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Wednesday, April 11, 2018

EMPLOYMENT INCOME AND ITS COMPUTATION by Ms. Margaret Makwaia



employment income and its computation


EMPLOYMENT INCOME AND ITS COMPUTATION
Introduction
In essence, there are vital questions which must be answered with respect to   employment income. These include:
What consist of employment income? What does employment mean? Who is the employee? Who is the employer?
Employment income is in other words known as ‘remuneration’ which refers to the total value of all payments, in money or in kind, made or owing to an employee arising from the employment of that employee. Employment income is strictly earned by a natural person. The said natural person shall be an individual who is the employee who has entered into a contract of employment; or who has entered into any other contract under which he undertakes to work personally for the other party to the contract. The said other party will be the employer, a natural or legal person, including the Government and its executive agencies.
The significance of the Income Tax Act, 2004 to Employment Income
When discussing about employment income computation there is no way one can avoid considering among other things the statutory income tax obligation. Mainly this is the backbone of employment income computation. It follows therefore that in this presentation, I will discuss about employment income and its computation as provided for under the Income Tax Act No. 11 of 2004, Cap 332 of the Laws hereinafter the ITA, which is the tax regime in force.  Further to that I will talk about the statutory social security contributions of which also affects employment income computation together with the other employers' responsibilities with regard to employees’ remuneration to include withholding obligations and payment of Skills and Development Levy as provided for under the Vocational Education and Training Act No. 1 of 1994, Chapter 82 of the Laws.
Under the provisions of s.3 of the ITA, “employment” is defined both in its ordinary meaning and as well in its extended meaning.  Employment is defined to include a position of an individual in the employment of another person; a position of an individual as a Manager of an entity other than a partnership; a position of an individual entitling the individual to a periodic remuneration in respect of the services performed; or a public office held by an individual, and includes a past, present and prospective employment.
Furthermore, under the provisions of s.3 of the ITA, an employee is stated as an individual who is the subject of an employment, conducted by an employer; the employer is defined as a person who conducts, has conducted, or has the prospect of conducting the employment of the said individual person.  It should be noted that the position of the law as stated clearly provides for taxation of employment income for individual employees who receive payments from present employers for present services being offered, former employers for past services and those who are in receipt of income for forthcoming employment. The law assumes the position that one can receive employment income from past employer, present employer and future employer.
The Concept of Income
Accountants usually speak in terms of “gross income” or “net income”. These terms facilitate assigning money amounts and as well ascertaining statutory payroll deductions thereon. However, despite using such terms, at the end of the day accountants must ensure that they rely upon how the relevant law defines the term “income” in order to determine the proper and correct net income. The general rule is that income from employment is “the individuals gain or profits from any employment for a year of income”.  As provided under the provisions of s. 20 of the ITA the “year of income” being referred here is the calendar year which is very critical in that income tax chargeable on employment income is levied on an annual basis. It follows therefore that, in ascertaining the respective income tax liability, one must calculate the said employment income over the period of twelve months. All together the income tax liability is paid while an employee in earning the said income and therefore practically, taxation of employment income is done on monthly basis.  An aggregate of amounts paid to an individual employee during the month constitutes monthly pay whether or not the actual pay is weekly or at shorter or longer periods that an individual can be paid by his employer or an associates of the employer. 
Classification of Employment Income
Instead of defining income the ITA classify income by reference to the respective sources from which it may be derived. Under the provisions of s. 6 of the ITA chargeable income of a person for the year of income include income from business, investment and income from any employment. The provisions of s.7(2) of the ITA  enumerates what constitutes gains or profits of employment to include;
Payment of wages, salary, payment in lieu of leave, fees, commissions, bonuses, gratuity or any subsistence, travelling, entertainment or other allowance received in respect of employment or services rendered; payment providing for any discharge or reimbursement of expenditure incurred by the individual or an associate of the individual; payment for the individual agreement to any conditions of the employment (e.g hardship allowance); retirement contributions and retirement payments; payment for redundancy or loss or termination of employment; other payment made including benefits in kind.
Where an employer has put in place incentive schemes whereby prizes or cash may be awarded to employees for the efficient performance of their duties, such payments or the market value of the said prizes are taxable on the respective employees.
However, where payments or benefits to be included in calculating the employees’ income from employment is not easily attributable to a particular month, then the amount is treated as paid to the employee proportionately over each month in a calendar year during which the payment or benefit is extended.


