Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department Sends E-Tax Reminder

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

11 December 2008

With the approach of the tax payment season in Hong Kong, the country's Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced that all eTAX account holders will be receiving an electronic reminder around one week before the due date, reminding them to pay on time.

“All account holders who have provided us with their personal e-mail address and opted to receive e-mail will receive our email advising them to read the reminder in their message box”, a spokesman for the IRD announced on December 9.

Introduced in January of this year, eTAX offers taxpayers easy, secure and environment-friendly means to comply with the tax law.

Describing eTAX as one’s "tax secretary," the IRD spokesman said that taxpayers could view their account profile, check the status of tax return, assessment and payment as well as notify changes in personal and business particulars through their eTAX account. They could also enjoy online service for applying for holdover of provisional tax, stamping of property document, business registration and payment.

To reduce the use of paper, the IRD will stop issuing paper receipts for electronic or postal payments of tax (except for Profits Tax for corporations and partnership businesses, and property tax for jointly owned properties) from January 1, 2009.

Instead, IRD will issue electronic receipts to eTAX account holders. They may also view their tax payment position via eTAX anytime.

“To gain access to these services, a taxpayer has to open an eTAX account by logging in eTAX at www.gov.hk/etax with his Taxpayer Identification Number and password that he has registered with IRD, or by using his digital certificate issued by a recognized certification authority,” the spokesman added, concluding:

“If a taxpayer does not have a password or has forgotten it, he can apply for a new one online under eTAX. Taxpayers can choose their own TIN and Password when they open their eTAX Account."

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