Why a Compliance Calendar Matters
Ghana's tax system involves multiple overlapping deadlines every month, quarter, and year. Missing even one deadline triggers automatic penalties and interest that compound quickly. A structured compliance calendar is the most effective tool for staying on top of your obligations and avoiding unnecessary costs.
This article consolidates every key GRA, SSNIT, and pension deadline into a single reference. Print it, bookmark it, or better still, let Nexus Ledger automate the reminders for you.
Monthly Deadlines
| Deadline | Obligation | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 14th | SSNIT Tier 1 contributions (18.5% of basic salary) | All employers |
| 14th | Tier 2 pension contributions to approved trustee | All employers |
| 15th | PAYE remittance to GRA | All employers |
| 15th | Withholding Tax (WHT) remittance to GRA | Designated withholding agents |
| 15th | VAT/NHIL/GETFund/COVID levy return and payment | VAT-registered businesses |
| 15th | Communication Service Tax (CST) return (if applicable) | Telecoms and electronic communication providers |
Set a recurring reminder for the 10th of each month to begin preparing your SSNIT, PAYE, WHT, and VAT submissions. This gives you 4-5 days buffer before the deadlines.
Quarterly Obligations
| Quarter | Deadline | Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 (Jan-Mar) | 31st March | Provisional tax — 1st installment (25% of estimated annual tax) |
| Q2 (Apr-Jun) | 30th June | Provisional tax — 2nd installment (25% of estimated annual tax) |
| Q3 (Jul-Sep) | 30th September | Provisional tax — 3rd installment (25% of estimated annual tax) |
| Q4 (Oct-Dec) | 31st December | Provisional tax — 4th installment (25% of estimated annual tax) |
Provisional tax (also called installment payments) is required for self-employed individuals and businesses whose annual tax liability exceeds GHS 2,000. The provisional tax estimate is based on the prior year's tax liability or a reasonable estimate of current year income. If actual income differs significantly from the estimate, you should revise the provisional tax amount to avoid underpayment penalties.
Annual Filings and Deadlines
| Deadline | Obligation | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 28th February | Annual PAYE reconciliation and submission to GRA | All employers |
| 28th February | Issue employee tax certificates (IRS 52) | All employers |
| 31st March | Annual WHT reconciliation | Withholding agents |
| 30th April | Individual income tax return (IT1) | All individuals with tax obligations |
| 30th April | Corporate income tax return (IT2) — December year-end | Companies with Dec year-end |
| Within 4 months of year-end | Corporate income tax return (IT2) — non-December year-end | Companies with non-Dec year-end |
| 30th April | Partnership return (IT3) | All partnerships |
| Ongoing | Annual renewal of VAT registration (if required by GRA) | VAT-registered businesses |
The busiest period is January to April. Employers must complete PAYE reconciliation and IRS 52 certificates by 28th February, followed by WHT reconciliation by 31st March, and individual/corporate returns by 30th April. Plan your year-end close process to start in January.
SSNIT and Pension Deadlines
Social security and pension obligations run parallel to your tax obligations:
| Deadline | Obligation | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 14th of following month | SSNIT Tier 1 contribution | 18.5% of basic salary (13% employer + 5.5% employee) |
| 14th of following month | Tier 2 occupational pension | 5% of basic salary (employer mandatory) |
| 14th of following month | Tier 3 voluntary provident fund (if applicable) | As per scheme rules |
| 31st January | Annual SSNIT return | Summary of all contributions for the prior year |
SSNIT contributions are due on the 14th — one day before the GRA deadlines. Many employers miss this because they process SSNIT and PAYE together and file everything on the 15th. The SSNIT deadline is the 14th, not the 15th.
Provisional Tax Assessments
Provisional tax is a system of advance tax payments designed to spread your tax liability across the year rather than requiring a single large payment at year-end. Key rules:
- Applies to self-employed individuals and companies with annual tax liability above GHS 2,000
- Payable in four equal quarterly installments
- Based on the prior year's tax liability (or a reasonable current-year estimate)
- If you underestimate by more than 10%, GRA may impose a penalty on the shortfall
- If you overestimate, the excess is credited against your annual return or refunded
- New businesses in their first year may be exempt; consult GRA for confirmation
Audit Preparation Timeline
GRA may conduct a tax audit at any time, but audits are most common in the 12 months following a return filing. Prepare by maintaining these records throughout the year:
- January — Begin year-end close process. Reconcile all bank accounts and ensure ledger balances match bank statements.
- February — Complete payroll reconciliation. Issue IRS 52 certificates. Reconcile SSNIT contributions.
- March — Finalise financial statements. Complete capital allowance schedules. Reconcile WHT certificates received and issued.
- April — File annual returns. Ensure all supporting schedules are attached. Keep copies of everything submitted.
- Ongoing — Maintain organised files of all invoices, receipts, contracts, bank statements, and correspondence with GRA. Digital copies stored in Nexus Ledger count as proper record-keeping.
- If audited — Cooperate fully. Provide requested documents within the timeframe specified. Consider engaging a tax professional to represent you.
Penalty Quick Reference
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Late filing (any return) | GHS 500 per month or part thereof |
| Late payment (any tax) | Interest at 125% of BoG statutory rate per annum |
| Failure to remit PAYE | Full PAYE amount + penalties + potential prosecution |
| Failure to remit WHT | Full WHT amount + penalties |
| Failure to register for VAT | Back-assessment + GHS 500/month penalty |
| Late SSNIT contribution | 3% per month penalty on outstanding amount |
| Failure to maintain records | GHS 2,500 per offence |
How to Set Up Reminders in Nexus Ledger
Nexus Ledger's Compliance Calendar automatically tracks every deadline listed in this article. Here is how to get the most from it:
- Navigate to the Compliance Calendar from the main dashboard.
- Enable notifications — Choose email, SMS, or in-app notifications (or all three).
- Set lead times — Configure how many days before each deadline you want to be reminded. We recommend 7 days for monthly filings and 30 days for annual returns.
- Assign responsibilities — In multi-user setups, assign specific deadlines to team members so that someone is accountable for each obligation.
- Track completion — Mark each filing as complete when submitted. The dashboard shows a compliance score and flags overdue items in red.
- Review the annual calendar — At the start of each year, review the full-year calendar to identify busy periods and plan resources accordingly.
A 100% compliance score in Nexus Ledger means zero penalties. Even one missed deadline can cost GHS 500 or more. The few minutes spent setting up reminders can save your business thousands of cedis per year.