Employment Benefits in Kind
When an employer provides to the personal needs of the employee in terms of goods or services, (as opposed to money) such provisions amount to employment benefits in kind. Recent years have witnessed a substantial increase in the variety and quantum of benefits and advantages other than salaries and wages, provided by employers for their personnel, both at the executive and other levels of employment.  With regard to company executives, these benefits are probably the offspring of high tax rates which make salary increase less attractive.  The benefits range from medical coverage, use of company cars and other properties, residential houses, education allowances, security allowances, profit sharing, commodity discounts, free or subsidized loans, free transport, paid holidays etc. It should be noted that our tax jurisdiction has brought within the ambits of income taxation most fringe benefits.  The general rule is that benefits are taxable as emolument of employment. All benefits in kind shall be included in calculating the employees’ income from employment. The value of benefits is in general the market value i.e. the money that a person would have to pay on the market to receive the same goods or services. However, under the provisions of s.27 of the ITA special quantification rules for the provision of subsidised loans, residential housing and motor vehicle are outlined.  
 Forgone Interest on Loan as taxable Employment Benefit
Where an employer provides a loan to the employee and where the term of the loan is twelve months or more and the aggregate amount of the loan and any other similar loans outstanding at any time during the previous twelve months exceeds three months basic pay, with no interest or interest rate below the statutory rate; the foregone interest amount on the loan is a taxable benefit to the employee. The benefit for the year of income is quantified as the difference between the interest the employee pays (if any) and the interest that would have been paid using the statutory interest rate applicable during the year of income. Statutory rate in relation to a calendar year means the Bank of Tanzania discount rate at the start of the year (for the year 2009 the said rate is 17.53%).  

Residential Housing as taxable Employment Benefit
Benefit derived from the use of residential premises by an employee of the Government or any institution whose budget is fully or substantially out of Government budget funding is exempt. On the other hand where an employer other than the government have provided an employee with a residential house, the value of housing benefit including any furniture is calculated as the lesser of the annual market value of the rental of the house; or the greater of 15% of the employees total income for the year excluding the housing benefit component and the expenditure claimed as a deduction by the employer in respect of the premises during the year of income. Where an employee contributes an amount towards rent payment, the employee will be entitled to a credit of the amount paid by him during computation of the taxable housing benefit.
M/Vehicle for Private Use as Taxable Employment Benefit
The private use of motor vehicle during a year of income provided in return for services by way of employment is taxable on the employee. The quantification of the said car benefit is provided by the Fifth Schedule to the ITA as hereunder:
Engine size of vehicle
Quantity of Payment

Vehicle less than five years old
Vehicle more than five years old
Not exceeding 1000cc
Shs. 250,000/=
Shs. 125,000/=
Above 1000cc but not exceeding 2000cc
Shs. 500,000/=
Shs. 250,000/=
Above 2000cc but not exceeding 3000cc
Shs. 1,000,000/=
Shs. 500,000/=
Above 3000cc
Shs. 1,500,000/=
Shs. 750,000/=

