by: Norma Villalobos

On October 5, 2021, the Legislative Assembly approved Decree No. 173 containing the Special Transitory Law that provides facilities for voluntary compliance with tax and customs obligations.

The main aspects of the approved Law are the following:

  • A term is granted, from the effective date of the Decree until December 10, 2021, for taxpayers to make the payment of original or complementary taxes owed to the Treasury of the Republic, or those cases in which balances in favor have been declared in an higher amount than that which legally belongs to them, corresponding to previous periods or fiscal years, or declarations of registered goods, whose date or term to liquidate or file the declaration has expired on June 30, 2021.
  • The payment of tax obligations or the filing of returns that do not determine payment, as the case may be, will exempt those who make the payment from the payment of interest, surcharges, and no purposes will be imposed on the same tax periods and fiscal years.
  • Taxpayers obliged to pay taxes whose situation is under the jurisdiction of the General Treasury Directorate may also avail themselves of the Decree.
  • Taxpayers obliged to pay taxes under the jurisdiction of the General Directorate of Internal Taxes, General Directorate of Customs, and taxpayers obliged to pay taxes when the debts are liquid, firm, and enforceable, and are in any of the situations considered by the Decree for each case, may avail themselves of the Decree.
  • The payment of the tax obligations included in the Decree may be made in cash, cashier's, cashier's or certified checks, Public Treasury Credit Notes, credit or debit cards accepted by the General Treasury Directorate, and by presenting the tax returns or merchandise declarations, in the situations where it is appropriate to do so.
  • Taxpayers who avail themselves of the Decree may request a term for the payment of their tax obligations, and the General Treasury Directorate will grant up to a maximum of 7 months in consideration of the amount owed.

The approved Decree entered into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette, that is, October 5, 2021, and is effective according to the term indicated therein.

In case your company needs advice, please contact LatinAlliance at info@latinalliance.co.