March 31 Extension for Income Tax Filing

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) wishes to advise all Income Tax filers that a decision has been taken to extend the Income Tax deadline to Wednesday, March 31, 2021. This means that Companies, Partnerships, Self-employed persons and employed person with other sources of income, have until March 31 to file their Income Tax Returns for the 2020 filing period and Estimated Returns for 2021 without any charges being applied. Persons are however urged to make their payments by the usual March 15 or prior to the end of the fiscal year.

The Tax Authority has taken the decision to extend the Income Tax filing deadline from March 15, after careful deliberations in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses, as well as a recent system downtime.

Corporate bodies are reminded that due to the delayed introduction of the revised tax return Form IT02 to be filed by companies, as a concession the completion of the new Schedule 1A – Details of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholder’s Funds section featured on the form is not compulsory for year of assessment 2020. The revised IT02 also now captures the $375,000 Corporate Tax Credit, also referred to as the MSME tax credit introduced for financial year 2020. 

Additionally, customers are reminded that in addition to the requirement that all tax returns be filed online, they may avail themselves of a wider range of online payments options, including making their tax payments via the National Commercial Bank, as customers are able to use their online banking platform to add Tax Administration Jamaica as a Payee. Payments can also be made via the Tax Authority’s website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm using a credit card or other banking card with credit card features, using the Bank of Nova Scotia’s automatic direct deposit via TAJ’s website or via the new Direct Funds Transfer process.

Customers may also opt to visit one of several Tax Offices that will be operating on Saturdays (March 13 – April 24). These offices include St. Andrew, Montego Bay, Mandeville, Savanna-La-Mar, and St. Ann’s Bay and will operate 10am to 2pm, offering greater convenience to taxpayers as the fiscal year end draws closer. The Portmore Tax Office will continue its regular Saturday business hours (10am-4pm). This move is intended to minimise crowding in Tax Offices in keeping with Government’s guidelines on public gatherings.

For further information call the Tax Administration Customer Care Centre at 888-TaxHelp (888-829-4357) or visit the website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.