Tag: Income Tax Ordinance 2001

  • Electronic record defined by ITO 2001

    Electronic record defined by ITO 2001

    Income Tax Ordinance (ITO), 2001 has defined ‘electronic record’ as electronic resources or information in electronic form.

    The Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 – updated up to June 30, 2020 issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) – explained the following:

    “Electronic record” includes the contents of communications, transactions and procedures under this Ordinance, including attachments, annexes, enclosures, accounts, returns, statements, certificates, applications, forms, receipts, acknowledgements, notices, orders, judgments, approvals, notifications, circulars, rulings, documents and any other information associated with such communications, transactions and procedures, created, sent, forwarded, replied to, transmitted, distributed, broadcast, stored, held, copied, downloaded, displayed, viewed, read, or printed, by one or several electronic resources and any other information in electronic form;

     “Electronic resource” includes telecommunication systems, transmission devices, electronic video or audio equipment, encoding or decoding equipment, input, output or connecting devices, data processing or storage systems, computer systems, servers, networks and related computer programs, applications and software including databases, data warehouses and web portals as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time, for the purpose of creating electronic record;

     “Telecommunication system” includes a system for the conveyance, through the agency of electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic, electro-chemical or electro-mechanical energy, of speech, music and other sounds, visual images and signals serving for the impartation of any matter otherwise than in the form of sounds or visual images and also includes real time online sharing of any matter in manner and mode as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

  • Tax law defines dividend income

    Tax law defines dividend income

    Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 has defined types of income included in dividend distribution for the purpose of tax levy.

    The Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 updated up to June 30, 2020 issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), explained that dividend includes —

    (a) any distribution by a company of accumulated profits to its shareholders, whether capitalised or not, if such distribution entails the release by the company to its shareholders of all or any part of the assets including money of the company;

    (b) any distribution by a company, to its shareholders of debentures, debenture-stock or deposit certificate in any form, whether with or without profit, to the extent to which the company possesses accumulated profits whether capitalised or not;

    (c) any distribution made to the shareholders of a company on its liquidation, to the extent to which the distribution is attributable to the accumulated profits of the company immediately before its liquidation, whether capitalised or not;

    (d) any distribution by a company to its shareholders on the reduction of its capital, to the extent to which the company possesses accumulated profits, whether such accumulated profits have been capitalised or not;  

    (e) any payment by a private company as defined in the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (XLVII of 1984)] or trust of any sum (whether as representing a part of the assets of the company or trust, or otherwise) by way of advance or loan to a shareholder or any payment by any such company or trust on behalf, or for the individual benefit, of any such shareholder, to the extent to which the company or trust, in either case, possesses accumulated profits; or

     (f) remittance of after tax profit of a branch of a foreign company operating in Pakistan;

    but does not include —

    (i) a distribution made in accordance with sub-clause] (c) or (d) in respect of any share for full cash consideration, or redemption of debentures or debenture stock, where the holder of the share or debenture is not entitled in the event of liquidation to participate in the surplus assets;

    (ii) any advance or loan made to a shareholder by a company in the ordinary course of its business, where the lending of money is a substantial part of the business of the company;

    (iii) any dividend paid by a company which is set off by the company against the whole or any part of any sum previously paid by it and treated as a dividend within the meaning of sub-clause] (e) to the extent to which it is so set off; and

    (iv) remittance of after tax profit by a branch of Petroleum Exploration and Production (E&P) foreign company, operating in Pakistan.

  • Income tax law defines amalgamation

    Income tax law defines amalgamation

    The word ‘amalgamation’ has been defined under Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    The Ordinance updated up to June 30, 2020 issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has defined the word ‘amalgamation’ as:

    “Amalgamation” means the merger of one or more banking companies or non-banking financial institutions, or insurance companies, or companies owning and managing industrial undertakings or companies engaged in providing services and not being a trading company or companies in either case at least one of them being a public company, or a company incorporated under any law, other than Companies Ordinance, 1984 (XLVII of 1984), for the time being in force, (the company or companies which so merge being referred to as the “amalgamating company” or companies and the company with which they merge or which is formed as a result of merger, as the “amalgamated company”) in such manner that –

    (a) the assets of the amalgamating company or companies immediately before the amalgamation become the assets of the amalgamated company by virtue of the amalgamation, otherwise than by purchase of such assets by the amalgamated company or as a result of distribution of such

    assets to the amalgamated company after the winding up of the amalgamating company or companies; and

    (b) the liabilities of the amalgamating company or companies immediately before the amalgamation become the liabilities of the amalgamated company by virtue of the amalgamation.

