These services enable employers and authorised tax practitioners to submit the FSS payer’s Annual Reconciliation Statement (FS7) and Employee’s Statements of earnings (FS3) for Tax and Social Security Contribution, and view on-line FSS Tax and Social Security Payments over the internet. The department has re-engineered the business processes so that when employers use these services, feedback is immediate and once any errors have been corrected the submission is acknowledged on-line. Employers also have the advantages that they no longer need to visit the department in person, they can check the payments effected and can ask for corrections to be made at an early stage in the process.
In February and March, the Inland Revenue Department held a number of information sessions for employers to facilitate the implementation of the FSS On-Line services.
The information sessions focused on the security aspect of the secure IR Services On-Line website, the new facilities and the FSS electronic lodgement specifications.
The feedback from the employers, both during the information sessions and from the take up of these services, has been very encouraging and the department will soon release further versions of the software enhanced with the requirements requested by the employers.
The information sessions were presented by Pierre Vella, project manager of the Inland Revenue Department Information System projects at MITTS Ltd, accompanied by Inland Revenue Department officers Anthony Azzopardi, assistant director of the FSS section, and Godfrey Calleja, assistant director of the department’s Computer Section.
The website for IR Services On-Line and the supporting back office software modules were developed by MITTS Ltd.
The website is a secure site that requires authentication by a digital certificate resident on the personal computer of the user besides a log-in name and password. Furthermore, all transmissions between the website and the personal computer of the end user are encrypted.
IR Services On-Line was launched in September 2002 to provide services and facilities to tax practitioners authorised by their corporate clients.
Tax practitioners are able to view taxpayer accounts (to confirm payments, balances and tax return filing); file company income tax returns and financial statements; and submit provisional tax reduction forms from their office desks.
Additional facilities to IR Services On-Line are planned for later on this year. The Inland Revenue Department will introduce on-line payment facilities and submission of Income Tax Returns.
IR Services On-Line is a project of the Inland Revenue Department in line with the e-Government Project being implemented across the government by the Information Technology and Investments Ministry.
For more information visit www.ird.gov.mt
Quelle: Malta Independent, 19.04.2004
