Workers fail to lodge tax returns

More than 80 per cent of taxpayers in Ha Noi are yet to settle their tax bill with only a few days until the deadline.

According to Nguyen Thi Hai Yen, from the municipal Tax Department's Communication Support Office, only 23,000 of 117,000 individuals and businesses in Ha Noi had filed their tax forms.


"Nearly 94,000 tax forms are yet to be completed. The workload will be heavy in the coming days," said Yen, noting the March 31 deadline.

Yen said taxpayers had developed a habit of paying their taxes after the deadline, noting that the situation had not improved despite an active campaign by tax authorities to buck the trend.

The delay caused by late payments has placed a heavy burden on tax officials and created long queues for taxpayers.

Yen also said the tax authorities would take a tougher stance on late payments this year. Slow taxpayers will be fined immediately after the deadline (April 1) rather than being afforded a grace period of 4-5 days, as was the case previously.

The late payment penalty will also double from VND100 million (US$4,740) to VND200 million ($9,480).

Discussing a plan to settle tax forms in the coming days, Yen said tax authorities had directed officials in Ha Noi's Tax Department as well as in district agencies to remind taxpayers to lodge reports on time.

"In addition, the tax services offices has asked officials to work through the weekend and set up dozens of hotlines to help solve questions for people," she said.