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openaccountants/skills/guatemala-iva.md
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1---
2name: guatemala-iva
3description: Use this skill whenever asked to prepare, review, or classify transactions for a Guatemala IVA return (SAT-2237) for any client. Trigger on phrases like "prepare IVA return", "Guatemala VAT", "SAT return", "IVA Guatemala", or any request involving Guatemala value added tax filing. This skill covers Regimen General IVA filers only. Small taxpayer (Pequeno Contribuyente) regime and ZOLIC free-zone entities are in the refusal catalogue. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any Guatemala IVA work.
4version: 2.0
5---
6 
7# Guatemala IVA Return Skill (SAT-2237) v2.0
8 
9## Section 1 — Quick reference
10 
11| Field | Value |
12|---|---|
13| Country | Guatemala |
14| Standard rate | 12% |
15| Small taxpayer rate | 5% flat (replaces IVA and income tax — separate regime) |
16| Exempt supplies | Unprocessed agricultural products (first sale), generic medicines, agricultural inputs (artisanal), books, medical services, education, financial interest, insurance, residential rental, public transport, electricity/water (domestic) |
17| Return form | SAT-2237 |
18| Filing portal | https://portal.sat.gob.gt (Agencia Virtual) |
19| Authority | SAT (Superintendencia de Administracion Tributaria) |
20| Currency | GTQ (Guatemalan Quetzal) |
21| Filing frequency | Monthly |
22| Deadline | Last business day of month following period |
23| Contributor | Open Accountants Skills Registry |
24| Validated by | Pending |
25| Validation date | Pending |
26 
27**Key SAT-2237 lines:**
28 
29| Line | Meaning |
30|---|---|
31| 1 | Taxable sales and services (ventas y servicios gravados) |
32| 2 | Output IVA (debito fiscal) = Line 1 x 12% |
33| 3 | Exports at 0% |
34| 4 | Exempt sales |
35| 5 | Total sales (1+3+4) |
36| 6 | Reverse charge on imports (auto-declared IVA) |
37| 7 | Total output IVA (2+6) |
38| 8 | Input IVA on local purchases |
39| 9 | Input IVA on imports (customs) |
40| 10 | Input IVA on expenses/services |
41| 11 | Total input IVA (8+9+10) |
42| 12 | Adjustments (blocked/apportioned) |
43| 13 | Net input IVA (11-12) |
44| 14 | IVA payable (7-13) |
45| 15 | Prior credit balance |
46| 16 | IVA retentions |
47| 17 | Total payable / carry-forward |
48 
49**Conservative defaults:**
50 
51| Ambiguity | Default |
52|---|---|
53| Unknown rate on a sale | 12% |
54| Unknown IVA status of a purchase | Not deductible |
55| Unknown counterparty country | Domestic Guatemala |
56| Unknown business-use proportion | 0% recovery |
57| Unknown blocked-input status | Blocked |
58| Unknown document type | No credit until valid FEL confirmed |
59 
60**Red flag thresholds:**
61 
62| Threshold | Value |
63|---|---|
64| HIGH single-transaction size | GTQ 50,000 |
65| HIGH tax-delta on a single conservative default | GTQ 5,000 |
66| MEDIUM counterparty concentration | >40% of output OR input |
67| MEDIUM conservative-default count | >4 |
68| LOW absolute net IVA position | GTQ 100,000 |
69 
70---
71 
72## Section 2 — Required inputs and refusal catalogue
73 
74### Required inputs
75 
76**Minimum viable** — bank statement for the month. Acceptable from: Banco Industrial, Banrural, BAM, G&T Continental, Banco de los Trabajadores, or any other.
77 
78**Recommended** — FEL (Factura Electronica en Linea) documents, constancias de retencion.
79 
80**Ideal** — complete Libro de Compras y Ventas, prior SAT-2237, FEL register.