  • Tax Year 2020: return may be filed on payment of penalty

    Tax Year 2020: return may be filed on payment of penalty

    ISLAMABAD: A return of income and a wealth statement can be filed now after payment of fine and penalty as prescribed in the statute.

    The deadline to file income tax return for tax year 2020 was December 08, 2020. The FBR has not extended the date for filing the return of income and wealth statement despite demands from various quarters while pointing out various reasons.

    A large number of individuals and other classes of taxpayers has failed to file their returns by due date. The filing of income tax return is mandatory on classes of persons as defined under Section 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    “Section 114. Return of income. — (1) Subject to this Ordinance, the following persons are required to furnish a return of income for a tax year, namely:–

    (a) every company;

    (ab) every person (other than a company) whose taxable income for the year exceeds the maximum amount that is not chargeable to tax under this Ordinance for the year;or

    (ac) any non-profit organization as defined in clause (36) of section 2;

    (ad) any welfare institution approved under clause (58) of Part I of the Second Schedule;

    (ae) every person whose income for the year is subject to final taxation under any provision of this Ordinance;

    (b) any person not covered by clause (a), (ab), (ac) or (ad) who,—

    (i) has been charged to tax in respect of any of the two preceding tax years;

    (ii) claims a loss carried forward under this Ordinance for a tax year;

    (iii) owns immovable property with a land area of five hundred square yards or more or owns any flat located in areas falling within the municipal limits existing immediately before the commencement of Local Government laws in the provinces; or areas in a Cantonment; or the Islamabad Capital Territory;

    (iv) owns immoveable property with a land area of five hundred square yards or more located in a rating area;

    (v) owns a flat having covered area of two thousand square feet or more located in a rating area;

    (vi) owns a motor vehicle having engine capacity above 1000 CC;

    (vii) has obtained National Tax Number; or

    (viii) is the holder of commercial or industrial connection of electricity where the amount of annual bill exceeds rupees five hundred thousand;

    (ix) is a resident person registered with any chamber of commerce and industry or any trade or business association or any market committee or any professional body including Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Bar Council or any Provincial Bar Council, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan

    or Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan ; or

    (x) is a resident person being an individual required to file foreign income and assets statement under section 116A.

    (1A) Every individual whose income under the head ‘Income from business’ exceeds rupees three hundred thousand but does not exceed rupees four hundred thousand in a tax year is also required to furnish return of income from the tax year.”

    The mentioned above classes of taxpayers except for companies are required to file annual return by September 30 and the last date for companies is December 31.

    The individuals or companies required to file return by September 30, the date was extended up to December 08, 2020 for tax year 2020.

    In case such persons have failed to file their return they now have to pay late filing surcharge as prescribed under Section 182 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    Under Section 182:

    Where any person fails to furnish a return of income as required under section 114 within the due date.

    Such person shall pay a penalty equal to 0.1% of the tax payable in respect of that tax year for each day of default subject to a maximum penalty of 50% of the tax payable provided that if the penalty worked out as aforesaid is less than forty thousand rupees or no tax is payable for that tax year such person shall pay a penalty of forty thousand rupees:

    Provided that If seventy-five percent of the income is from salary and the amount of income under salary is less than five million Rupees, the minimum amount of penalty shall be five thousand Rupees.

    Where any person fails to furnish wealth statement or wealth reconciliation statement then such person shall pay a penalty of 0.1% of the taxable income per week or Rs.100,000 whichever is higher.

    The late filers will also require to pay a fee for appearance in Active Taxpayers List (ATL) for tax year 2020, which will be issued on March 01, 2021.

