Phase 2 Rollout of TAJ’s New Tax System set for December

Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) is continuing preparations to implement the second phase of its new Revenue Administration Integrated System (RAiS), scheduled for roll-out on December 7, 2015. This phase of the RAiS implementation involves improved web services related to eFiling and payments of Income Tax, Payroll Taxes, Education and Asset Taxes, along with online application for Tax Registration Number (TRN) and Tax Compliance Certificates (TCC).

Once the roll-out of phase two implementation is complete, Income Tax, Minimum Business Tax, Payroll Taxes and contributions including NIS, NHT, HEART, Education and Asset Taxes will be integrated into the RAiS platform. This will allow taxpayers or their intermediaries to access enhanced web services related to these taxes, such as:
 

• viewing their filing and payment history
• requesting a refund
• objecting to an assessment
• automating direct bank payments

In addition, the upgraded services will greatly improve customer service by allowing persons to apply online for their TRN, as well validating a TCC using the enhanced web services.

Internally, the department will expand its use of RAiS to manage tax arrears, generate letters and assign work items related to the additional tax types.

In preparation for the December 7 implementation, TAJ has began a series of stakeholder sensitization sessions, as well as staff training activities. The department has also held talks with the Tax Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) and hosted a special focus group session to gather feedback on the revised series of Income Tax forms. Further stakeholder sessions will be conducted across the island, ahead of the roll-out of this second of three phases.

Phase one of RAiS, which was implemented on February 9, 2015, simplified the filing and payment of consumption taxes to include General Consumption Tax, Special Consumption Tax, Telephone Call Tax and Guest Accommodation Room Tax on the new platform. It also allowed access to a range of other features including verifying tax withholding and zerorated entities, and granting third party access to their accounts. These changes are all geared towards improving the taxpayer experience and the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service delivery.