In addition, benefits from the use of motor vehicle enjoyed by an employee is excluded from the income of the employee where the employer does not claim any deduction (expenses for running the vehicle) or relief (tax allowance for wear and tear) in relation to ownership of the said vehicle.  Since the Government does not pay income tax from business activities that are the functions of government it does not claim deductions and hence Government employees do not pay tax on this benefit. 
Exempt/Non – Taxable Payments
Under the provisions of s.7(3) of the ITA, certain amounts are specifically excluded from gains or profits from an employment, these include: On premise cafeteria services that are available on a non-discriminatory basis to all employees such as a canteen at work place. There is an exemption also with regards to medical service, payment for medical services and payment for insurance for medical services provided to the employee, the employee’s spouse and up to four of the employee’s children if available on a non-discriminatory basis to all employees of the employer. Medical service such as dispensary facility at work place; payment for medical services such as employees and their families being treated at selected hospitals or where employees are reimbursed medical bills. 
Furthermore, where an employee receives subsistence, travelling or other allowance that represents solely the reimbursement of expenditure that he has incurred wholly and exclusively in the production of his income from employment or services rendered then such an amount is exempt. This means where the employee receives travelling and accommodation allowance and the said money is spent entirely on travelling and accommodation for the employer’s business purposes, then the payment is not taxable on the employee.
Further to the above mentioned exempt amounts, where an employer makes payment for providing travelling for the employee, the employee’s spouse and up to four children between the place of work and the place of domicile which is more than 20 miles away, the payment is not included in calculating the income from employment provided that the employee is recruited or engaged for employment solely in the service of the employer at the place of employment. For example an employer-provides passage costs for the employee to take up employment or to go on annual leave for the employee and the employee’s family the payment for the passage is not taxed subject to meeting those requirements.
Where any Foreign Service allowance to any employee in the service of the Government is certified by the Treasury to represent compensation for the extra cost of having to live out of the United Republic in order to perform the person’s duties; that allowance is not regarded as employment income for income tax purposes. Foreign Service allowances include educational allowances for children of diplomats serving overseas.
A scholarship or educations grant payable in respect of tuition or fees for an individual employee receiving full-time instruction at an educational establishment shall be exempt from income tax. “Scholarship” includes an exhibition, bursary or any other similar educational endowment. However, where an individual employee becomes a full-time student for any period there is no legal provision to exempt the salary which the employee continues to receive.
Sitting allowance payable to a member of board of directors of a public institution is reimbursement or compensation for the extra costs incurred by the member in order to perform the member’s board duties. Such allowance is not taxable.
Small benefits or payments that are unreasonable or administratively impracticable for the employer to allocate to their recipients are also not taxable.
Retirement Contributions
Under the provisions of s.5(1) of the ITA read together with s.61(1), retirement contributions by individual employees to approved retirement funds, subject to the limit of the actual contribution or the statutory amount, are not taxable. This means when calculating the employee remuneration one has to exclude that portion of the statutory social security contribution. In Tanzania up to now there are four approved social security schemes. These are the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), which is administered under the National Social Security Fund Act, 1997; the Parastatal Pensions Fund (PPF) which is administered under the Parastatal Pension Act No. 14 of 1978 as amended by Act No. 25 of 2001. The Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) established under the Public Service Retirement Benefit Act, 1999 and the Local Government Provident Fund (LGPF) established under the Local Government Provident Fund Act, 2000.  Every employer is under the legal obligation to register with the relevant Approved Fund for the purpose of submitting statutory employees’ social security contributions.
Residence: Scope of Employment Income Liable to Tax
The residence status of an individual employee is very crucial due to the fact that our tax system depends on source and residence.  Under the provisions of s.6(1) of the ITA, a resident employee is taxed differently to a non resident employee. The chargeable income of an individual employee for the year of income who is a non resident shall only be to the extent that the income has a source in the United Republic of Tanzania; while for a resident employee it is irrespective of its source. For a non resident employee the income tax rate is 15% of the gross income payable which the employee has earned from Tanzania, and the amount withheld satisfies the income tax liability of the said employee; while for the resident employees income tax is payable in accordance with the applicable individual income tax rates as provided under the first schedule to the ITA.
Under the provisions of s.66(1) of the ITA, an individual is a resident in the United Republic for a year of income if the individual;
(a)         Has a permanent home in the United Republic (Tanzania mainland and Tanzania Zanzibar) and is present in the United Republic during any part of the year of income
(b)        Is present in the United Republic during the year of income for a period or periods amounting in aggregate to 183 days or more;
(c)         Is present in the United Republic during the year of income and in each of the two preceding years of income for periods averaging more than 122 days in each such year of income; or
(d)        Is an employee or an official of the Government of the United Republic posted abroad during the year of income

