Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Federal Tax Service writes off 31 billion roubles in debts"
Head of the Federal Tax Service (FNS) Mikhail Mishustin discussed this issue in his meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
"Fulfilling your instructions, we have written off 31 billion roubles in debt for more than 31 million people," Mishustin reported to Putin.
Last September the prime minister ordered the FNS to put things straight in the tax system. Many people were charged taxes by mistake. Most often, they were receiving transport back tax bills for cars they sold long ago.
"Erroneous tax debt must be written off," Putin said then. "This should be done without courts, in a simplified procedure."
"We must rid the system of useless routine that is simply a waste of time," Mishustin agreed. "It is senseless to look for some 100 roubles charged by mistake."
The "amnesty" covered taxes charged before 2009. Persistent defaulters whose cases had already been transferred to the court were not pardoned. According to the FNS, the back taxes in question included 62% transport tax for 19.3 billion roubles; personal income tax (14%) for 4.4 billion roubles; property tax (12%) for 3.8 billion roubles; land tax (8%) for 2.5 billion roubles; and miscellaneous other taxes (4%).
The FNS promised not to send erroneous payment documents. Moreover, now it plans to issue a single notification, which will include information on transport, land and property taxes. Also, taxpayers will be able to send tear-off cards to report mistakes, say, on addresses, to the FNS.
One more convenience is an option to pay taxes via internet. The FNS plans to develop this service. "More than 200,000 people to date have paid their property, transport or land taxes online. We hope to develop this service quickly. Personal taxpayer accounts that provide these services are one of the most popular items on our site," Mishustin said.
"That sounds great," Putin agreed. "This service will save people time, and they won't have to deal directly with officials anymore. And the state actually benefits as well."
* * *
The question of the day on the "forgiven taxes" subject – see > on p. 3.
Useful link
www.nalog.ru – the FNS site. Click on "electronic services" to retrieve information about your debt. Registration is not required. Just use your Tax ID Number. If you have a debt, print a payment slip or pay online with your bank card.
Alexei Zhukov and Andrei Zaitsev
