Income, sales tax revenues totalled JD5.213b in 2021 — ISTD

AMMAN — Refraining from imposing new taxes or increasing existing ones over the past few years highlights the “success” of tax reforms in the Kingdom, Income and Sales Tax Department (ISTD)Director General Hussam Abu Ali said recently. 

During a recent virtual panel discussion organised by the Jordan Economic Forum (JEF), Abu Ali said that department revenues in 2021 totalled JD5.213 billion, including JD1.176 billion as income tax and JD4.36 billion as sales tax, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He pointed out that department revenues in January reached JD528 million compared with JD476 million in the same month of 2021.

During the session, JEF Chairman MP Khair Abu Sailek lauded the recent level and efficiency of the tax administration, which has made “remarkable” strides in tax reform, adding that additional steps should be made in this regard.

Abu Sailek also stressed the need to promote “tax culture”, calling on the government to use media in this regard.

To end tax-related collection distortions, he stressed the need to better train tax auditors, referring to complaints related to their practices made in violation of law.

Abu Sailek also called for intensifying the integration of e-channels to audit and inspect taxpayers, stressing the need to balance direct and indirect levies and revisit the sales tax. 

JEF member Senator Issa Murad said that the Income and Sales Tax Department (ISTD) has recently adopted “modern approaches” while dealing with taxpayers in “a transparent manner”.