    Section 182A. Return not filed within due date.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance, where a person fails to file a return of income under section 114 by the due date as specified in section 118 or by the date as extended by the Board under section 214A or extended by the Commissioner under section 119, as the case may be, such person shall—

    (a) not be included in the active taxpayers’ list for the year for which return was not filed within the due date:

    Provided that without prejudice to any other liability under this Ordinance, the person shall be included in the active taxpayer ‘ list on filing return after the due date, if the person pays surcharge at Rupees-

    (i) twenty thousand in case of a company;

    (ii) ten thousand in case of an association of persons;

    (iii) one thousand in case of an individual.

    Persons fail to comply with filing requirement can face harsh action including imprisonment.

    Section 191. Prosecution for non-compliance with certain statutory obligations. —(1) Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to —

    (a) comply with a notice under sub-section (3)and sub-section (4) of section 114 or sub-section (1) of section 116; shall commit an offence punishable on conviction with a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both.

    (2) If a person convicted of an offence under clause (a) of sub-section (1) fails, without reasonable excuse, to furnish the return of income or wealth statement to which the offence relates within the period specified by the Court, the person shall commit a further offence punishable on conviction with a fine not exceeding fifty thousand rupees or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.

    Section 192: Prosecution for false statement in verification. — Any person who makes a statement in any verification in any return or other document furnished under this Ordinance which is false and which the person knows or believes to be false, or does not believe to be true, the person shall commit an offence punishable on conviction with a fine upto hundred thousand rupees or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.

  • ITO-2001 defines resident, non-resident persons

    ITO-2001 defines resident, non-resident persons

    ISLAMABAD: Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 has defined resident and non-resident Pakistan for the purpose of apply rate of income tax on domestic source of income.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued ITO 2001 (updated June 30, 2020) and differentiated residents and non-resident Pakistanis.

    Various sections of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 explains the definition:

    Section 81. Resident and non-resident persons

    Sub-section (1): A person shall be a resident person for a tax year if the person is —

    (a) a resident individual, resident company or resident association of persons for the year; or

    (b) the Federal Government.

    Sub-section (2): A person shall be a non-resident person for a tax year if the person is not a resident person for that year.

    Section 82 – Resident individual: — An individual shall be a resident individual for a tax year if the individual —

    (a) is present in Pakistan for a period of, or periods amounting in aggregate to, one hundred and eighty-three days or more in the tax year;

    (ab) is present in Pakistan for a period of, or periods amounting in aggregate to, one hundred and twenty days or more in the tax year and, in the four years preceding the tax year, has been in Pakistan for a period of, or periods amounting in aggregate to, three hundred and sixty-five days or more; or

    (c) is an employee or official of the Federal Government or a Provincial Government posted abroad in the tax year.

    Section 83 – Resident company: A company shall be a resident company for a tax year if —

    (a) it is incorporated or formed by or under any law in force in Pakistan;

    (b) the control and management of the affairs of the company is situated wholly in Pakistan at any time in the year; or

    (c) it is a Provincial Government or Local Government in Pakistan.

    Section 84 – Resident association of persons: — An association of persons shall be a resident association of persons for a tax year if the control and management of the affairs of the association is situated wholly or partly in Pakistan at any time in the year.

  • Return filing mandatory for Pakistanis having foreign assets

    Return filing mandatory for Pakistanis having foreign assets

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis having income and assets abroad are required to file annual income tax return under Section 114 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

    According to Section 114 of the Ordinance the return filing is mandatory for: “(x) is a resident person being an individual required to file foreign income and assets statement under section 116A.”

    The Section 116A of the Ordinance was introduced through Finance Act, 2018.

    According to this section every resident taxpayer being an individual having foreign income of not less than ten thousand United States dollars or having foreign assets with a value of not less than one hundred thousand United States dollars shall furnish a statement, hereinafter referred to as the foreign income and assets statement, in the prescribed form and verified in the prescribed manner giving particulars of—

    (a) the person’s total foreign assets and liabilities as on the last day of the tax year;

    (b) any foreign assets transferred by the person to any other person during the tax year and the consideration for the said transfer; and

    (c) complete particulars of foreign income, the expenditure derived during the tax year and the expenditure wholly and necessarily for the purposes of deriving the said income.

