April 16, 2019

Increase VAT Gains through Efficient VAT Management

VAT management is a solution to the complex process of VAT processing. It ensures that no VAT goes unclaimed while providing complete VAT tax compliance.  VAT processing is every tax accountant’s nightmare. It gets worse with a multinational company. The task of researching on global VAT laws, the complex calculations, and the complication which results from erroneous calculations is a headache anyone would happily avoid. Automated VAT management is a solution provided by VAT companies. It is the use of intelligent and knowledge-based software to process VAT. It eliminates the element of human error resulting in a streamlined and accurate VAT process. Why Most Companies Lose their VAT Claim VAT recovery is a very complicated process. You have to consider a lot of factors such as the location of the purchase, the quantity of the item, and the nature of the purchase. The use of manual methods to process VAT under these complex conditions results in errors. In addition, VAT rates are always changing. For staffs who are already burdened with other tax compilation tasks, it can be hard to keep up. The work of studying and understanding local and foreign VAT laws, exemption certificates, and following up on recoveries is daunting. Errors and mistakes are sure to happen.  What results is lost money in the form of unclaimed VAT and non-compliance which carries its own set of legal and financial consequences.  Automated VAT management is the solution to not only avoiding VAT-related losses but also giving your tax staff an easier time. Here are a few reasons you should consider investing in VAT software. Benefits of Automating VAT Management It leads to the increased general performance of a company. By automating VAT, tax staffs spend less time researching, addressing tax errors, and making complex VAT calculations. Instead, they shift their focus to other tasks that require human resource such as strategizing on cost-saving.  The financial reports produced with automated VAT are accurate reducing the high costs of audits. Accurate financial reporting is essential in the planning and creation of financial policies.  You can avoid the legal and financial consequences of non-compliance with VAT laws by automating your process. The software ensures effective global compliance is achieved every time.  Unlike humans, a system generated VAT process leaves no room for errors making it an efficient method. It collects data from multiple existing systems, validates and checks for eligibility, cross-checks with third-party sources and eliminates duplicates ensuring that the process is error-free.  With the software processing every hidden VAT, you can be sure that losing your VAT gains will be a thing of the past. Automated VAT processing is fast. There is always so much to do and so little time. Reducing the time spent on VAT processing creates time for other essential tasks.  You have nothing to worry about the safety of your company’s VAT data. It is not just safe, but easily retrievable on a need basis. It also makes it possible for the tax manager to revisit past reports.  Technology is fast evolving. It has made life easier by automating complex processes, and VAT processing is no exception. Automated VAT management frees the tax personnel enabling them to focus on more important things. It reduces errors in the process leading to accurate financial reporting and ensures complete compliance while keeping your VAT data safe.   Source: Proshare

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Nigeria Must Increase VAT And Excise Taxes, IMF Insists

Nigeria must embark on a comprehensive tax reform to “sustainably increase its non-oil revenue” considered to be among the lowest in ratios to GDP in the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. The nation has important development needs “big time” and with its non-oil revenue to GDP at around 3.4 and total tax revenue to GDP around eight per cent, Nigeria will not be able to effect such developments without tax reforms, noted IMF Assistant Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, Cathy Pattillo. During a press briefing on fiscal monitor at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the Brenton Woods institutions in Washington on Wednesday, Pattillo added that there is an emphasis also on improving excise taxes. Noting that Nigeria has taken some steps in the direction of improving the excise taxes, Pattillo said that excise tax coverage should be expanded to cover “other goods and also higher rates on excises” as well as embark on “aggressive streamlining of tax incentives and exemptions.” This is as the Managing Director of IMF, Christine Lagarde, said that low income countries will have to spend $500bn in 2030 to deliver on five out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the figure will be $2trn if emerging economies are included. The low income countries, however, she said “leave on the table over $200bn of tax that they should legitimately collect” due to practices they should have avoided “if they actually want to invest in hospitals, schools and roads.” “It means it will not be a domestic efforts but one that will require partnership and involvement of donor countries and all of us working together,” Lagarde said. Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso, however, told National Wire on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings that Nigerians do not need any further burden more than they already have and that Nigerians have to “localize our problems,” insisting that Nigerians fix the infrastructure themselves. “We don’t need to increase the tax burden of the people as we are struggling to give them the infrastructure they need. People fix the infrastructure by themselves and you say you should tax them again. They are the ones who own their countries, let them keep on talking,” said the Ogun Central Senatorial District Senator, referring to the IMF/World Bank panelists.   Source: National wire

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FIRS takes tax education to Enugu International Trade Fair

