GhanaWeb feature by Isaac Dadzie
That luxury car or thick envelope of cash you just flaunted on the ‘gram’ for your birthday might have caught the eye of your biggest, and most uninvited, fan: the GRA.
As Ghanaian influencers and celebrities continue to showcase extravagant birthday gifts, a long-standing tax law is here to remind everyone that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, or a free V8.
The rules are simple: if you receive a lavish gift “in respect of your employment, business, or investment,” it’s taxable.
According to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), gift tax is payable when someone receives a gift related to employment, business, or investment.
This tax is typically imposed on the recipient. In Ghana, gift tax is governed by the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896).
The only free passes are gifts from immediate family members or from the estate of a deceased person.
So that brand-new car from a fan or business partner you just posted online? Expect the GRA sliding into your DMs.
The GRA breaks down taxable gifts into three categories:
Gift from Employment: From your boss or someone your boss arranged.
Gift from Business: Connected to a business you own.
Gift from Investment: The big one for celebs—any major gift that doesn’t fit the first two categories.
Now for the moment of truth: the bill.
If that flashy gift falls under “investment,” and you’re a resident of Ghana, you owe a flat 15% of its total market value.
All about gift tax and how to honour your tax obligations
So, a GH¢500,000 car doesn’t just cost you your timeline, it comes with a GH¢75,000 tax bill, due in just 21 days.
Meaning you have exactly three weeks to:
Notify the GRA in writing: what you received, who gave it, and its market value.
Pay the full tax amount, on the spot.
So, the next time you’re about to post a “Thank you for the surprise!” video, remember: the real surprise might be the tax return in your DMs.
Flaunt responsibly.
ID/EB
You can also watch what Dr Richardson Commey Fio said about the creative arts sector:
