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NO MARRIED COUPLE NEED TO PAY MORE TAX UNDER NEW SYSTEM

* * * *

TO PAY MORE TAX HAVE PAID UNDER THE PREVIOUS AGGREGATION SYSTEM, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PIERS JACOBS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

NO MARRIED COUPLE WILL IN TOTAL BE REQUIRED UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM THAN THEY WOULD

PIERS SAID REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON SELINA CHOW, SIR

EXPRESSED BY SOME MARRIED THE GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE OF THE CONCERN

TAX EXPECTED SALARIES

ASSESSMENTS FOR WOMEN AT THEIR HIGHER

TAXATION FOR MARRIED 1989-90 FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF SEPARATE

COUPLES.

THAN

"THE CONCERN IS MAINLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOME MARRIED WOMEN,

NOT ELECTED

TO 1988/89 IN

RECEIVE

NOTICES OF WHO HAD

SEPARATE

TO ATTRIBUTABLE

THEIR OWN INCOME, HAD ASSESSMENT FOR THE TAX

NO PROVISIONAL SALARIES TAX FOR SET-OFF IN THEIR ASSESSMENTS.

WITH THAT

OF HER BEEN CHARGED

"A WIFE'S INCOME HAD BEEN GROUPED TOGETHER HUSBAND, AND THEREFORE, ANY PROVISIONAL TAX HAD ALREADY AND PAID BY THE HUSBAND.

THAT PROVISIONAL

"SINCE THERE WAS NO LEGAL BASIS TO APPORTION TAX, THE HUSBAND HAD BEEN CREDITED WITH THE FULL AMOUNT, AND WOULD PAY LESS IN THE CURRENT YEAR OF ASSESSMENT," SIR PIERS SAID.

INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT HAD ISSUED HE SAID THE RELEASE ON NOVEMBER 13 TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.

A PRESS

COMMISSIONER OF

THE

NOTIFICATION

ON THE ASSURANCE HE GAVE PREVIOUSLY THAT "THE INLAND REVENUE WILL IDENTIFY AND ISSUE

APPROPRIATE IN EVERY CASE WHERE IT WILL BE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE MARRIED

JOINTLY ASSESSED SO THAT NO TO ELECT TO BE BECOME WORSE OFF UNDER SEPARATE TAXATION"

WHO WHICH IDENTIFIED COUPLES PROGRAM ASSESSMENT WAS NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL.

+

COUPLE MARRIED COUPLE WILL SIR PIERS SAID A COMPUTER WOULD BENEFIT FROM JOINT

"ALREADY, SOME 30,000 JOINT ASSESSMENT

BEEN ISSUED TO THESE COUPLES.

ADVICES ELECTION

HAVE

FAMILY ASSESSMENTS IS TAKING EVERY COMMISSIONER IS

"IN THIS TRANSITIONAL YEAR FROM AGGREGATED TO SEPARATE TAXATION, THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT

THE PROCESS, AND THE POSSIBLE ACTION TO EXPEDITE

LESS TAX UNDER JOINT ASSESSMENT PAYMENT OF THE FIRST TAX

CONFIDENT THAT ALL WHO SHOULD PAY WILL BE NOTIFIED BEFORE THE DUE DATE FOR INSTALMENT, SIR PIERS ADDED.

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