Brazil's Receita Federal Issues Automatic 'Cashback' Tax Refunds to Millions

On July 15, 2024, Brazil's Receita Federal released a special batch of automatic income‑tax refunds, known as the “cashback” program. About 3.5 million eligible taxpayers received roughly R$ 460 million in total, averaging R$ 130 each. Eligibility required that the taxpayer was not obliged to file a 2025 income‑tax return, had tax withheld during 2024, possessed a regular CPF linked to a Pix key, and met other criteria outlined by the agency.

The refund is deposited directly into the taxpayer’s Pix account without any action required. Receita Federal has warned that some recipients mistakenly returned the money, fearing it was a scam. The agency advises beneficiaries to verify their entitlement on the official Receita Federal portal and to keep the funds, as the payment is official and not a fraudulent attempt.

Taxpayers can consult the generated automatic declaration on the Receita Federal website or its mobile app, where they may review, amend, or cancel the return before final processing.