Determination of Employee’s Net Income
Net income refers the employee’s take home amount; this is arrived at after subtracting all the statutory and other deductions which include among others income tax and statutory social security contributions. As mentioned before in this paper, both non resident and resident individual employee’s income tax liability is calculated on annual basis though payable on monthly basis while it is being earned (Pay As You Earn). As stated above, for a non resident employee the income tax rate is 15% of the gross income payable which the employee has earned from Tanzania only; this rate is a final withholding and satisfies the income tax liability of the said employee.  Whereas for the resident employees income tax is payable in accordance with the applicable individual income tax rates of which, with effect from 1 July, 2008 are as hereunder:
Monthly Income Rate Payable Where monthly income does not exceed Shs.100,000/=
NIL

Where monthly income exceeds Shs. 100,000/= but does not exceed shs. 360,000/=
15% of the amount in excess of Shs.100,000/=

Where monthly income exceeds Shs. 360,000/= but does not exceed Shs.540,000/=
Shs. 39,000/= plus 20% of the amount in excess of Shs. 360,000/=

Where monthly income exceeds Shs. 540,000/= but does not exceed Shs. 720,000/=
Shs. 75,000/= plus 25% of the amount in excess of Shs.540,000/=

Where monthly income exceeds Shs. 720,000/=
Shs. 120,000/= plus 30% of the amount in excess of Shs.720,000/=


