Bolivia: Key points on tax relief and “tax forgiveness” | Claves para el alivio y «perdonazo tributario»

By Bolivia News, Eju.tv:

Bolivia’s tax relief and “tax forgiveness” plan takes effect: Here are the key points

President Rodrigo Paz announced on Wednesday the enactment of the measure and highlighted the benefits that will mainly reach small merchants, transport workers, and self-employed workers. Bolivian information

The Tax Relief Law has been in force since Wednesday, May 27, a measure aimed at reducing the tax burden and helping taxpayers regularize fiscal debts in cases involving the National Tax Service and Customs.

President Rodrigo Paz announced the enactment of the law on Wednesday and highlighted the benefits that will mainly reach small merchants, transport workers, and self-employed workers.

The Government’s plan seeks to strengthen the recovery of public resources amid economic difficulties affecting different sectors of the country.

Movimiento de dinero en moneda boliviana. / Foto: Los Tiempos
Movement of money in Bolivian currency. / Photo: Los Tiempos

It also aims to reduce tax delinquency and create conditions for economic recovery and voluntary compliance with tax obligations.

Measures

The plan includes five key measures:

  1. Cancellation of tax debts prior to 2017 and from fiscal year 2020.
  2. Regularization of tax debts with elimination of interest and fines, along with payment facilities.
  3. Reduction of the tax statute of limitations from 8 to 4 years.
  4. Greater transparency in the presentation of VAT on invoices, setting the rate at 13%.
  5. Support for business activity by excluding commercial promotions from unnecessary restrictions.

Medidas

The law incorporates extraordinary one-time measures for taxpayers of the National Tax Service and the National Customs Office.

One of the benefits is the cancellation of tax debts, interest, fines, and penalties corresponding to periods before January 2018, in addition to tax obligations linked to fiscal year 2020, when the pandemic hit the country.

It also establishes tax regularization mechanisms for debts accumulated between 2018 and 2025, allowing either lump-sum payments or payment plans of up to 36 monthly installments, with partial elimination of interest and penalties.

Deadlines

The deadline to access these benefits will be 120 days, with the possibility of an extension until December 2026.

Another central point of the regulation is the reduction of the general tax statute of limitations from eight to four years, a measure that — according to the commission report — seeks to strengthen legal certainty, provide greater predictability to taxpayers, and balance the State’s auditing powers with the rights of taxpayers.

Delinquency and beneficiaries

According to technical reports presented during the legislative debate, accumulated tax delinquency amounts to approximately Bs 44.438 billion.

According to the Government, the relief measures could allow the recovery of nearly Bs 11.661 billion and potentially benefit more than 150,000 taxpayers.

The law also includes adjustments related to VAT and promotional and commercial activities, aimed at modernizing and making the national tax system more transparent.

“These measures promoted by President Rodrigo Paz reflect the National Government’s commitment to a simpler, more transparent tax policy focused on energizing the country’s economy,” the Ministry of Economy stated.

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