The deadline for filing 2021 tax returns and making payments will not be extended except for people who are confirmed to have COVID-19 or are instructed to quarantine at the end of May, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Tuesday.
Despite having extended the tax deadline for all taxpayers from May 31 to June 30 for two consecutive years due to COVID-19, the MOF said it would not implement the same policy this year.
Nevertheless, in light of the growing number of domestic COVID-19 cases and their close contacts in quarantine, the MOF said those whose COVID-19 treatment or quarantine period overlaps with the regular May 31 deadline will be granted a one-month extension to June 30.
This extension will apply to both individual and business tax filings and payments, as well as the payment of property taxes, MOF added.
They do not need to apply for an extension in advance but will be required to provide proof, such as a notice of quarantine issued by a local government, if they file their tax returns and make payments after the regular deadline, the MOF said.
For those who might remain under treatment for COVID-19 after the extension period is over, they will be given another 20 days to file taxes and make payments after their recovery, the MOF added.
According to Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) data, 42,844 people have been diagnosed with locally-transmitted COVID-19 since 2022 as of April 26. Daily local cases have surged from roughly a hundred at the beginning of April to over 5,000 this week, the data showed, although the CECC said most of these cases were mild or asymptomatic.
In the meantime, the number of people in quarantine had reached approximately 90,000 as of Tuesday, the CECC said, adding that many of them would return to normal life in the following days due to a new quarantine measure that took effect on Tuesday.
Beginning Tuesday, known contacts of people with COVID-19 will only have to quarantine for three days and then closely monitor their health for the following four days.
Previously, they were required to spend 10 days in quarantine and carry out another seven days of “self-health management.”
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel