As the tax paying season begins tomorrow, the Department of Revenue and Customs has made some changes in its tax payment services. Over 40 trained private tax agents will assist taxpayers this season. The department has provided specialized training to these private tax agents who are mostly from accounting and auditing firms and unemployed graduates. The initiative will be helpful, particularly for individuals and businesses facing difficulty in filing their taxes online.
The DRC says that these agents will provide key services such as taxpayer registration and amendments, tax return filing through Revenue Administration Management Information System and Bhutan Integrated Taxation Application system, and processing tax clearance certificates.
Certified by the DRC, these professionals will operate from their respective districts, ensuring accessibility across the country.
Moving forward, the DRC will no longer assist taxpayers directly with filing taxes, shifting this responsibility to the newly trained professionals.
According to the DRC, the decision to discontinue assisting tax filing from the department’s head and regional offices is to streamline the tax compliance process.
The tax agents will charge a nominal fee for their services. The fee structure will be finalized during a briefing session by the DRC tomorrow at the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Thimphu. While the exact fee has not yet been confirmed, a survey conducted by the DRC found that most respondents expressed a preference for the fee to be under 100 ngultrum.
The DRC has assured that a list of the private tax agents, along with their contact details, will be made available to the public, making it easier for taxpayers to access their services. They encourage everyone to make use of these trained professionals to ensure accurate and timely tax filing.
Karma Samten Wangda
Edited by Phub Gyem
