Bulgaria: New amendments in the Corporate Income Tax Law

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement


Bulgaria: New amendments in the Corporate Income Tax Law

pechilkova.jpg

Donka Pechilkova

Some new amendments in the Corporate Income Tax Law in Bulgaria have been approved by the Bulgarian National Assembly, and entered into force on January 1 2013. One of the most significant amendments concerns the advance payments for corporate income tax, such as: The method of calculation; the range of tax obliged entities; the criteria for assignment of the base on a monthly or three months basis; the declaration and payment of the advance payments.

The amendments related to the method of calculation of the advanced payments prescribes that the base for the calculation will be the forecast tax profit that the entities expect to realise in the current tax year. The tax result from the previous year will not be a factor as it used to be until 2012. In this way the correction coefficient, regulated in previous years had been dropped off. If the final corporate income tax obligation increases by 20% from the amount of the paid advances during the year, a penalty interest in accordance with the Law on Tax Interest is applicable for the period from April 16 until December 31. In addition, all entities have the right to submit a Declaration for increase/decrease of the advanced payments.

The exemption for the corporate income tax advance payment remains for the new established entities, as it was, but also stays for companies that had less than BGN300,000 ($204,000) net income in the previous year (it was BGN200,000 until now).

According to the amendments to the criteria for determination of the type of the advanced payments, on monthly or three months basis: If the net incomes of the entity are at the range of BGN300,000 to BGN3 million, the payments should be executed on three months basis; for higher than BGN3 million, companies are obliged to proceed with monthly advanced payments.

Regarding the declaration, the amendments say that the declaration of the advanced payments should be done along with the submission of the annual tax form for the previous year. The payments should be done as follows: For three months payments-not later than the 15th of the month following the quarter that they are related for. There is no advance payment for the last quarter of the year. For entities that are obliged to pay on a monthly basis the term for the first three months is 15th April and respectively for the other months 15th of the following month.

The aim of the amendments is to facilitate the whole process of calculation, accrual and execution of the advanced payments for the companies, as well as to increase the collection of this tax.

Donka Pechilkova (donka.pechilkova@eurofast.eu)

Eurofast Global, Sofia Office, Bulgaria

Tel: +359 2 988 69 78

Website: www.eurofast.eu

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

In a seminal development for big law, the 95-year-old firm is set to cease operations after a series of high-profile partner departures
UK Chancellor John Healey extended a VAT cut, suspended tariffs, increased a bank surcharge and vowed to increase funding for HMRC
Kristine Riisberg warned that TP decisions can determine top-up tax exposure under pillar two, while global consensus over the rules remains unsettled
Both Germany’s NIS2 and the EU AI Act now determine whether a tax function can meet its obligations – and both can make management personally accountable
Originators, loan purchasers and securitisation vehicles may need to revisit servicing agreements and pricing after a key judgment narrowed the VAT credit management exemption
Opening doors for existing talent within Baker McKenzie and a desire for enhanced legal capabilities informed Ricardo Perera’s switch from KPMG
Boaz Goren’s move to the upstart PE-backed firm takes the number of senior UK tax professionals who have left EY this year to 13
The allegations against Deloitte Cyprus raise uncomfortable questions about how far the big four can distance themselves from misconduct at member firms
The UAE accounted for most Middle East promotions and new rankings, as A&M Tax, Baker McKenzie, Dhruva Consultants and DLA Piper breached the top tier
Spanish-headquartered multinationals lead on reporting quality, while US and Swiss groups lag in the Fair Tax Foundation’s expanded analysis
Gift this article