The wave of intensive taxation controls hits the heart of Polish e-business. The taxation offices began a massive offensive by targeting micro-entrepreneurs and freelancerswho conduct their activities mainly online. These are no longer regular inspections – the taxation uses new, advanced tools to track all online transaction, all digital service. Is your company ready for what's coming?
The Ministry of Finance has announced that the precedence is to reduce the grey area on the network, which is to bring billions of revenues to the state budget. However, experts point out that the increase in fiscal activity is besides due to the expanding share of distant and digital services in the economy, which makes it hard to monitor revenues on a day-to-day basis. This change in strategy means 1 thing: lack of order in papers can cost you much more than always before.
Digital Control Revolution: Who Is On the Aim of the Fiscals?
The fresh wave of fiscal controls focuses on the digital sector, where turnover is almost exclusively in virtual space. They hit first and foremost IT freelancers, graphic designers, translators, copywriters and content creators on social media. The taxation offices carefully verify the correctness of the invoices issued, comparing them with data from bank accounts. It is besides worrying that the fiscal strategy is increasingly checking the regularity of clearing transactions with abroad counterparties, which has been a grey region for many entrepreneurs so far.
The aim is to detect any irregularities from underselling gross to misqualifying costs. Inspectors now have much more scope for data analysis, which makes it virtually impossible to hide even tiny discrepancies. It is worth noting that in 2023 it was detected irregularities in nearly 15% of controlled micro-entrepreneurs operating online, and the amounts of backlogs could scope respective tens of thousands of zlotys.
E-commerce under Lupa: How does Fiskus track Online Sales?
Another area of intensive control is online sales – both on large e-commerce platforms and in smaller, independent stores. Fiskus analyses the declared turnover in detail, comparing it with actual bank account receipts. retention papers and the accuracy of VAT are besides checked, which is crucial for companies active in the trade in physical products.
The real breakthrough that radically changes the rules of the game is DAC Directive7. Thanks to it, since the beginning of 2023, sales platforms specified as Allegro, OLX, Vinted or Etsy have been obliged to supply the tax-based salesmen who have made within a year over 30 transactions or their full value exceeded EUR 2000 (about PLN 8700). This means that taxation offices now have access to accurate information about hundreds of thousands of transactions that were previously out of their reach. There is no longer an anonymity – all major sale is monitored.
Why now? authoritative Objectives and Hidden Motives
The Ministry of Finance officially explains the increased controls as an effort to reduce the grey area on the net and to level the conditions of competition between conventional trade and online sales. It is estimated that The grey area on the net deprives the state of billions of PLN per yearThis is why these measures aim to seal the taxation system.
However, marketplace experts point to another, equally crucial reason. The increase in the popularity of distant work and the dynamic improvement of digital services have caused a large part of the economy to decision to the network, making it hard for the fiscal strategy to monitor gross on an ongoing basis. Intensification of control is so an effort to catch up and adapt control tools to changing economical reality. That's a clear signal: The state wants to regain control of the digital circulation of money.
What threatens the dishonest and how to defend yourself? circumstantial Penalties and Guidelines
The detection of irregularities in accounts may have very serious financial consequences. Entrepreneurs can be loaded late taxation plus interest on late payment, which is now around 16% per year. In more serious cases, specified as deliberate concealment of income or falsification of documents, there are besides advanced fines, which may scope up to respective tens of thousands of zlotys. Carnoscar consequences are besides possible in utmost situations.
However, officials remind of the anticipation of avoiding severe sanctions by voluntary adjustment of accounts and settlement of receivables before the start of checks (so-called active regret). The experts agree that micro-entrepreneurs and freelancers should collect papers that confirm each transaction from invoices to bank statements. It is besides essential to regularly check the compliance of accounts with the applicable rules. An investment in professional accounting or taxation advice, especially in the face of the increasing activity of the taxation on the network, may prove to be the most reasonable decision to defend you from much higher costs in the future.
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Fiskus follows e-business. Controls in micro-firms and freelancers are increasing!
