Bulgaria

Taxable period

The financial and tax years coincide with the calendar year.

Tax returns

Annual profit must be declared between 1 March and 30 June of the year following the financial (tax) year. Along with their annual CIT returns, companies are required to file financial information for their business activities during the year in a standard statistical form not subject to a financial audit. The self-assessment principle is applied.

Payment of tax

If a company realised net revenue from sales of more than BGN 3 million in the year before the preceding year, it is liable for monthly CIT payments for each month in the current year. If the net sales revenue for the year before the preceding year is below BGN 3 million but above BGN 300,000, the company is liable for quarterly advance CIT payments for each quarter of the year except the fourth quarter. The amount of the monthly or quarterly CIT instalments is calculated based on the forecast taxable profit for the current year.

Companies established during the current or preceding year and companies with net revenue from sales below BGN 300,000 for the year before the preceding year are not required to pay advance CIT instalments.

The overpaid amount of CIT can be offset against advance and annual payments due for the next period. The overpaid amount may also be effectively claimed for refund by the taxpayer. The difference between the annual tax declared in the CIT return and the advance tax paid for the corresponding year must be paid by the deadline for submitting the tax return on 30 June of the following year.

Priority order for settlement of tax and social security liabilities

Payment of tax liabilities and social security contributions should be made to four separate accounts: for tax liabilities, for general mandatory social security contributions, for supplementary mandatory retirement provisions, and for health insurance contributions.

If a taxpayer has several public liabilities (e.g. tax and/or social security liabilities) to one of the four accounts of the NRA, the one with the earlier payment date will be settled first.

Tax audit process

Tax audits are usually performed every four to five years, corresponding to the period of the statute of limitations.

Statute of limitations

The statute of limitations (i.e. the period within which the state authorities are entitled to collect the tax liabilities and other related mandatory payments) is five years from the beginning of the year following the year in which the tax liabilities became payable. The above periods can be extended in certain cases. However, the maximum period of the statute of limitations is ten years.

Topics of focus for tax authorities

Transfer pricing is becoming an area of focus for the tax authorities.