President Laurentino Cortizo sanctioned Law 208 of April 6, 2021, which extends until December 31 of this year the validity of the tax amnesty, which initially arose in 2019.
With this initiative of the Executive, enacted in Official Gazette and which is part of the Economic Recovery Plan (phase 1), taxpayers will have until August 31, 2021 to make payments or enter into payment arrangements with respect to tax obligations not fulfilled until January 31 of this year, official sources informed.
In order to access the $1.75 billion credit requested from the IMF, the Costa Rican government proposes to tax financial transactions, increase the tax on the profits of companies and individuals, and increase the tax on real estate.
On the afternoon of September 17, and in the context of a severe economic crisis that had been going on since before the beginning of the pandemic, the Alvarado administration presented the plan with which it intends to mitigate the fiscal impact of the Covid-19 crisis, a proposal to negotiate an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to obtain a credit of $1.75 billion.
Although Costa Rica and Nicaragua approved fiscal reforms this year, it is predicted that the expected results in terms of tax collection will not be achieved.
The document "Centroamérica: análisis sintético, por país, del desempeño de la recaudación tributaria en 2019", prepared by the Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Fiscales (Icefi), explains that, in the case of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, the expected results in terms of improved collection are still in doubt.
In the midst of Nicaragua's political and economic crisis, the National Assembly approved a tax reform that increases the income tax of large taxpayers from 1% to 3%.
On the morning of February 27th, the reform of the Tax Concentration Law was approved, which also contemplates raising from 1% to 2% the income tax for medium sized companies with higher incomes.
In Panama, a bill that regulates the activities of call centers has been approved, leaving companies in the sector free of direct and indirect taxes.
The National Assembly reported that, in a third debate, approval was given to Bill 653 which regulates the activity of call centers for commercial use.
According to a statement from the Assembly during the discussion, it was learned that only 32 call centers are operating in the country, despite the existence of 134 licenses issued by the Public Services Authority(ASEP).It was said thatthis activity generates around nine thousand jobs in the country.
The Government is debating whether to charge an additional tax of 1% on the price of fuel when the international price falls below $50 per barrel.
Under the law passed in 2009, if the price of a barrel of oil is less than $50 an additional 1% tax on the price of fuel will be automatically applied. Although the international price of oil is now trading at less than $50, the tax is not yet being charged.
It has been stated that the tax on returns generated from stock market operations has discouraged investment in the country and constitutes a disadvantage compared to neighboring markets.
This 20% tax on returns from each operation has become a competitive disadvantage for the country, as investors prefer tax free markets where they are fewer barriers to investment.
With the reform to the law on Tax Concentration non-resident investors in the country will have to pay 15% instead of 10% on income earned from capital.
According to Juan Sebastian Chamorro, executive director of the Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development, the new reform "... is a positive thing for the country because it will generate an increase in the collection of such taxes but is a negative blow to natural and legal non residents because the Revenue Department will no longer deduct 10% on capital transfers, but rather 15 %. "
In order to finance the 2015 budget, Congress has approved a tax of $0.65 for the distribution of each sack of cement weighing 42.5 kg and the same amount for each mobile or fixed telephone line.
Between the two taxes it is hoped that a total of approximately $2,607 million will be raised to finance the General Budget of the Nation in 2015.
In the case of taxes on mobiles and fixed telephone lines, "...
At the end of the December 31, deadline to qualify for the current moratorium, a 10% surcharge will be incurred by those behind in the payment of taxes on income or property.
According to some taxpayers this measure represents a "... Disguised tax increase, which contradicts the promise made by President Juan Carlos Varela not to raise taxes, despite the existing fiscal deficit.
A A bill presented in Costa Rica aims to improve tax controls by forcing merchants to accept payments with credit and debit cards.
The bill introduced in the Legislature by the Ministry of Finance, entitled "An Act to improve the fight against fiscal fraud" includes other initiatives such as the imposition of a sales tax on property rentals of less than one month duration.