‘Huge turnout’ reported as taxpayers seek to benefit from fine exemptions

AMMAN — Thousands of taxpayers have settled their overdue taxes to benefit from full exemptions on fines, which expired Tuesday, according to the Income and Sales Tax Department. 

Department Spokesperson Musa Tarawneh said tax offices across the Kingdom saw a huge turnout over the past few days as taxpayers rushed to take advantage of the exemptions, endorsed late last year. 

On December 23, the Cabinet decided to waive fines on unpaid taxes and fees if taxpayers settled their unpaid dues to the tax department, the Jordan Customs Department, municipalities, public universities and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

Tarawneh told The Jordan Times over the phone Tuesday that the exemptions will go down to 75 per cent as of Wednesday until the end of June. 

Between July and September, the fines will drop by 50 per cent, while the percentage will become 25 per cent between October and December.

The move is aimed at encouraging taxpayers to settle their dues and to generate more revenues to the Treasury, the official said.  

The government expects the incentives to generate between JD150 million and JD200 million in additional tax revenues. 

Official figures estimate the value of unpaid taxes owed by defaulters over the past years at JD800 million. 

Businesses and individuals are included in the government’s exemption decision.