THE present income tax and wealth tax returns are complex and difficult to understand for the average citizen.

Tax authorities ask for complex financial details in the tax return form and wealth statement that act more like a deterrent to taxpayers. Our low literacy rate acts as an impediment and many a citizen who wants to pay is unable to fill the complex returns. The less said about the Federal Bureau of Revenue’s online return filing system the better.

I appeal to the FBR to lower the tax rates and simplify the tax calculation and payment procedure to maximise tax collection and only then go after tax dodgers.

The FBR should seriously evaluate the possibility of introducing a one per cent tax levy on income above Rs600,000 from all sources for individual taxpayers without the requirement of filing any return. In this respect the paid tax challan duplicate copy should be accepted by the concerned authorities where required.

M. Akram Niazi

Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2018

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