Pay Taxes Promptly: Marquez Reminds Taxpayers

by Rey C. Villaruel

Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez instructed OIC Provincial Treasurer Suzette F. Pioquid to remind taxpayers to pay their CY 2009 taxes due to the province on the given specific dates to avoid surcharges and interest.

Taxes payable without surcharges if paid before the deadline include professional tax, which is payable on or before January 31. New professionals shall pay their taxes before they can practice their professions.

Tax on printing and publication is due and payable in quarterly installments within the first 20 days following each quarter. For new business, tax is paid first before the business starts to operate.

Franchise tax and delivery trucks or vans tax are paid within the first 20 days of January.

Amusement tax on admission is due and payable within the first 20 days of the month next following that for which they are due.

Tax on sand, gravel, and other quarry resources is due and payable in advance before materials are extracted; while tax on transfer of real property ownership shall be the duty of the seller, donor, transferor, executor or administrator to pay the taxes imposed within 60 days from the date of signing of the deed or from the date of the property owner’s death.

For failure to pay on time, the taxpayer is charged 25 percent surcharge of the original amount of the tax due for the profe-ssional. For the other taxes, taxpayers shall pay an interest of two percent per month on the unpaid amount until the delinquent tax shall have been fully paid but not to exceed 36 months and a surcharge of 25 percent of the original amount of the tax due.

Pioquid also remin-ded the taxpayers the payment of the one percent basic real property tax and additional one percent special educa-tional fund (SEF) tax due for 2007. This tax maybe paid in four installments at the option of taxpayer within the period allowed. For the prompt payments of real property tax, a 10 percent discount is granted. Schedule of payments are, first installment is on or before March 31, second installment is on or before June 30, third installment is on or before September 30, and fourth installment is on or before December 31. If payment is made in advance prior to its annual or quarterly due dates, a 20 percent discount is given. The one percent basic real property tax and one percent additional SEF tax are collected simultaneously.

Failure to pay basic and SEF real property taxes on or before the dates specified will subject the taxpayer to pay an interest of two percent on the amount of delinquent tax for each month of delinquency until the tax is fully paid but not to exceed 36 months. Taxpayers may pay their taxes at the Municipal Treasurer’s office where the property is located or in any office of the provincial/municipal treasurers where the taxpayers reside. /MP