMF asked the government to fulfil its commitment to increase the tax, said the sources. The sources said there was still a likelihood that the government may double the federal excise duty on fertiliser to 10% and introduce a 5% excise duty on pesticides in the budget. The sources said the prime minister was told that the budget numbers had been locked with the IMF. The FBR's annual target is likely to be Rs14.130 trillion, and the non-tax revenue target is Rs4 trillion. This brings the total tax and non-tax revenue target to Rs17.1 trillion. The federal government has been allowed to allocate Rs1.186 trillion in budget subsidies, including Rs1.036 trillion for the power sector. For IMF programme purposes, the federal development budget may be Rs873 billion, while provincial budgets are estimated at Rs2.1 trillion — about Rs700 billion less than what the four provincial governments indicated in the Annual Plan Coordination Committee meeting. The IMF has allowed all federal and provincial governments to spend Rs22 trillion on current expenditures. The total expenditures by all five governments for IMF programme purposes are estimated at Rs25 trillion for the fiscal year 2025-26.
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Income Tax: After ITR-1 to ITR-7, CBDT notifies ITR-U. All you need to know about the latest changes
After notifying all income tax forms from ITR-1 to ITR-7, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has now notified ITR-U (updated) as well via notification dated May 19, 2025. To encourage voluntary compliance, the Government of India, via Finance Act 2025, extended the time limit to file the updated return from 24 months to 48 months from the end of the relevant assessment year. Notably, filing an updated return leads to additional tax payable. From the additional 24 months to 36 months -- additional tax payable is 60 percent of the aggregate of tax and interest payable. And the additional tax payable will be 70 percent of the aggregate of tax and interest during the period of 36 to 48 months. Those who are not aware, the provision of income tax return (updated) was first introduced in Finance Act 2022 to allow the taxpayers to rectify the errors of omission and commission they may have made while estimating their income for tax payment. That time, the maximum time period that was given for filing an updated return was two years from the end of the relevant assessment year. Unlike the regular deadline of July 31, the updated return's deadline is March 31. For instance, March 31 2025 was the last date to file updated returns for FY 2021-2022. Read this Livemint article for further details on this. First of all, the time limit has been extended from current two to four years per the Finance Bill 2025. The latest notification also incorporates the following changes aside from extending the time limit from two years to four: 1. Show cause notice: An updated return can not be filed if show cause notice under section 148A has been issued after 36 months from the end of the relevant assessment year. However, later if 148A(3) order is passed saying that it is not a valid case for notice under section 148, then an updated return can be filed within 48 months from the end of relevant assessment year. 2. Additional income tax: As explained above, the updated return entails payment of additional income tax for the extended timelines. As a result, section 140B has been amended accordingly. 3. CBDT notification also highlighted that rule 12AC has also been amended to reflect these changes. There are a number of cases when taxpayers are not permitted to file an updated ITR. These include the following: I. When after the ITR -U (updated), total income leads to smaller tax liability. II. When it is being filed to claim tax refund. III. When a survey has already been conducted, or search has already been initiated against the taxpayer IV. Additionally, when the tax department has seized taxpayer's documents. For all personal finance updates, visit here.