  • FBR explains fair market value of property, assets

    FBR explains fair market value of property, assets

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) explained fair market value, which is the price which the property or asset would ordinarily fetch on sale or supply in the open market at that time.

    The FBR issued Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 (updated up to June 30, 2020) which explains the fair market value through Section 68.

    Following is the text of Section 68 of the Ordinance, explaining the fair market value:

    Section 68. Fair market value.—

    (1) For the purposes of this Ordinance, the fair market value of any property or rent, asset, service, benefit or perquisite at a particular time shall be the price which the property or rent, asset, service, benefit or perquisite would ordinarily fetch on sale or supply in the open market at that time.

    (2) The fair market value of any property or rent, asset, service, benefit or perquisite shall be determined without regard to any restriction on transfer or to the fact that it is not otherwise convertible to cash.

    (3) Where the price “other than the price of immoveable property” referred to in sub-section (1) is not ordinarily ascertainable, such price may be determined by the Commissioner.

    (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (3), the Board may, from time to time, by notification in the official Gazette, determine the fair market value of immovable property of the area or areas as may be specified in the notification.

    (5) Where the fair market value of any immovable property of an area or areas has not been determined by the Board in the notification referred to in sub-section (4), the fair market value of such immovable property shall be deemed to be the value fixed by the District Officer (Revenue) or provincial or any other authority authorized in this behalf for the purposes of stamp duty.

    (6) In respect of immovable property—

    (i) component A of the formula in sub-section (2) of section 37;

    (ii) “consideration received” as mentioned in Division X of Part IV of First Schedule;

    (iii) “value of immovable property” as mentioned in Divisions XVIII of Part IV of the First Schedule; and

    (iv) valuation for the purposes of section 111,shall not be less than the fair market value as determined under sub-section (4) or (5).

    Explanation.—(1)For the removal of doubt, it is clarified that the fair market value as determined under sub-section (4) or(5) shall be for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance only.

  • Rate of tax on payment through debt, credit cards

    Rate of tax on payment through debt, credit cards

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced updates to the rate of income tax applicable to payments made abroad through credit or debit cards during the tax year 2021 (July 01, 2020, to June 30, 2021).

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  • Rate of advance income tax on education fee

    Rate of advance income tax on education fee

    ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has updated rate of advance income tax to be collected by educational at the time of preparing fee challan during tax year 2021 (July 01, 2020 to June 30, 2021).

    The FBR issued Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 (updated up to June 30, 2020) after incorporating amendments brought through Finance Act, 2020.

    The FBR updated the rate of collection of tax under section 236I of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, which shall be 5 percent of the amount of fee.

    Following is the text of Section 236I under which the advance tax to be collected by educational institutions:

    236I. Collection of advance tax by educational institutions.— (1) There shall be collected advance tax from a person not appearing on the active taxpayers’ list at the rate specified in Division XVI of Part-IV of the First Schedule on the amount of fee paid to an educational institution.

    (2) The person preparing fee voucher or challan shall charge advance tax under sub-section (1) in the manner the fee is charged.

    (3) Advance tax under this section shall not be collected from a person on an amount which is paid by way of scholarship or where annual fee does not exceed two hundred thousand rupees.

    (4) The term “fee” includes, tuition fee and all charges received by the educational institution, by whatever name called, excluding the amount which is refundable.

    (5) Tax collected under this section shall be adjustable against the tax liability of either of the parents or guardian making payment of the fee.

    (6) Advance tax under this section shall not be collected from a person who is a non-resident and,—

    (i) furnishes copy of passport as an evidence to the educational institution that during previous tax year, his stay in Pakistan was less than one hundred eighty-three days;

    (ii) furnishes a certificate that he has no Pakistan-source income; and

    (iii) the fee is remitted directly from abroad through normal banking channels to the bank account of the educational institution.

  • Income tax rate on sale of petroleum products

    Income tax rate on sale of petroleum products

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has recently announced an update to the rate of income tax on the sale of certain petroleum products for the tax year 2021, spanning from July 01, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

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