How to file nil returns by students

Filing KRA returns has been a headache to many university and college students in Kenya up-to-date. It shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Being an unavoidable necessity, filing returns has been made a must-do, and going for the contrary means a penalty; and maybe who knows! A bigger penalty. Failing to file your returns can drag you to a penalty of up to ksh.10,000.

In this article, I’ll give you the steps and guidelines that will help you file your KRA nil returns easily.
Make sure you file your KRA nil returns on time to avoid paying the hefty price set by the Kenya Revenue Authorities. Filing your returns early before the deadline will spare you the strain and pressure during the last-minute rush.

Nil returns

This is a type of Kenya Revenue Authority tax return that is filed by unemployed individuals in the country. Students fall under this category and therefore, a student who owns an active KRA pin should ensure their Nil return is filed before the deadline. Failure to this will drag you to the weighty penalty set aside by KRA. You have a period of six months to always ensure your tax returns are filed annually to dodge the set penalties. Make sure your Nil returns are filed by June 30th every year, being the all-time deadline.

However, failure to file your returns due to unavoidable circumstances can be tolerated by KRA if you apply for a tax waiver. A student’s tax waiver is applied to give reasons that obstracted you from filing your returns on time. The KRA goes through your waiver and either approves or rejects your application depending on the weight of the reasons given.

The following are the requirements for filing nil returns by students:

• The mobile ITax app
• Your KRA pin

How to file nil returns by students

• Step 1 Open KRA portal

Visit the KRA portal on your browser using this link: https://itax.kra.go.ke/KRA-Portal/
The link above will lead you to the KRA portal’s homepage.

• Step 2 Enter your KRA pin

Enter your KRA pin number in the provided space and continue to the next step. Forgotten your KRA pin? Click on the ‘forgot password’ at the bottom of the page and follow the on-screen prompts to retrieve your pin.

Once you have the Itax log in details, log in to your KRA ITax portal, and open your account’s dashboard.

• Step 3 Log in to ITax and access Dashboard

• Step 4 Click the Returns menu tab

Open the ITax returns menu and navigate to the ‘file nil returns’ option. Since you’re filing for nil returns, select resident individuals under the nil return form.

• Step 5 Enter Returns period

This section comprises the period you’re filing your returns for. It’s filled with the dates for the period you’re filing the nil returns for.

• Step 6 Submit your returns

Click the submit button and confirm your nil return submission.

• Step 7 Download Nil returns receipt

Eventually, you’ll have to download a receipt to confirm that you have successfully filed your nil tax returns. The kRA will send you a code to acknowledge your filing process.

Lastly, I believe by now you have the process of how to file nil returns by students at your fingertips. You can always come back to this article and use it as a guideline. File your KRA nil returns today on your phone or computer easily using the tips above. Remember to always watch the deadline and file your KRA returns on time. It will not only save your time but also the unbearable costs for failing to comply with the set regulations.