Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) will implement the next phase of its mandatory e-filing of tax returns on January 2, 2019. The groups that will be mandated to electronically file at this time are those categories of taxpayers filing Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and Assets Tax Returns, who MUST file online using the tax payment portal at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. Additionally, Employers will be required to submit their Employers Monthly Payroll Deductions (S01) electronically in this phase.

To assist these taxpayers to meet this legal obligation, TAJ will be providing training support to persons identified in this fifth phase of the mandatory e-filing requirement. Taxpayers can therefore, make arrangements for eOne-on-One sessions to train their staff or request an Advisory Visit at their business locations to get assistance on the procedure to e-file returns. Taxpayers are advised to contact their Client Relationship Manager (CRM), Taxpayer Education Manager or the Customer Care Centre to register for e-fling or to arrange for the assistance. Additionally, a ‘How To’ guide for eFiling of Tax Returns is available online on the TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.

This move is in keeping with TAJ’s continued focus on enhancing system capacity to capture data in a more accurate and timely manner, as well as to assist in the efforts to develop a more efficient tax system.

The amendment to the Revenue Administration Act gives the Commissioner General the authority to require any person to furnish a return as considered necessary in such form and manner as directed. The tax authority reaped great success with the most recent phase of mandatory electronic filing, where approximately 99% of GCT taxpayers have complied with the requirement to file online.

Other returns already mandated to be filed electronically include; Employers Annual Return (S02), all Returns by Large Taxpayers and all GCT Returns. These categories of taxpayers continue to benefit from the convenience of filing and paying their taxes online, as they are able to do so at any time from any location worldwide. Customers also realize a significant reduction in travelling costs and opportunity savings by avoiding lines associated with conducting business in a tax office.

Source: TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.