The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia on 15th April 2021 released a circular targeting tutors employed by the Commission as well as its secretariat staff.
Macharia through a circular No. 5/2021 addressed to Secretariat staff, Principals of Secondary schools and Teacher Training Colleges, Head teachers of Primary Schools and Director Kenya Institute of Special Education and Director Kenya Institute of the Blind directed all its employees to file their individual income tax returns for the year 2020 by June.
“All TSC employees are required to file their individual income tax returns for the year 2020 through the KRA online ITax platform https://itax.kra.go.ke/ by 30th June 2021 as required by Income Tax Act,” read part of a circular by Nancy Macharia.
Teachers who experience challenges in filing the returns were told to sought assistance from KRA service centres or call 0711099999 or email KRA through callcentre@kra.go.ke
Teachers employed by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) who fail to file their KRA tax returns on time risk missing payment after the taxman escalated its penalty for the offence.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said Kenyans who fail to file their tax returns before the June 30th deadline risk losing their KRA pins.
For teachers to receive their pay it must first be subjected for taxation and for this they must have a KRA pin to make it possible.
If their KRA pins are revoked it means their payment will be withheld for not paying taxes.
KRA published a new notice saying persons who have already failed to file their respective tax returns without showing cause will lose their pins after the lapse of a 30 day window.
“Failure to file returns, unless cause is shown to the contrary, the Commissioner of Domestic Taxes shall have their personal identification numbers (PINs) de-registered and cancelled from the KRA system,” read part the notice.
On its website, the tax collection agency listed 62,727 pins intended for de-registration next month.
The list of pins set for cancellation are linked to an estimated 7,107 individual accounts with the balance, a majority, comprising of companies, schools and self-help-groups.
The intended de-registration and cancellation of the pins is part of KRA’s move to enforce tax returns compliance as provided for by the 2015, Tax Procedures Act.
KRA has asked tax payers to take advantage of its ongoing voluntary tax disclosure program (VTDP) to rationalize outstanding tax payments and meet the filing requirement.
“Taxpayers are also encouraged to take advantage of the Voluntary Tax Disclosure Program and apply, disclose and pay their outstanding liability with a relief on interest and penalties,” added KRA.
The loss of KRA pins is expected to have detrimental effects as the identification number being a prerequisite to processes such as the opening of bank accounts, jobs applications and even land registration.