In order to force companies to comply with the payment of taxes on sales made through electronic channels, as of June 2021 SAT will begin to use a digital platform that will analyze the information that appears on social networks.
The restrictions on mobility decreed during 2020 due to the outbreak of covid-19 and the change in consumption habits, boosted the growth of online sales in the Guatemalan market.
As a result of the elimination of banking secrecy in Guatemala, the business sector announces that it will be alert to "respect due process and the confidentiality of taxpayers.
One year after having suspended access to taxpayers' bank information for fiscal purposes, at the beginning of August the Constitutional Court ruled definitively and revoked the suspension, so that in the coming weeks the changes will begin to apply.
Experts and authorities believe that the ruling by the Guatemalan Constitutional Court revoking the suspension preventing access to taxpayers' bank information for fiscal purposes could be reversed with another legal action.
In recent days, the issue has become more relevant in the country, because after a year of being suspended access to banking information for tax purposes, on August 6 the Constitutional Court finally ruled, authorizing the Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT) to review the accounts of taxpayers.
One year after the suspension of taxpayers' access to bank information for tax purposes, the Guatemalan Constitutional Court ruled definitively and revoked the suspension.
Calendar of payment of obligations corresponding to March 2018 and Tax Memorandum on how and when to use credit notes.
From a tax memorandum by Tezó y Asociados:
The VAT Law establishes that in specific cases, duly justified and in order toprovide taxpayers with timely compliance with their tax obligations, the Tax Administration is able to authorize, at the request of theTaxpayer, the issuance of other documents, additional to the Credit Notes that document returns, cancellations or discounts on operations already paid for.
Calendar of payments for obligations corresponding to February 2018 and Tax Memorandum on the regulations on factoring.
From a memorandum by Tezó y Asociados :
In the Diario de Centro América dated February 22, 2018, Decree number 1-2018 was publishedwhich contains the Law on Factoring and Discount Contracts, whichwill be in force from August 22, 2018.
Memorandum on tax exemptions for call center activities, development of software and digital content, and schedule for payments of tax liabilities in March 2017.
From a Memorandum sent by Tezó and Associates:
TAX EXEMPTION IN GUATEMALA FOR CALL CENTERS, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL CONTENT
In February a law comes into force authorizing the lifting of bank secrecy of companies and individuals with a court order at the request of tax authorities.
Banks are preparing for the entry into force of legislation in February, modifying their processes in order to respond more quickly to requests from the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT).
Legal tax engineering is a mandatory business practice for anyone who wants to be competitive in today's globalized world, and only those who are not entrepreneurs can afford to refuse to acknowledge this fact.
EDITORIAL
With the same firmness that we criticize businesspeople who evade taxes or bribe officials to get a contract, we must defend every business practice which is framed within the law to pursue the best use of available resources to generate wealth through the production of goods and services, which is what businesses do.
In the opinion of the Central American Institute of Fiscal Studies, the only way to consolidate public finances in a sustainable way is to reduce tax breaks and increase tax collections.
From a statement issued by the Central Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi):
The Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies (Icefi) has proposed as a fiscal agenda for development: meeting the public demand for integrity and transparency; effective, efficient and effectual public spending as a tool for inclusive and democratic development; and financial viability with taxation being part of democratic accountability.
Since the institutional crisis the tax supervision body has been operating without a head since April, while the fiscal deficit is still growing and legal bills sleep in the Assembly.
In an opinion piece published on Prensalibre.com, Oscar Chile Monroy, refers to the need for the new president Alejandro Maldonado to urgently decide on who are the new authorities for the Tax Administration in order to redirect the state of public finances, after the institutional crisis whose effects are still being felt in the tax collection agency.
The Tax Authority has announced the implementation of its program of massive audits of firms for March and April.
From a statement issued by the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT):
The Tax Authority within its functions to monitor compliance with tax obligations and billing for services and sale of products, is now conducting checks on billing and fixed points at different types of existing businesses.