67 soccer players, assembly members and high-profile people under review by the SRI that charged them $4.5 million

Soccer players, assembly members, businessmen and individuals with significant assets abroad were part of the first tax PCR. It is a rapid control plan (PCR) with the objective of promoting voluntary and truthful tax compliance of taxpayers. The Internal Revenue Service (SRI) seeks, through this measure, to compare the information declared with the information that comes from national and international sources.

The first tax PCR was carried out between September and November 2022 on 67 high-profile natural persons nationwide. At least 52 taxpayers had accepted the Single and Temporary Tax Regime for the Regularization of Assets Abroad (Rivut) and Heritage Contribution, and 15 for income tax on undeclared income.

During the process, appearances and information requirements were made, generating a collection effective of $4.5 million.

The SRI reported that this month the second phase aimed at 85 natural persons.

The Tributary PCRs are possible thanks to the crossing of local information that the SRI has begun to carry out. This analysis is complemented by the information received from international organizations on accounts and assets abroad.

The SRI announced that it will also continue to run Tax PCR and strengthening controls throughout 2023.

In accordance with Pablo Guevara, partner at Andersen & Tax, what the SRI is doing at the moment are the logical actions of the tax administration for control and better tax collection.

When commenting on the profile of those who have been submitted to this examination, Guevara explained that it is not possible to know who these people are who were not complying with the adequate payment of their taxes. He indicated that although the SRI mentions that soccer players, assembly members and businessmen have been examined, the names and amounts are a kind of secret confession or tax secrecy.

For Guevara, the message that the SRI leaves these people is important, that those who have high incomes and the possibility of creating structures abroad to obtain benefits and avoid payments in the country are being scrutinized and are having to respond in tax terms.

He recalled that the SRI has received information on some 50,000 foreign checking accounts of tax residents. Now the Internal Revenue Service has the possibility of checking with the patrimonial declarations. “Now the differences are beginning to jump, between the balances of the accounts and what is declared by the taxpayers,” comment. He explained that after these findings, the SRI notifies those involved and that is how it has managed to make this collection. He commented that only the tip of the iceberg is being worked on.

In this sense, Guevara advised taxpayers who are aware that they have asset declarations that do not correspond to the assets they have abroad to take advantage of the opportunity that has been established in the Economic Development Law. This is that until December 31 they have the option of regularizing said assets by paying a kind of fine of 5.5% of the regularized value. Then, in the future, they must pay the value of the tax normally.

In the case of Guevara, he says that countless people interested in learning about the regularization process have approached his firm and they have all been recommended to take advantage of this opportunity. (YO)