What should we do when the Catalan Tax Agency claims a debt from us?

When a citizen incurs a debt with an administration (be it a tax, a fine, or others) and does not pay it within the corresponding voluntary period, the executive payment period automatically begins. This means that its collection will entail surcharges and will be done forcibly, potentially even leading to the seizure of assets and rights.

In Catalonia, many of the debts incurred by taxpayers with other Catalan administrations are managed in the executive period by the Tax Agency of Catalonia (ATC). With the aim of simplifying and streamlining procedures, for years the ATC has made a determined commitment to promoting interaction with taxpayers through electronic means. A commitment, precisely, that has become even more necessary today to avoid travel in times of pandemic.

In the case of executive collection, the ATC provides citizens with several channels for making telematic payments, in addition to offering the in-person option, by appointment, at the 181 service points it currently has deployed throughout the territory, and the telephone number 012 to request information.

What should a person who receives a notification of an executive debt from the Tax Agency of Catalonia do? First, read it carefully. The notification details the applicable surcharges and —very importantly— includes a payment letter with the reduced 10 percent surcharge to pay within a short period. Second, attention must be paid to the payment deadlines.

In order to obtain more information about the next steps to take, the taxpayer has three channels:

1. The telematic route, through the Agency's electronic headquarters (atc.gencat.cat), where they can be attended by a virtual assistant who will provide personalized information on executive collection and outstanding debts.
2. In the Agency's electronic headquarters, in the "Debt consultation" section, they can access information about the debt that the ATC is claiming from them. In the "Additional data" tab, they will find the detailed information. For example, in the case of debts corresponding to traffic sanctions in the executive period, they will find details about the date and place of the infraction, the vehicle's license plate, etc.
3. Also on the ATC's electronic headquarters, they can choose to fill out a contact form if they wish to make any inquiry.

Debt payment

Once the person has been informed about the nature and amount of their debt, they can also pay it through various channels: online, by phone, or in person. It should be noted, however, that to do so, it is necessary to have the receipt number, the amount, and the NIF of the debt holder, data contained in the corresponding payment letter.

Online payment can be made on the ATC's electronic headquarters through a digital identification system (idCAT Móvil, idCAT Certificado, electronic DNI, among others) and also without digital identification.

Regarding in-person payment, it can be made directly at the ATC's collaborating financial entities, at computerized Post Offices —by postal money order— or at the Agency's offices, with a prior appointment.

Finally, payment can also be made by phone, through 012, with a bank card.

For more information on debt payment, you can consult the electronic headquarters of the Tax Agency of Catalonia: atc.gencat.cat.