Experts advise paying income tax in full if possible, but parceling up to eight times via Receita Federal beats taking loans. Parcel interest is 1% plus accumulated Selic, lower than rates for payroll loans, overdrafts, and credit cards. Simulations show significant savings by avoiding costlier debts.
Taxpayers owing Income Tax (IR) this season can choose full payment or installment up to eight times. Cíntia Senna, financial educator at Dsop, states that "even with the Selic rate at 14.75%, the interest charged in this operation is lower than in any other loan modality".
Receita Federal charges 1% interest on the second installment and, from the third, adds proportional accumulated Selic monthly, about 1.15% per month at the current 14.75% annual rate. For R$1,000 in eight installments, interest totals around R$40, or 4% of the principal.
Against loans, Banco Central's site lists minimums like 1.48% monthly for INSS payroll loans and 1.24% for personal credit, yielding R$103.61 interest in the same case—10% more. Senna notes rates below 0.49% monthly (6% annual) would be needed to match, excluding IOF and extra fees.
Thaisa Durso from Rico recommends tapping emergency reserves for full payment to dodge Selic-plus-1% costs. Yet, parceling IR makes sense to first clear pricier debts like credit cards (up to 400% annual) or overdrafts. Payments use DARF via e-CAC or auto-debit, recalculated monthly in Sicalc.