Lump sum Payments and Payments Relating Months or Years other Than Those of Payment
Lump-sum payments to employees may take the form of gratuities; leave pay, compensations, bonus, commissions etc. which may cover several months of a year or the whole of a year. Lump-sum payments should be included in the year of payment and be taxed on the basis of the adjusted monthly pay for the year. However, under the provisions of s.7(4) of the ITA payment for redundancy or loss or termination of employment has to be spread over the period of six years for those who have been in employment for more years or actual years of employment instead of taxing the benefit bin the year of payment.
Obligation of the Employer to Withhold Tax
The income tax chargeable on employment income is operated by withholding scheme. Under the provisions of s.81 of the ITA every resident employer is required to withhold income tax upon payment of employment income to an employee. Furthermore the employer shall remit to the Tanzania Revenue Authority the income tax withheld from employees’ remunerations within seven days from the end of the month during which the monthly remuneration is paid as is required under the provisions of s.84 of the ITA. It should be noted that failure to observe this legal requirement renders the employer liable to the tax liability plus the accruing interests.
Primary and Secondary Employment
It is common now days to find employees who have more than one source of employment income. These may include individuals with part time employments with the common example of professionals to include accountants, auditors, doctors, lecturers, ICT experts etc. Where an employee has two or more employments at the same time both or all employers are required to withhold income tax. Paragraph 18 of the Income Tax Regulations, 2004 requires such an employee in concurrent employments, to select one of those employments to be the employee’s primary employment and the remaining employments shall be secondary employment(s). Furthermore, the employee is required to notify all the other employer(s) that are the employee’s secondary employers. The primary employer will withhold income tax in accordance to the individual tax rates as stated above (progressive rates), whereas the secondary employer(s) shall withhold income tax at the highest individual tax rate i.e 30% for each payment to the employee that constitutes income from employment.
Monthly Adjustments  
As mentioned before the general rule is that income from employment is the individual’s gains or profits from employment for a year of income (calendar year i.e Jan-December). Where the monthly pay is constant throughout the year of income, the aggregate monthly tax computed will be the same as the annual tax computed. However, where the monthly pay fluctuates or the income is earned for part of the year only it will be necessary to make adjustments. This is in order to ensure that the aggregate amount of tax withheld during the year is equal to the employee’s annual tax liability for the year. Fluctuation in monthly pay may take place particularly as a result of lump sum payments by way of bonus, gratuity, arrears of salary, commission, payment in lieu of leave, change in monthly income, change of employment/new employment etc. The monthly adjustments are more appropriate with seasonal employees, those who work for few months in the calendar year eg farming and tourism.
End of the Year Adjustments
End the year adjustments are essentially intended to deal with any over or under payment of PAYE that occurred during the year. Where there is an excess in tax withheld the same will be carried forward for offset against the January tax liability, and any excess still unabsorbed will be recovered in the subsequent months. On the other hand, if the review discloses an underpayment of PAYE, the outstanding liability is carried forward and recovered together with the normal monthly PAYE in the following year. However, where an employee leaves the services of the employer, the entire amount must be recovered in the full from the employees final pay.
Other Employer’s Obligations
a)    Statement of Tax Withheld
Under the provisions of s.84 of the ITA every employer who is obliged to withhold tax from payments to their employees is required to file with the Commissioner for Domestic Revenue, a duly completed Statement of Tax Withheld within 30 days after the end of six months calendar period. The employer must include in the said statement employees for which employment with the employer constitutes a secondary employment. For this purpose an employer must enquire from his employees (for whom he is a primary employer at a maximum of six-monthly intervals) whether the employee has another employment.
b)   Provision of Withholding Certificate
Every year an employer who has withheld tax or is liable to withhold tax under the PAYE system must prepare and serve on their employees a certificate stating the amount of employment income paid during the year and the amount of tax withheld from the payment. This is a requirement under the provisions of s. 85 of the ITA; the statement must be served on each employee by 30th January following the end of the year. If the employment ends during the year the employer must serve such a certificate on the employee within 30 after cessation of the employment.
The withholding certificate issued by the employer as per above paragraph should be in prescribed format.
c)    Imposition of Skills & Development Levy
Skills & Development Levy (SDL) is a tax chargeable to employers imposed in accordance with the Vocational Education and Training Act, 1994, as amended by the Finance Act No.14 of 2001. The levy is a revenue source for the Government for financing of vocational training to empower Tanzanians with skills required for self employment. The levy is payable by the employer who has in his employment four or more employees. It is charged at 6% on gross monthly emoluments (including retirement contribution) and it is payable on or before the seventh day following the end of the respective month to the Commissioner for Domestic Revenue.
Under the provisions of the said law “Gross monthly emoluments” are all payments made to employees by the employer in reward for the services rendered. They include wages, salary, leave pay, sick pay, payment in lieu of leave, fees, commission, bonus, gratuity and any subsistence, travelling, entertainment or any other allowances which are paid to employees by an employer in respect of his employment or service. However, allowances which are paid to employees for the purpose of getting the employers work accomplished are not part of the gross emoluments if expended wholly and exclusively for that purpose.  The levy is also imposed on emoluments paid to casual labourers and temporary employees.
Certain employers are exempt from payment of Skills and Development Levy. These include: The Central Government, the Local Government, Religious Institutions, Diplomatic Missions including the United Nations Agencies, Training and Educational Institutions, Charitable Organizations and employment in farms.








 Employment Income Computation: Worked Example:
In the month of July 2008 a private company recruited a newly graduate as an ICT support staff who will earn a monthly basic salary of shs. 1,400,000/=. The company enrols him with the company medical insurance scheme, furthermore the company is registered with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and hence the employee immediately became a member of the Fund. With immediate effect the company provided him with a two bedroom residential house of which he has to pay 5% of his basic salary as rent, he moved in at once.  The residence has an annual market rent of shs. 2,400,000/= and the employer will claim a total of shs. 970,000/= in repairs and maintenance of the rented premises during the year. The company further grants him a utility allowance of shs. 100,000/= per month. Due to the fact that the employee is on call 24 hours the company provided him with a new company car which is above 2000cc but not exceeding 3000cc, and the company continues to incur all motor vehicle running costs including repairs and further claims tax allowance by virtue of ownership of the vehicle. The company as well provided him with a mobile phone and an allowance of 80,000/= per month to enable him buy vouchers so as he is online throughout. Once a year the employee is entitled to a leave allowance to the tune of one month basic salary, he will take his annual leave in December. The company also grants a thirteenth salary to its employees’ payable as bonus in December being the company Christmas present.
Compute the net take home amount for the month of December, 2008






Worked Example Solution:
Stage I
Computation of annual taxable car benefit:

