Lodge on time, sleep at night
Tax & Compliance
End-to-end management of every Timor-Leste tax obligation, from monthly forms to planning that keeps what you legally can.
Tax in Timor-Leste moves on a monthly clock. Miss a monthly tax return and the penalties stack quickly. We own the calendar so you can run the business, handling lodgements, calculations and correspondence with the tax authority on your behalf.
What you get
- Never miss a monthly tax deadline again
- A clear monthly view of what you owe and why
- Confident, defensible positions if the NDDR asks questions
Timor-Leste tax at a glance
The headline rates and obligations we manage for you. Want a quick number? Try the tax calculator
General information only, and rates and thresholds change. Talk to us about your situation.
What this covers
Services Tax
For hotels, restaurants, bars and telecom turning over more than $500 a month, we prepare and lodge the 5% Services Tax in your monthly tax return and keep your tax invoices compliant.
Wage Income Tax
We run the 10% withholding on resident wages above $500, reconcile payroll and lodge it monthly so your team is paid correctly and the records hold up.
Income Tax
Annual return preparation and lodgement, instalment planning and capital-gains calculations, with advice that looks past the form to the decision behind it.
Withholding Tax
Rent, royalties and service payments carry withholding obligations. We build the payment schedules, calculate the tax and keep you clean on both sides of the transaction.
Tax planning
Structuring and timing advice that arranges your affairs to keep tax to the legal minimum, before the year closes rather than after.
Disputes & rulings
Support through NDDR investigations and disputes, and private-ruling applications when you need certainty in writing.
What you can expect
Concrete deliverables, not vague promises. Here is what lands on your side.
- A single monthly compliance calendar covering every tax you owe
- Monthly tax returns prepared and lodged on time
- Wage Income Tax, Services Tax and withholding reconciled each period
- Annual income tax returns and instalment planning
- Documentation and representation if the tax authority asks questions
In practice
Work we have done in this area
A global shipping line needed its people in Timor-Leste paid accurately, on time and fully compliant, every single cycle. We run the entire payroll engine for them: computing wages, calculating Wage Income Tax, handling social security contributions and managing the disbursements. What used to be a recurring source of risk is now a process they simply no longer have to think about.
A contractor delivering part of one of Timor-Leste's largest shipyard developments came to us for advice on a complex, high-value project. We helped structure their tax position across the build, so withholding, compliance and planning were handled in advance rather than untangled later. On a project of that scale, getting the tax right early is worth a great deal.
Client names are withheld out of respect for their privacy.
When is the monthly tax form due?
Your monthly tax return is lodged every month, and late lodgement attracts penalties and interest regardless of the amounts involved. We own the calendar so the deadline is never the thing that catches you out.
Which taxes does the monthly return cover?
For most businesses it covers Wage Income Tax on salaries, Services Tax where it applies, and any withholding tax on payments such as rent, royalties or services. We reconcile each one before it is lodged.
What happens if the tax authority queries us?
We prepare defensible positions and keep the supporting records, and we represent you through NDDR investigations, disputes and private-ruling applications when certainty in writing is needed.
Can you take over from our current arrangement mid-year?
Yes. We review where things stand, tidy up anything outstanding and pick up the monthly cycle from the next period.
Related reading
All insightsUnderstanding the Tax Treatment of Allowances and Benefits in Kind in Timor-Leste
Learn how allowances and benefits provided to employees are treated for tax purposes in Timor-Leste, and what employers need to know to stay compliant.
Read more TaxNavigating Your Annual Income Tax Return in Timor-Leste
Understand the essentials of preparing and filing your annual income tax return in Timor-Leste, reconciling your yearly financial activity and monthly tax payments.
Read more ComplianceAML and KYC Lessons for Timor-Leste Businesses
Anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer expectations are rising worldwide. Here is what businesses in Timor-Leste can learn and the practical steps they can take.
Read moreLet's talk
Your first conversation is on us
Tell us where the business is heading. We will tell you, plainly, how we can help and what it would cost.