The deadline to file your annual returns for the year 2017 is fast approaching. After June 30th, three weeks from now, the Kenya Revenue Authority will close the tax returns portal. Penalties of up to Ksh. 20,000 will apply to anyone who will not have filed their return by then. With the introduction of iTax in 2015, every Kenyan citizen, filing your returns is just a click away, but it may be daunting if you are doing it for yourself for the first time. Today, we will walk you through the iTax filling system to make this a little easier for you.
Before we get to it, there are some documents you must have to be able to complete the process smoothly. Depending with the return you will be filling; you are required to have with you one of the following documents: P9A and Employer’s KRA PIN number if you are employed, financial statement for business, farming and rent income. You may also need to have a withholding tax certificate, mortgage tax certificate and KRA PIN for the lender, an insurance premium certificate and the KRA PIN of the underwriter and any other document related to income you have received.
How to File Your Return Using iTax
Step 1 open the KRA iTax Portal on your browser. Enter you KRA pin and your password.
Step 2 Select the Tax Return tab and click on the Fill in Tax Return option.
Step 3 Select the year you are filling for, in this case, January to December 2017.
Step 4 Enter your ID and your Employer’s KRA PIN and click Next.
Step 5 From here, the system will give prompt you on what to fill in. If you are filling returns for income you have earned through employment, you will be required to download an excel sheet that you will fill with the relevant information. If you indicated that you have income other than employment, you will download a profits and loss statement and input details from your business.
Step 6 Check the Tax computation sheet to make sure that all details are correct and that you do not owe the tax man anything. If you are sure that all information entered is accurate, click on Validate.
The iTax system will give you an option of zipping the file to make ready to be uploaded into the system. At this point, areas with issues will be highlighted for you as errors for rectification before you are allowed to upload.
Step 7 Once the system shows that there is no error, you can then compress your folder into a zip file and upload it. Remember to indicate the whether you are filling original returns or an amendment as well as the return period. All you have to do now is Agree to the terms and condition and click on submit. You will then receive an email confirming that you have filled your returns.
If you can access a computer and internet connection, you should be able to finish this process within fifteen minutes. However, we understand that you can be busy and may not have enough time to get this. Talk to a tax agent, such as BCML and have them worry about filing returns so you can concentrate on other priorities.
Leave a Reply