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has taken its tax drive and enlightenment services to the 30th Enugu International Trade Fair, our correspondent reports. An Assistant Director of FIRS. Mrs Beatrice Obi told our correspondent that they were taking advantage of the event to sensitize participants on the need to discharge their civic duties. Obi said that the platform was a veritable avenue to interface with private and corporate organizations and enterprises. She said that they also offered advice on the modalities for the registration of companies, adding that those finding it difficult to register their companies would receive useful information. The assistant director, Federal Engagement and Enlightenment Tax Team, said that though the FIRS also had the mandate to enforce tax payment, “we are not here for enforcement”. Obi said it was sad that the turnout of people for tax education had not been encouraging due to the limited number of exhibitors at the fair.   Source: News verge

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Senate Set To Override Buhari on Constitution Alteration, Income Tax Relief Bills

The Senate, Wednesday resolved to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (fourth Alteration, No.28) Bill, 2018 and Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Amendment Bill, 2018 respectively. This development followed the recommendations by Senate Technical Committee on Declined Assents to Bills By Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation chaired by Senator David Umaru. The, bill, however, seeks to provide for the first time within which the President or Governor shall lay the appropriation bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly, to encourage early presentation and passage of Appropriation Bills. It would be recalled that Buhari declined assent to the bill, saying section 2(b) and section 3(b) of this bill appear not to take full cognisance of the provisions of section 58(4) of the 1999 constitution. But the hallowed chamber took exemptions to Buhari’s ground for declining his assent wherein he cited section 58(4) of the 1999 constitution. The committee said, “For clarity, section 58(4) deals with mode of exercising federal legislative powers: general, particularly, the number of days to assent or decline assent to a bill. “It provides – “Wherein a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent”. The 7-man committee, therefore, explained that the bill in essence seeks to make it mandatory for Mr. President and Governor of a state to cause to be prepared and laid before parliament, estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the federation for the next following year. The bill, according to the Senate committee, would also make the parliament to pass the appropriation bill before the commencement of the next financial year. The committee added, “The legislative intent behind this bill is to ensure that we run a normal financial year”. For the Income Tax Relief amendment bill, it seeks to allow companies that expand their operations in pioneer industry or product to apply for a new pioneer status. But Buhari declined assent to the bill on the following grounds: “That there are ongoing consultation by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the tax holidays incentive regime for expansion projects, Investments in rural areas, as well as for Agriculture/Agro-processing to be concluded and pave way for presidential orders, or executive Bill’s for consideration and passage by the National Assembly. “That the consultations would result in fiscal measures that would greatly enrich the quality of the tax holidays incentive regime for these types of projects and investments. “That at the end, thaes fiscal measures when finalized, would be subsequently submitted to the National Assembly by way of presidential Executive orders, or executive Bill’s for consideration and passage into law by the federal legislature, in due course”. However, the Senate committee in reaction said, ” Mr. President, Distinguished colleagues, we wish to state here that the committee finds Mr. President’s observation on this bill rather simplistic. “Certainly, Mr. President’s overall intention to come up with legislative proposal that would stand the test of time, is commendable. “However, law-making cannot unjustly suffer in anticipation of a proposed legislation. “Above all, nothing stops Mr. President or anybody for that matter from proposing an amendment to an existing law or even a repeal of an existing law. “There is nowhere in the world where the President can propose to stop the law-making process by an executive fiat or order. “The President cannot withhold assent to a bill on the mere fact that consultations are on-going, which will enable him come up with a new bill”.   Source; Dailypost

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Tax: Senate wants FG to increase tax on luxury goods

The Senate has asked the Federal Government to consider increasing taxes on luxury goods and services to boost revenues. The Senate Committee on Finance made the recommendation on Tuesday during a plenary session. The committee also urged relevant agencies to continue exploring ways of generating additional revenues to reduce the government’s fiscal deficit. It said, “The Federal Government should harness the full optimal potential of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in terms of revenue generation to minimize the level of borrowing. “The Federal Government should consider reducing the granting waivers and exemptions while ensuring that the Nigerian Customs Service personnel are at all oil terminals for accountability and the Federal Inland Revenue Service should consider increasing tax on luxury goods and services.” The committee said the 20 per cent operating surplus to be remitted by government-owned enterprises should be deducted at source. The Federal Government has been trying to raise revenues in the face of lower oil prices after the country recovered from a recession that slashed public finances, weakened its currency and cut spending on capital projects. The country, which has one of the lowest tax rates on the African continent, relies on crude oil sales for much of government revenues. In the past, the government had mulled the idea of raising taxes on luxury goods to 15 per cent from the current rate of five per cent, to boost its tax to GDP ratio to 15 per cent from six per cent between 2017 and 2020.   Source: Punch

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