81 
82### Refusal catalogue
83 
84**R-GT-1 — Pequeno Contribuyente.** *Trigger:* client is under small taxpayer regime (income up to GTQ 150,000). *Message:* "Small taxpayers pay 5% flat tax and do NOT file IVA returns or claim input credits."
85 
86**R-GT-2 — ZOLIC free zone.** *Trigger:* client in ZOLIC. *Message:* "Free zone benefits require valid authorization. Escalate."
87 
88**R-GT-3 — Partial exemption.** *Trigger:* mixed taxable/exempt. *Message:* "Proportional method required. Flag for reviewer."
89 
90---
91 
92## Section 3 — Supplier pattern library
93 
94### 3.1 Banks
95| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
96|---|---|---|
97| BANCO INDUSTRIAL, BI | 12% for fees; EXCLUDE for interest | |
98| BANRURAL, BAM, G&T | Same | |
99 
100### 3.2 Government (exclude)
101| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
102|---|---|---|
103| SAT, SUPERINTENDENCIA | EXCLUDE | Tax payment |
104| IGSS | EXCLUDE | Social security |
105 
106### 3.3 Utilities
107| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
108|---|---|---|
109| EEGSA, ENERGUATE | Domestic 12% | Electricity |
110| TIGO, CLARO, MOVISTAR | Domestic 12% | Telecoms |
111| EMPAGUA | Exempt (domestic water) | |
112 
113### 3.4 SaaS non-resident (reverse charge)
114| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
115|---|---|---|
116| GOOGLE, MICROSOFT, ADOBE, META | Reverse charge 12% | Line 6 output, Line 10 input |
117| ZOOM, SLACK, NOTION, ANTHROPIC, OPENAI | Reverse charge 12% | Same |
118 
119### 3.5 Food and entertainment (blocked)
120| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
121|---|---|---|
122| PAIZ, WALMART, LA TORRE | Default BLOCK | Personal provisioning |
123| RESTAURANT, RESTAURANTE | Default BLOCK | Entertainment |
124 
125### 3.6 Professional services
126| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
127|---|---|---|
128| ABOGADO, NOTARIO, CONTADOR | Domestic 12% | Requires valid FEL |
129 
130### 3.7 Internal transfers
131| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
132|---|---|---|
133| TRANSFERENCIA PROPIA | EXCLUDE | |
134| PLANILLA, SALARIO | EXCLUDE | |
135 
136---
137 
138## Section 4 — Worked examples
139 
140### Example 1 — Non-resident reverse charge
141**Input:** `NOTION LABS INC ; DEBIT ; GTQ 245`
142**Treatment:** Reverse charge 12%. Output Line 6. Input Line 10. Net zero.
143 
144### Example 2 — Standard domestic sale
145**Input:** `SA CLIENTE ; CREDIT ; GTQ 112,000`
146**Treatment:** Net = 100,000. IVA = 12,000. Line 1/2.
147 
148### Example 3 — Entertainment, blocked
149**Input:** `RESTAURANTE KACAO ; DEBIT ; GTQ 2,240`
150**Treatment:** Blocked. No input credit.
151 
152### Example 4 — Coffee export
153**Input:** `US ROASTER INC ; CREDIT ; GTQ 200,000`
154**Treatment:** Line 3. Zero-rated. Full input credit.
155 
156### Example 5 — Motor vehicle, blocked
157**Input:** `AUTOMOTRIZ GT ; DEBIT ; Sedan GTQ 150,000`
158**Treatment:** Blocked. No input credit.
159 
160### Example 6 — Purchase without FEL
161**Input:** `VENDEDOR X ; handwritten receipt ; IVA GTQ 600`
162**Treatment:** NOT deductible. No valid FEL = no credit.
163 
164---
165 
166## Section 5 — Tier 1 classification rules (compressed)
167 
168### 5.1 Standard rate 12% (Decreto 27-92 Art. 10)
169Default for all taxable supplies.
170 
171### 5.2 Small taxpayer 5% (Decreto 27-92 Art. 45)
172Flat tax. No IVA charged, no input credits. Buyers get no IVA credit from pequeno contribuyente.
