TAJ to pilot new procedures for Direct Funds Transfer

Come January 2, 2021, Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) will begin the pilot phase of a Direct Funds Transfer Project, aimed at improving the process by which customers transfer funds to TAJ’s bank accounts for the payment of taxes and fees. This game changing process will mitigate the challenges currently being experienced by the Administration in identifying and receipting funds under the current direct banking arrangements. As an added benefit, customers utilising the new procedures will be able to access and print their own official receipts from the TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm. The project is designed to reduce and subsequently remove the existing manual direct banking arrangements and move towards a fully automated direct bank transfer solution. 

In preparation for the pilot, customers who currently use the manual direct banking option are being advised to switch to another electronic payment option or to begin using the alternate Direct Funds Transfer (DFT) Payment Option.  

This semi-automated DFT option requires customers to generate a Payment Advice on their Revenue Administration Information System Account (RAIS), which has been enhanced to include a Direct Funds Transfer Number (DFTN). When transferring the funds to TAJ’s bank account the customer is required to enter the DFTN in the particulars/memo field, thereby communicating to TAJ the information for the receipting of the funds. The use of the DFTN will enable the RAIS to automatically generate the receipts for the payments, which may then be printed by the customer. This means that under this option, all funds transferred to TAJ’s bank must include a DFTN in the instruction to be receipted. Customers will be able to print their official receipt, instead of having to retrieve it at a later date from a Tax Office. 

During the lead up to the pilot, customers are urged to begin generating the Direct Funds Transfer Number (DFTN) via the Payment Advice and include the instruction to their bank when making the transfer to TAJ. They should also include the DFTN on their Direct Banking Form (DB01) sent to TAJ.

Customers are reminded that there are several other electronic payment options available that doesn’t require them to visit a Tax Office, and are encouraged to use any of the following:  

• ACH Debit Option (BNS) – Customers of BNS can utilize existing Electronic Payment via their TAJ Revenue Administration Information System (RAIS) 3 online account (available for Scotiabank Customers ONLY) on the TAJ Enterprise Portal. Users will be able to generate and print their official receipt from the website.
    
• Bill Payment Option (NCB) – Customers of NCB can utilize the new payment option via NCB Bill Pay. This option is currently available for NCB personal and business customers to add TAJ as a payee to pay business related taxes and fees, such as GCT, Income Tax, Payroll Deductions and Property Tax. Customers will be able to use the reference number generated from the payment on the NCB online platform, to generate and print their official receipt from the TAJ website.
    
• Credit Card Option – All customers can utilize a credit card or use a debit, pre-paid or other payment card that has credit card features, which is being offered by several banks and other financial institutions, to make payments via the TAJ website www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.  

As part of the strategy to familiarize customers about the project, for more than a month, TAJ, through its Large Taxpayer Office and Revenue Service Centres, has been engaging with customers who currently pay using the manual direct banking channel, to sensitise them about the planned changes and to acquaint them with the alternate electronic payment options that are available. Up to 4 November 30, 2020 TAJ’s Client Relationship Managers, who service large taxpayers have held over 147 virtual advisory sessions, while Taxpayer Education Officers have held 250 sessions in the digital space for the medium and small segment of taxpayers. Meetings will also continue with other key stakeholders, such as Financial Institutions, the Accountant General, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ). These engagements that are conducted via phone and/or virtual meetings will continue through the month of December.  

For further information, customers assigned to the Large Taxpayer Office may contact their Client Relationship Manager, other customers may contact a Taxpayer Education Officer, the TAJ Customer Care Centre at 888-TAX-HELP (888- 829-4357) or access relevant “How To” guides on the TAJ website at www.jamaicatax.gov.jm.