Author: Azelma Rodrigues

Source: Valor Online, 29/01/2008

 The holder of the Super Revenue, Jorge Rachid, avoids calling the irregularities tax evasion. He prefers to use the term tax evasion and point out as main sources the divergence of data or misinterpretation of the legislation, which in fact is extensive and constantly renewed.

For this reason, Rachid rejects any connection between the fact that the financial sector recorded large profits last year and was the first in the list of assessments, with R $ 25,34 billion of undeclared taxes.

The financial sector is the one that moves the greatest volume of resources and, in any divergence, the values ​​are more representative, he commented, adding that, for this very reason, the Treasury monitors this sector more closely.

I would not say, at all, that it is tax evasion, because everyone knows it is a crime, said the secretary. According to him, in most cases, there was no evidence of fraud.

The industry was in second position in terms of volume of operations in companies, with R $ 23,75 billion, followed by the service sector with R $ 11,17 billion. Among individuals, business owners were charged R $ 4,33 billion, followed in volume by professionals with R $ 836,9 million.

Rachid attributes the constant increase in assessments to improvements in methods and technology of tax inspection. In 2007, 521,66 thousand taxpayers were assessed, compared to 289,2 thousand in 2006, which at the time generated R $ 76,12 billion in unpaid taxes, fines and interest.

According to the secretary, historically 29% of the assessed value is paid or paid in installments in the short term. Last year, Super Revenue collected around R $ 20 billion in principal and R $ 13,7 billion in late or evaded tax charges.

Rachid also pointed out that the crossing of information with the extinct Provisional Contribution on Financial Transactions (CPMF) allowed to calculate about 20% of the total assessed, totaling R $ 20,95 billion in taxes due and not declared by 1.942 taxpayers.

In addition to the Income Tax, which earned R $ 40,3 billion, social security contributions were among the most evaded taxes, yielding operations in the amount of R $ 19,4 billion. Another source is fine mesh, with the revision of annual declarations, which increased the declared tax amount by 238,3%.