Taxing Questions?

OliBlom · Post by **OliBlom** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:13 pm

Ok, so I am leaving Finland at the end of October - there is a possibility I will come back next Spring (within 6 months anyway), but in the meantime I plan to do some casual/part-time work in the UK and possibly Spain.

Questions:

- what do I do from a tax point of view when working in the UK & Spain? (I am British)

- and then what do I do about declaring income earned should I return to Finland?

Any help and anything else I need to think about would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance!

**Sponsor:**

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:15 pm

I just wouldn't inform them of your working in those other countries. You will be paying taxes there in those other places so you shouldn't need to pay taxes in Finland. Don't take my word for it though, I don't know the official rules, I just don't like the tax guys here... Several years ago I went to Malaysia to work temporarily there, I had then gone to the tax office to change my tax card because the original amount of money I thought I was going to make in Finland (from the job I had in Finland) was changing because I was leaving, somehow it came up that I was going to work in Malaysia but that I would eventually come back here. They told me that because I will be moving back to Finland after the job (which was 10 months), that I would have to tell them how much money I am going to make while in Malaysia, and pay taxes on it in Finland. I tried to ask them to explain how does that make sense that an American would go to Malaysia to work, pay taxes in Malaysia, and to Finland... they just said because I have to. I told them that its not gonna happen. I was officially moving out of Finland so my permanent address was no longer Finnish, I said that when I pay taxes, it will be to Malaysia, and if they don't want it and I gotta pay somewhere, I'll pay to the US, but the last place I will pay is to Finland. They looked at me strange and said that I still need to inform them. We then agreed that I would let them know when I get back

hehe. I guess they forgot about me.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:33 pm

if you actually read the rules it is quite clear - basically forget the citizenship which is irrelevant if you are a Finnish resident. when you go to Spain and are over 180 days you are then exempt from Finnish taxes as long as you switch your residence to Spain and prove you have been out of Finland the 180 days. *however* the tax office is one thing - if you wish to stay on KELA you need to make yourself *temporarily absent* from Finland, because if you move *out* you drop off KELA after a while. and no you can not bring in a car unless you're out for a year.... now then if you're part-time working somewhere that is less than 6 months then you're liable for Finland but theres the double-taxation treaties... anyways read *both* the VERO and KELA websites as you don't want to shoot yourself in the leg... now if you are keeping a flat here etc. then the "moving out" is.. hrm... as per law you are *supposed* to do it... and also remember that the PostOffice is very good in forwarding mail unless you have someone opening nasty letters so you won't find the collection agents at your door when you come back for something stupid left unpaid... (and stupid unpayments like cars, tv licences, insurances...)

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:37 pm

jas_rho wrote:You will be paying taxes there in those other places so you shouldn't need to pay taxes

ever tried to tell the IRS that?

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:37 pm

OliBlom wrote:Ok, so I am leaving Finland at the end of October - there is a possibility I will come back next Spring (within 6 months anyway), but in the meantime I plan to do some casual/part-time work in the UK and possibly Spain.

Questions:

- what do I do from a tax point of view when working in the UK & Spain? (I am British)

- and then what do I do about declaring income earned should I return to Finland?

Any help and anything else I need to think about would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Under 6 months and working for foreign firm, your income is taxed at the country you are working, then you declare the income and the taxes payed to Finnish taxman and they probably want some taxes too ('cause you paid probably "too little" taxes to UK or Spain). If you would work for over 6 months then Finnish taxman would not tax you (but there might be other fees to be payed eg mandatory sickness insurance). In other words: call vero!

Tax service (individual taxpayers):

Calls from Finland: 020 697 050

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:56 pm

and they actually want to explain to you what to do as when people "think" they end up in trouble and the tax orifice is supposed to be a "service" bureau these days...

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:14 pm

Pursuivant wrote:
jas_rho wrote:You will be paying taxes there in those other places so you shouldn't need to pay taxes
ever tried to tell the IRS that?

Yeah, I don't pay US taxes on the money I make here. They tax so much here that I am exempt. Sure I have to file in the US. But I don't pay.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:15 pm

yes, while Finland only cares if you are a *resident*... and then reading all these merkins whining over their taxes... jebus on a dinosaur with expensive gas...

OliBlom · Post by **OliBlom** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:57 pm

Thanks for all your replies!

Finland Forum

Find information about moving to, living in and life in Finland