Tax

The Independent Authority for Public Revenue is proceeding with the automatic issuance of Tax Registration Numbers (AFM) to dependent children over the age of 12, while in a second phase AFMs will be granted to all minors from the age of 12 months (as they will have to be declared by the parents in the tax return).

A very small percentage, often less than 10%, of fines imposed by the tax authorities are actually collected.

Since his return from the United States, Stefanos Kasselakis, the new leader of SYRIZA, has aimed to project a more distinct and serious image compared to that immediately following his election, which had been consistently highlighted on morning television programs.

More than 43,000 single-owner enterprises will fall into the trap of the "presumptive income," on which they will be taxed for the year 2023 in the new manner that provides for a minimum taxable amount of 10,920 euros, which could reach up to €14,196. However, two more parameters will be activated for the above businesses: payroll and turnover.

The governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, called on the Finance Ministry leadership on Tuesday to re-examine all tax exemptions, stressing that "the country needs revenue."

Stournaras noted that the shadow economy in Greece exceeds 40 billion euro and that existing tax exemptions need to be evaluated as to whether they concern the truly vulnerable.

Only in cases where someone is hospitalized, unemployed, studying or imprisoned will the presumptive income announced by the government be contested. This figure starts from the amount of 10,920 euros and reaches up to €14,196.

The government's new measures to combat tax evasion by self-employed professionals will be a source of strengthening budget spending in sensitive sectors, such as health and education, from an estimated additional revenue of 874 million euros that will be secured. After the abolition of the fee for practicing certain professions, these takings will be limited to €606 million.

The intervention attempted in the taxation of freelancers and the self-employed could find resistance everywhere: Those affected may consider it too high, while salaried employees, who are not able to hide their income, may consider it cowardly, as the income that the self-employed are required to declare is placed at the minimum wage level.

Tax authorities are completing cross-checking on 3.8 million tax registration numbers yielding significant results about taxpayers with high gross receipts and zero profits, but that is not the end of the process: In the coming period, possibly within the month, cross checks will also begin for those who declare higher profits but there is still a big difference with their declared gross income

The government is limiting the options of professionals looking for loopholes to avoid presumptive taxation.