173 
174### 5.3 Exempt goods (Art. 7)
175Unprocessed agricultural (first sale), generic medicines, artisanal agricultural inputs, books, live animals (production).
176 
177### 5.4 Exempt services
178Education, medical, financial interest, insurance, residential rental, public transport, domestic electricity/water.
179 
180### 5.5 Exports
181Zero-rated. Line 3. Full input credit.
182 
183### 5.6 Reverse charge — non-resident services
184Self-assess 12%. Line 6 output, Line 10 input.
185 
186### 5.7 FEL mandatory electronic invoicing
187All invoices must be FEL-certified. Input IVA only valid with FEL.
188 
189### 5.8 Blocked input IVA (Art. 16, 18)
190Entertainment, motor vehicles, personal use, exempt operations, without valid FEL.
191 
192### 5.9 Factura Especial (Art. 52)
193Purchase from unregistered person: buyer issues Factura Especial, self-assesses IVA 12% and ISR 5%.
194 
195### 5.10 IVA retention regime
196Designated agents retain varying percentages of IVA. Credit card processors: 15%. Government: 25%. Exporters: 65%.
197 
198---
199 
200## Section 6 — Tier 2 catalogue (compressed)
201 
202### 6.1 Agricultural first sale
203*Default:* flag. *Question:* "Confirm qualifying first sale."
204 
205### 6.2 Real estate
206*Default:* flag. *Question:* "First sale new construction (12%) or subsequent/bare land (exempt)?"
207 
208### 6.3 Cross-border Central American services
209*Default:* flag. *Question:* "Consumed outside Guatemala? Export?"
210 
211### 6.4 Transport vehicle
212*Default:* flag. *Question:* "Exclusively for goods/passenger transport business?"
213 
214---
215 
216## Section 7 — Excel working paper template
217Standard layout. Column H accepts SAT-2237 line numbers.
218 
219---
220 
221## Section 8 — Bank statement reading guide
222**Format:** Banco Industrial CSV, DD/MM/YYYY, GTQ. **Language:** Spanish.
223 
224---
225 
226## Section 9 — Onboarding fallback
227 
228### 9.1 Tax regime
229*Inference:* if filing SAT-2237, Regimen General. *Fallback:* "Regimen General or Pequeno Contribuyente?"
230 
231### 9.2 NIT
232*Fallback:* "What is your NIT?"
233 
234### 9.3 Prior credit
235Always ask: "Prior credit balance? (Line 15)"
236 
237---
238 
239## Section 10 — Reference material
240 
241### Sources
2421. Decreto 27-92, Ley del IVA — Articles 3, 7, 10, 16, 18, 37, 45, 48, 52
2432. Decreto 10-2012, Ley de Actualizacion Tributaria
2443. SAT FEL regulations
245 
246### Change log
247- **v2.0 (April 2026):** Full rewrite to 10-section architecture.
248- **v1.0:** Initial skill.
249 
250---
251 
252## Disclaimer
253 
254This skill and its outputs are provided for informational and computational purposes only and do not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Open Accountants and its contributors accept no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes arising from the use of this skill. All outputs must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified professional (such as a CPA, EA, tax attorney, or equivalent licensed practitioner in your jurisdiction) before filing or acting upon.
255 
256The most up-to-date, verified version of this skill is maintained at [openaccountants.com](https://openaccountants.com). Log in to access the latest version, request a professional review from a licensed accountant, and track updates as tax law changes.
257 

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Use this skill whenever asked to prepare, review, or classify transactions for a Guatemala IVA return (SAT-2237) for any client. Trigger on phrases like "prepare IVA return", "Guatemala VAT", "SAT return", "IVA Guatemala", or any request involving Guatemala value added tax filing. This skill covers Regimen General IVA filers only. Small taxpayer (Pequeno Contribuyente) regime and ZOLIC free-zone entities are in the refusal catalogue. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any Guatemala IVA work.

GTty-2025

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