The e-filing of sales tax and federal excise returns has enabled the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to obtain credentials about the buyers and sellers of the registered persons, bringing potential suppliers/purchasers into the sales tax net.
Sources told Business Recorder on Monday that the e-filing of sales tax returns would play a key role in broadening the tax-base. Secondly, electronic profiling of taxpayers would also help in maintaining authentic database for payment of refunds to the taxpayers.
Presently, 100 percent compliance has been observed by the sales tax registered persons. On average basis, around 63,000 taxpayers are filing sales tax returns electronically. Under the e-filing system, the filer has to give data on the buyers and sellers while filing of return. If a person received supplies from five different unregistered business firms, the department can bring them into the tax net through e-filing data declared by the registered person.
The system contains data on the buyers/sellers of the registered persons. The purchases made by the registered person were also visible under the sales tax database. In this way, the potential buyers and sellers could be identified by bringing them into the tax net.
Sources said that the FBR is also maintaining electronic profiles of the registered taxpayers. The historical data of taxpayers would identify High-Risk and Low-Risk cases for processing of refund claims. Once the FBR computerised sales tax data of first two quarters of 2008-2009, it would also expedite electronic profiling of taxpayers.
Sources said that the position of electronic filing of income tax returns is also satisfactory. Some of the government departments have also started e-filing of income tax returns. The government organisations maintaining electronic systems and record find it comparatively easy to electronically file income tax returns. If the salaried individuals have no other source of income, the statement filed by the employer, electronically would be enough.
However, a persons having income over Rs 500,000 has to file wealth statement. In case a salaried individual has other source of income, he would be liable to file income tax return. For example, if a person has shares or deriving rental income, he would be required to file return. Similarly, if a person has no other source of income, but he intended to take refund of tax deducted. In such cases individual has to file income tax return.
Sources added that the filing of withholding statements, electronically by the agents also helped in broadening the tax-base. The data if purchases, income tax withheld and other information would bring more persons into the tax net.