Despairing of receiving the drastic software update required by changes in the law in order to produce forms 106 and 126 for my employer clients for 2006, I went to the company website (I use what may be the leading company in the field) and established that the software will not arrive in time to be dealt with this month at all. Since Pessah begins on April 2 this means that even if I were to do nothing else there would be no chance of the forms being issued until the second half of April.

I have no doubt that this problem is nationwide, and in fact an extension has been declared by the Israel Tax Authority to the end of May for submission of forms 126 and 856 by employers and other businesses reporting on some or all payments they make. An extension will also clearly have to be issued for the submission of annual tax reports by salaried and independent taxpayers (those properly represented by accountants have an automatic extension).

Please bear in mind that there are only three full working days prior to the 15th of the month and that barring last minute changes there has been no announcement of a delay in the due date for filing of monthly reports. This means that those of you reporting monthly are strongly advised to courier to us whatever papers you have no later than Sunday April 1 (no jokes please) so we can start work on it as soon as we get back. Anything not received by then will be reported in the following month. Please ensure than no hametz arrives with your papers!

The office will be closed, as usual, from Monday to Monday, 2-9.4.07. The way this works out this year that only means only two full days' Hol Hamoed (abroad they only have one). Don't forget to move your clocks forward one hour Thursday night, 29-30.3.07.

As soon as Pessah is behind us it will be time for those of you for whom we submit individual and corporate tax returns to start getting to us the papers required. You have been duly reminded! Off hand I don't think there is any change in the list of what is required from that sent out last year.

Judy and I wish you and the whole House of Israel a quiet but joyful, free and satisfying Pessah and hope to meet you with the korban bizmano bimkomo uvetahara.