This year, the number of invoices issued with the registration of the NIF (tax identification number) and thus eligible for the Lucky Fature draws has already exceeded 1,310 million. It is the highest annual value since this program started in April 2014, with the aim of combating tax evasion and the parallel economy. The number of requests for invoices registered with a fiscal number has grown every year, in the first phase through the raffle of luxury cars and later through savings certificates. But the pace of growth has slowed. And in the year when the pandemic broke out, which forced the closure of commercial establishments, there was a decline, the only one in these nine years of this fiscal plan.
According to data provided to DN/Dinheiro Vivo by the Tributária e Aduaneira (AT), the number of registered invoices seems to have almost doubled since the start of the program. In the lottery’s first year, which began in April, more than 352 million came in to the IRS. In 2015 (the first full exercise of the competition) they rose to 709 million, a number that shows an 85% increase compared to the eleven months already passed in the system from 2022 (the already mentioned 1.310 million). And then there must be added those that will be issued during this month of December, a period traditionally marked by high consumption. It is therefore very predictable that the amount will more than double. What is certain is that they already have a growth of 5% this year compared to 2021.
It is clear that the Portuguese, attracted by prices, or even by the fight against tax evasion and the parallel economy, have joined the program launched by the government of Pedro Passos Coelho and continued by the Prime Minister, António Costa, but the Audi replaced cars with Treasury bills. But it is also verified that after the growth of more than 30% in the first years of the plan, the increases are much less pronounced. In 2017, the system saw the threshold of 1000 million registered invoices for the draws crossed and there was an increase of 7% compared to the previous year. Since that time, the number of invoices with NIF has shown year-on-year increases at this level, a sign that the program’s appeal has lost some momentum and it’s failing to broaden its adherent base much.
new prices
AT is even considering keeping Treasury bills as a prize. At launch, the government justified the benefit change by boosting the savings it brought to taxpayers. It was also established that full or partial redemption of the certificates was only possible 12 months after the subscription date. This year it was already reported that AT was studying the launch of new prices for the Lucky Invoice. On the table will be the possibility of offering electric cars or discount coupons for use in restaurants, hotels and cultural events. DN/Dinheiro Vivo has inquired with the Tax Authorities about a possible premium change, but has not received an answer to this question.
Statistics provided by AT show that from April 2014 to September this year, there were 444 regular draws (which are held weekly) and 51 extraordinary draws (usually held in June and December), totaling 18.090 million in prizes. In weekly competitions, the prize has a value of 35 thousand euros and in extraordinary competitions 50 thousand euros. In this line, in the approximately two years that the car allocation lasted, 105 Audi A4 and 12 A6 were raffled. As for the certificates, there were 339 competitions for the prize of 35 thousand euros and 39 for 50 thousand. Naturally, it was in the most populous districts of the country that more rewards were awarded for participating in the program. The top five is led by Lisbon (149 prizes), followed by Porto (76), Aveiro (35), Braga (31) and Setúbal (29).
All invoices with NIF, and entered into the AT system, are eligible for weekly and extraordinary competitions. The program is known as Fatura da Sorte, but what goes into the draw are coupons. The tax authorities convert the invoices into receipts, which means that the taxpayer receives a registration number for every ten euros in invoices. The draws are televised, but the winners are also notified by email or registered letter. According to AT, “until September there are six unclaimed prizes, worth a total of 210,000 euros”. As he clarified, “these prizes will be drawn again as second prizes, concurrently with the next extraordinary drawing”.
Source: DN
