Ho Chi Minh City taxman targets dental clinics, beauty services, retailers

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department, state budget revenue had reached an estimated VND400.1 trillion (US$15.2 billion) as of the end of June, equivalent to 61.4 percent of the target assigned by the central government and up 31 percent year on year.

Ho Chi Minh City was assigned a state budget revenue target of VND1 quadrillion ($38 billion) for 2026.

Of that amount, the city's tax authority aims to collect more than VND800 trillion ($30.4 billion), nearly 128 percent of the government's assigned target and almost 30 percent higher than the amount collected in 2025.

Nguyen Van Cong, deputy head of the municipal tax authority, said the department continues to face significant challenges despite the strong performance in the first half of the year, citing ongoing uncertainties and risks in both domestic and global economic conditions.

To maximize state budget collections in 2026, the taxman will focus on tapping underutilized revenue sources, particularly those related to land and other sectors with untapped tax potential.

The agency will prioritize audits of companies deemed to have high tax risks, including businesses suspected of transfer pricing practices or those reporting prolonged losses.

It will also intensify inspections of high-risk industries such as e-commerce, digital business, food and beverage services, retail, dental care, healthcare, beauty services, and businesses that generate substantial cash revenue.

Besides, tax officials will strengthen invoice risk management, tighten oversight of cash flows, enhance monitoring of related-party transactions, and intensify efforts to prevent tax evasion, he said.

Tax debt recovery to be strengthened

The municipal tax department also plans to reinforce tax debt management and collection measures, aiming to recover at least 80 percent of the collectible tax arrears carried over from the previous year.

The agency is also determined to reduce total outstanding tax debt to below eight percent of the actual state budget revenue by the end of 2026.

In addition, the authority will conduct a comprehensive review of outstanding tax liabilities across the city, classifying debts by category, taxpayer and individual cases to better identify the causes of rising arrears and clarify the responsibilities of relevant departments, management levels, and officials.

The department will also prioritize the settlement of large and long-standing tax debts, particularly those linked to land and real estate.

Additional measures include standardizing debt classifications, suspending or canceling tax debts where legally appropriate, and correcting inaccurate or duplicate debt records within the tax management system.

As of June 30, the total outstanding tax debt managed by the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department stood at VND94.8 trillion ($3.6 billion), down 8.4 percent from the end of May and 3.5 percent lower than the figure at the end of 2025.

During the first six months of 2026, the taxman recovered a cumulative VND108 trillion ($4.1 billion) in tax arrears.