The Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) intends to do away with the payment of taxes by cheques.
As part of this effort, the IRC will conducting awareness sessions in 14 provinces from May 14th to 30th to inform taxpayers of this intention.
The awareness will inform taxpayers, businesses and sole traders about the various ways in which they can safely and conveniently pay taxes.
IRC says the acceptable payment methods include:
- EFTPOS
- Internet Banking
- Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Direct Payment
- Credit Transfer application (KATS)
- Bank Cheque /Bank Draft
- Personal/ Company Cheque (Until May 31st)
In a statement, the IRC says it has established understanding and dialogue with commercial banks to ensure businesses who have bank accounts with them are able to use these various methods to pay their taxes on time.
As part of this understanding the IRC is also installing EFTPOS machines in 12 of its provincial offices to make it easy for SMEs and sole traders to pay taxes by EFTPOS.
Commissioner General, Betty Palaso, says: “Taxpayers are reminded to complete G1 (GST tax Return) and S2 (SWT Return) correctly and honestly before paying taxes.
“All tax payments must be accompanied by the appropriate Tax Return (GST or SWT), tax remittance advice or Tax Assessment Notice. When you do this correctly, you will not face issues with receiving receipts of taxes paid nor of demands from us to you to pay your taxes or lodge your tax returns.”
The awareness will be conducted in the following provinces:
- Simbu (Goroka)
- Madang (Madang)
- Milne Bay (Alotau)
- Eastern Highlands (Kundiawa)
- Morobe (Lae)
- East New Britain Province (Kokopo)
- Western Highlands (Mt Hagen)
- New Ireland (Kavieng)
- West Sepik (Vanimo)
- Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Buka)
- West New Britain (Kimbe)
- Manus (Manus)
- East Sepik (Wewak)
- Northern Province (Popondetta)
IRC senior technical officials will also be conducting awareness sessions with registered tax agents in the major centres of Lae, Mt Hagen and Kokopo over May-June 2018 on changes to the tax law, progress of administrating these changes and its impact on business.