Tax Pills

Last 23th of December, Italian Parliament has approved the financial package of Monti’s Government that includes several brand new fiscal measures, such as tax reliefs on labor costs, unified property tax (IMU), stabilization of home renovation detraction of 36%, taxation of luxury goods and of the sums repatriated under the “tax shield”.

Deducibility to promote youth and female employment
The Decree 201/2011 introduces a large deducibility for Irap, the regional business tax that companies pay on labor costs. The main aim is to stimulate employment of young people under 35 years old and women. In fact, companies could deduct 10.600 euro for every young and female worker with a permanent contract and 15.200 for every young and female worker employed  with a permanent contract in depressed regions of the Country.

The home renovation detraction becomes a “role”
Since 1^st of January 2012, the detraction of 36% related to home renovation becomes, after years by years extensions, a permanent item in the list of tax reliefs. Good news also for the 55%  “save energy” detraction, that has been extended for 2012 and since 2013 will be included in the 36% home renovation detraction.

Incentive system for SMEs and professionals
To stimulate a better fiscal behaviour of taxpayers, the Government  has introduced some not punitive initiatives against tax evasion. For example, small business enterprises and professionals, that will implement full traceability of their revenues will be “prized” with allowances and incentives, such as simplification of several fiscal duties, a fast track for Vat compensations and tax refunds, full assistance by Tax Administration.

Support for economic growth
To strength the financial structure of companies, the Government has approved a measure  that provides an additional deduction equal to a return calculated on the increased equity invested in the business (ACE).

Emersion of the tax base
Since 2012 criminal sanctions will be applied against taxpayers that will produce false documentation during a tax assessment. While, in case of false information, taxpayers will be persecuted  only if it treats of  tax crimes regarding Vat and income taxes.
Moreover, financial operators have to transmit all the information related to bank accounts and/or money movements.  In order to tackle tax evasion more effectively, all the data will be managed through the Anagrafe tributaria system, a database used for gathering and processing fiscal information. The aim is to collect useful data in order create lists of taxpayers with high risk of evasion.
A new tax measure has postponed to 31^st December 2013 the deadline to recover the amounts,  not yet collected,  related to 2003 tax amnesties.

Limitation of cash money
To fight more efficiently tax evasion and make more traceable the means of payment, the Government has introduced the limit of using cash for amounts equal or above 1.000 euro regarding commercial operations between privates or between consumers and companies. The same rule is valid also for bank cheques or chashier’s check, without the non negotiability clause and indication of the beneficiary.

Property tax revamped comes back
A new unified property tax, called IMU will be applied for three years, at a rate of 0,40% to first residences and at a rate of 0,76% to all other residences. These standard tax rates could be changed by Municipalities. Moreover, the amount of the new property tax related to first residence, for 2012 and 2013, could be less high in case the family has children less than 26 years old that live and have place of residence in the same apartment. The allowance can be 50 euro for each child until maximum 400 euro to sum up to the basic tax allowance of 200 euro reserved to first residences.

Taxation of luxury goods and of sums repatriated
The taxation of luxury goods such as powerful cars, private airplanes, helicopters and boats will be increased. For example powerful cars with a motor more powerful than 185 kw, from 2012, have to pay an additional tax of 20 euro applied for each kw that exceeds the limit. Moreover, also foreign private planes, not registered in Italy, will be taxed if they remain in the country for longer than 48 hours. Also the financial activities, including sums repatriated under the “tax shield” will be taxed, in 2012 with a rate of 10 per thousand, in 2013 with a rate of 13,5 per thousand, in following years at a rate of 4 per thousand.

(va. ib. e cl. sc.) 

Seven officials of the Italian Revenue Agency have been adjudged as the best civil servants for 2011. Four sport champions have awarded the officials: Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti, gold medals at beach volley european championships, Andrea Cassarà and Rossano Galtarossa, olympic champions in fencing and rowing.
For the third year in a row, the Agency has decided to award the officials that have demonstrated outstanding performances for the quality, innovation and effectiveness of their own work.
The objectives of the award are aimed at improving the quality of work and services of the Italian Revenue Agency at national and regional level and inspiring and motivating civil servants.
The officials awarded were selected by an ad hoc Commission of executives in three specific categories such as: fight against tax evasion and tax litigation, services and consultancy, coordination and support.
“They represent the best of the Italian Revenue Agency. They come from all over Italy, said during the award ceremony Deputy Director General, Marco Di Capua, and they have different job profiles, but they have showed the same great passion, sense of belonging and results-orientation.
Here are the names and the profiles of the seven winners:
 
Category “Fight against tax evasion and tax litigation”:

• Nicola Valente, 1^st classified -  He is head of tax assessment sector at Regional Directorate of Friuli Venezia Giulia. He was conferred the award appreciating his important work of coordinating an action against tax evasion towards a big insurance company that has given back 110 millions of euro.
• Nicolina Stefanizzi, 2^nd classified – She deals with tax litigation at Regional Directorate of Lombardia. He was awarded because he has dealt successfully with litigations management, obtaining important results for the Agency’s victory in tax litigation.

 
Category “Services and consultancy”:

• Patrizia Matrullo, 1^st classified – She is coordinator of the local office Genova 1, where she works with passion, assisting and informing the taxpayers. She was awarded for the successful project focused on the decentralization of info points that has foreseen the temporary opening of tax information points at some mountain regions in order to help the taxpayers during the period of tax returns.

• Anna Maria Pagnotta, 2^nd classified ex aequo – She deals with taxes management at Regional Directorate of Calabria. Her contribution was important for planning and control activities and also for business intelligence and internet tax services.
• Valeria Ibello, 2^nd classified ex aequo – She is press officer at the press office of communication sector. She has demonstrated a great ability to make comprehensible tax matters to the general public thanks to the drafting of reports and press releases. She was also involved in the promotion of the advertising campaign against tax evasion at national and international level.

 
Category “Coordination and support”

• Giorgio Giordanella, 1st classified –  He deals with real estates management at Regional Directorate of Piemonte.  Due to his great efforts he has realised  a software to manage Agency’s buildings budget, he participates to the realisation of the kindergarten at the Directorate.
• Cosimo Tomai Pitinca, 2^nd classified -  He works in the communication sector at Regional Directorate of Umbria. He was conferred the award appreciating the project “Integration and Legality”, initiative aimed at informing the immigrants about the main tax fulfillments and services of the Agency and the regional coordination of the project “Tax and School” with 88 events organized in 2011. (cl. sc.)