Size of the vehicle Engine
Vehicle less than five years old
Vehicle more than five years old
Above 2000cc but not exceeding 3000cc
Shs. 1,000,000/=
Shs. 500,000/=

The vehicle is less than 5 years old and the taxable car benefit is for six months only July – December 2008 i.e shs. 500,000/=













Stage II

Housing Benefit computation:



Basic salary
   8,400,000
Leave travel allowance
   1,400,000
Bonus
   1,400,000
Utility Allowance
      600,000
Mobile phone allowance
      480,000
Motor vehicle benefit
      500,000
Annual total income (excl. housing)
 12,780,000






The lesser of:

(a) Annual market value
   2,400,000


and:

(b) the greater of:

(i) 15% of the employee total income
    1,917,000
(ii) Deductions claimed by an employer
      970,000


If follows that the annual housing benefit is:
    1,917,000
Monthly housing benefit thereon
      159,750





Stage III
Monthly Adjustment





 one month 
 Jul- Nov 08
 December
 Annual
Particulars
 remuneration
 remuneration
 remuneration
 remuneration





Basic salary
       1,400,000
             7,000,000
             1,400,000
             8,400,000
leave travel allowance
                       -  
                            -  
             1,400,000
             1,400,000
Bonus
                       -  
                            -  
             1,400,000
             1,400,000
Utility Allowance
           100,000
                500,000
                100,000
                600,000
Mobile phone allowance
             80,000
                400,000
                   80,000
                480,000
Motor vehicle benefit
             83,333
                416,665
                   83,333
                499,998
Housing Benefit
           159,750
                798,750
                159,750
                958,500
Employee monthly total income
       1,823,083
             9,115,415
             4,623,083
          13,738,498
deductions:




 10% NSSF (excluding benefit in kind)
           158,000
                790,000
                438,000
             1,228,000
5% mothly rent
             70,000
                350,000
                   70,000
                420,000
Taxable Income
       1,595,083
             7,975,415
             4,115,083
          12,090,498





Revised monthly taxable income
                       -  
                            -   
                            -  
             1,007,542
Monthly PAYE
           382,525
             1,912,625
             1,138,525
                202,262










Tax  before adjust.(1,912,625 + 1,138,525)
       3,051,150



Tax after adjustment (202,262 X 12)
       2,427,144



Difference (would have been tax overstated)
           624,006












Stage IV
Remuneration for the month of December 2008


Basic salary
    1,400,000
leave travel allowance
    1,400,000
Bonus
    1,400,000
Utility Allowance
       100,000
Mobile phone allowance
        80,000
Gross pay
   4,380,000
Add:

housing benefit
       159,750
Motor vehicle benefit
        83,333
Sub Total
   4,623,083
Less: 10% NSSF employee contribution
      438,000
5% Rent payable
        70,000
Taxable Amount
    4,115,083
Adjusted PAYE ( 2,427,144 - 1,912,625)
       514,519
Net Pay
   3,600,564


















Conclusion
Despite the advancement in technology, human beings are still needed in different operational activities by both natural and legal persons. For this reasons employment contracts will prevail and hence employment income. It is therefore of utmost importance that Accountants are well equipped with the knowledge on employment income computation for the sake of accuracy.

References:
Luoga, F.D.A, A Source Book of Income Tax Law in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam     University Press, 2000.
Myneni, Dr. S.R, Law of Taxation, Allahabad Law Agency, Delhi, 2001

The Employment and Labour Relations Act No.6 of 2004
The Income Tax Act No 11 of 2004, Cap 332 of Tanzanian Laws
The Income Tax Act, 2004, Regulations, GN No. 464 of 2004
The Vocational Education and Training Act, 1994, Cap 82 of the Tanzanian Laws

Residence, Scope of Liability and Source of Income and Loss, Practice Note No. 09/2004 of the Tanzania Revenue
Income from Employment, Practice Note No. 10/2004 of Tanzania Revenue Authority
Allowances, Gifts and Tips Income from Employment, Practice Note No. 11/2004 of the Tanzania Revenue Authority.



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