Hong Kong Tax Department Introduces New Features To E-File System

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

05 April 2004

In order to make the process of return filing easier and simpler in the territory of Hong Kong, the Inland Revenue Department has redesigned the screen flow of filing under the Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) Scheme and has introduced some new features.

If taxpayers have filed their last year's tax return under the ESD Scheme, they can retrieve the data of that return for "pre-completing" their electronic return for the current year. All they have to do is to update or amend the appropriate entries. Similarly, this year's electronic return data will be saved for pre-completing taxpayers' return for next year.

If taxpayers are not able to complete all the information for their electronic tax return in one go, they can save their data temporarily and retrieve it later for amendment or further completion before submission to the IRD.

Details of the electronic return submitted under the ESD Scheme will be stored for two years for taxpayers' subsequent reference. They may view and print their electronic tax return through the ESD Scheme anytime during the two-year period.

An IRD spokesman explained: "To encourage individual taxpayers to register with the IRD as a TeleTax user to enjoy the convenience of filing of tax return any time and anywhere, individual taxpayers who file tax returns through the Internet or Telefiling are allowed a two-week automatic extension of time to file their returns."

From April 1, the IRD began to issue about 150,000 profits tax returns, 100,000 property tax returns and 245,000 employer's returns for the year 2003-04. About 1.78 million tax returns for individuals will be issued on May 3. The return forms and forms for furnishing tax returns have been approved by the Board of Inland Revenue.

Recommended