Nearly 8,000 people used the Barbados Revenue Authority’s tax clinics and in-person customer service facilities during this year’s income tax filing season, with nearly 11,000 calls handled by the Contact Centre.
Seventy-seven percent of those who asked for help had to reset their password. The deadline for filing and paying the 2022 income tax was May 2, 2023, while those filing the RTC 2022 have until December 31, 2024.
The Authority’s communications officer, Erica Lazare, said the filing went well overall with a 71 percent compliance rate, culminating in a sharp increase in online traffic and calls on the last day of filing. She added that there would be redress for PIT filers with legitimate claims who failed to file on time.
“On the last day there was a significant increase in the number of users on the TAMIS system and although we had a relatively high percentage of filers, TAMIS slowed down a bit at some points, but most importantly it still worked. We appreciate that some people had issues that may have prevented them from submitting their PIT on time. In those cases, we ask those individuals to go to their Account tab and submit an Objection for consideration. Be sure to include as much detail as possible.
“Online payments increased again, reflecting improved taxpayer payment performance. We plan to publish some of the tax return stats on the website soon,” she shared.
Lazare advised taxpayers to keep their usernames and passwords in a safe place, as most people only access the system once a year and may forget these details. The team is also working with the developers to improve the password recovery process.
She also urged users to verify their third-party information and file accurate returns as soon as possible to avoid last-minute rushes, and to ensure bank or credit union information is available should a tax refund be required. arising from declarations.
The Authority is currently conducting a debriefing of the submission season with a view to gathering recommendations for future improvements. (PR/SAT)
