In an interview as the annual IRS tax return campaign is about to commence, Cláudia Reis Duarte highlights the frequent delays caused by errors or lapses in confirming the IBAN (International Bank Account Number).
Beyond ensuring the correct identification of the IBAN, the government official urges taxpayers to utilize the three months available for filing their annual income tax return, rather than postponing this obligation until the final days.
The submission period for the annual IRS tax returns begins on April 1 and concludes on June 30, regardless of whether this date falls on a weekend or public holiday.
“Do not leave it until the last days to avoid any kind of constraints in filing,” advises the Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs, adding that this year’s tax declaration features minimal changes compared to last year’s.
Reis Duarte explained that the differences present are not at the declarative level but mostly legislative. These include changes to the Regressar program or the IRS Jovem, which have already been incorporated into the tax forms.
This campaign marks the first where taxpayers can allocate 1% of their IRS to charitable, religious, cultural, or environmental organizations. This follows the parliamentary approval last summer of a government proposal that doubled the allocation percentage.
Emphasizing the “very significant role” these third sector institutions play in the economy and country, Cláudia Reis Duarte calls on taxpayers “who can and want to” to allocate part of their tax to these entities.
According to the Ministry of Finance, last year, a total of 1,015,864 taxpayers allocated 37.4 million euros to over five thousand institutions.
The previous year, the allocated amount was 33.2 million euros, contributed by 920,211 taxpayers.
