Amendments introduced in Finance bill 2019 to enforce new CGT regime

Islamabad: The government has introduced a number of major amendments in the Finance Bill 2019, including changes in how the Capital Gains Tax on disposal of property will be calculated — a news source reported.

Read: Budget 2019-20: Non-filers to be pursued legally

Below are the details of all the major amendments introduced in the Finance Bill:

Capital Gains Tax

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on disposal of immovable property will now be collected as follows:

• Where the gains are less than PKR 5 million: 5% of the gains
• Where the gains are more than PKR 5 million but less than PKR 10 million: 10% of the gains
• Where the gains are more than PKR 10 million but less than PKR 15 million: 15% of the gains
• Where the gains are more than PKR 15 million: 20% of the gains

CGT will not be applicable where:

1. Constructed property is sold after 4 years of purchase

2. A plot is sold after 8 years of purchase

Read: FBR proposes revision in property valuation rates of 18 cities

Asset Declaration/Amnesty Scheme

• Any declaration made under the Assets Declaration Act 2019 will be valid if cash held by the declarant is deposited into a bank account at the time of declaration and is retained in that bank account up to the given deadline
• However, this clause will not be applicable to those who do not deposit cash in a bank account by June 30, 2019 on account of it being invested in immovable property or business. Such declarants will instead have to pay a tax 2% higher than the normal tax rate and will provide complete details of the immovable property or business where the said cash is invested
• Previously, if a person misrepresented or suppressed any facts, their entire declaration under the law was to be considered void. Now, only the disclosure of that particular asset where the facts have been changed will be considered as void and the rest of the declaration will be treated as lawful
• Protection has also been given to those declarants who wish to enhance the value of assets declared in the previous amnesty scheme (introduced by PML-N government in 2018)

 Sale

• The condition for sellers to obtain CNIC numbers of buyers will now be effective from August 1, 2019. (This may not be fully applicable to real estate, since it is obtained as a part of the agreement in any case.)

Read: PKR 5 mn restriction removed for non-filer property buyers

Other Taxes

• Option to pay normal tax on rental income exceeding 4 million, and claim deductions in deriving rental income
• The government has withdrawn the 16% sales tax that it had proposed to impose on property dealers involved in the sale and purchase of property in Islamabad Capital Territory