Tax Return Sheets

[Hank W.]

.and what i have read somewhere is that when you invest money which increases the value of the house,you can claim tax deduction...

Only if you are in a business "renting out" you can deduct the expenses against the income. Now when you sell the flat you can calculate the expenses against the "profit" you earn by selling... but if theres no "profit" calculated in certain cases if its your own flat, so thats also then if you are owning flats as an investment mainly.

[Amandine.K]

Hi,

Bumping an old thread but it was very informative. The little bundles of joy have arrived. Confusing as always, I am not sure if I had travel expenses deducted there or not. We live in Vantaa but I work in Helsinki so if I understood right I can claim the price of the monthly ticket right? Even if I actually use my car to go to work? Is there a way to doit online if not already deducted or I better go to Vero?

Thanks!

Amandine

[Rip]

I haven't got mine yet, but is there still a paper information leaflet included. It use to have the price of the monthly tickets for capital region listed. Standard is to put the monthly price multiplied by eleven (about one month vacation). The tax benefit is not big as they (they, not you) deduct something like 600 of the total (at least if you have no other work related deductions) before calculating the rebate, but it is more than zero for Helsinki-Vantaa commuting trip.

Yes, you can (should) do that even if you use a car. In principle I guess it might be fraud if you do it while actually using a bicycle (though they would never know). You must do it every year yourself, and if I am not badly mistaken it was possible last year to do it online as well (earlier I think it required mailing the paper forms)

[Upphew]

Yes, you can (should) do that even if you use a car.

Unless you work hours that buses and other stuff don't run and you have to use car. I did that, for few years (not HEV though) and all deductions for using car went straight through, no questions asked. I did answer the questions I could imagine them asking while filing, so that might be the reason for the lack of communication. Can't remember if you could attach files to online application, but if you could I'd attach the work contract that shows the hours that make the use of bus impossible.

[Flossy1978]

It's done online. I do it online every year.

You have to live I believe more than 3km from public transport, to claim car travelling. And if the trip on public transport is 2 hours one way (including waiting for transfers), then you can go by car and claim it as car travelling.

Shift workers get it.

I get it because I start work at 5:30am and there is not one single bus at that time of the morning I would need to leave home (4:30am).

It's literally impossible to get it if you live in Helsinki. Only if you are a shift worker and there really aren't any public transport options. Oh I knew someone who lived in Helsinki who got it, because they were a security guard and they had to take a dog with them to work.

You are responsible regardless of public transport or private for 600€ of your travelling.

I think if you can use public transport between Vantaa and Helsinki or Espoo, Vantaa.... so on.... But you choose to drive. You just claim whatever is left after the 600€ as if you'd buy a public transport ticket.

That is what it was for last year.

[Flossy1978]

I've never had to include anything in my claim. I just write the distance I have to travel and calculate it. Explain I start at 5:30am and there are no buses. And it's fine. Perhaps because I live outside of the metropolitan area, is why I've never been asked? There are only buses in Nurmijärvi afterall. So there's got a be a lot of people claiming it for driving.

[Amandine.K]

There is a bus stop less than 3 km, only one bus direct to Helsinki and a bus every blue moon but it won't count as an excuse to take the car as I don't work shift.

So if I understand right I count seutilippu x 11 ( as I have 5 weeks off per year?) so 92.10x11=1013.1

From which I deduct 600€ so I only can claim 413.1€?

On the website I select Julkinen kulkuneuvo?

[Rip]

No, YOU do NOT deduct the 600€, you report that 1013.1€ and let the tax office do the deduction.
(comments regarding public transportation vs. own car are valid. It can be a blessing if you lack public transportation also in theory and not just in practice.)

[Amarulka]

I still haven't got mine...

Do I have to declare travel expenses separately every year or they just copy it from my last year's tax caluclation?.

If I get a new tax card, do I always have to mark travel expenses?

[Rip]

Do I have to declare travel expenses separately every year

Yes.

If I get a new tax card, do I always have to mark travel expenses?

I think they (more or less) copy the deductions from the old tax filing to the new card. If you adjust the card later later I guess they are there unless you explicitly change them. But you still have to add them to the report in April.

[sabsum]

Great new Information. Thank you everyone.

If I understood right, travel expenses can be claimed only if we live and work in different cities? I work in Helsinki but I used to live in Espoo before. I moved to Helsinki last April but still I buy seutelippu because I need to travel different regions for other purposes. The 'veroilmoitus' paper mentions that 'Espoo' is my 'kotikunta'. So, I am abit confused here if I can claim any travel expenses.

Any idea/ suggestions friends?

Kiitos

[Rip]

Great new Information. Thank you everyone.

If I understood right, travel expenses can be claimed only if we live and work in different cities?

There is nothing left to deduct if the annual cost is less than 600€. Helsinki internal ticket for a year is less than that. This does not apply to situation where the working hours are such that using public transportation simply is not possible (rare).

work in Helsinki but I used to live in Espoo before. I moved to Helsinki last April but still I buy seutelippu because I need to travel different regions for other purposes. The 'veroilmoitus' paper mentions that 'Espoo' is my 'kotikunta'.

"Kotikunta" for 2012 taxes must be the one you had on December 31st 2011. Travel expenses are claimed based on place you actually lived, so that would be Espoo-Helsinki for the first few months and Helsinki-Helsinki after that. I don't know if you end up above the 600€ limit. Not very much above it at least.

[sabsum]

Thank you Rip
I get it now.

[tjawatts]

This year my travel expenses were on my tax return. I think you can put it on your tax card already when you request it then you dont have to fill it in now.

T

[Mook]

This year my travel expenses were on my tax return. I think you can put it on your tax card already when you request it then you dont have to fill it in now.

T

I guess it depends where you live. None of my "regular" deductions have appeared in the last couple of year in Tuusula.

As for claiming 11xmonthly ticket price - well I guess that works if you take a calendar month off in the Summer. You could try claiming 22 x 20week tickets?