Collecting your taxes before you leave forever

Legal Taxes
1

I know this has been asked (and answered) before, and I have searched extensively both on Forumosa and that other website (that will not be named) but I can’t find the answer.

So, my questions is, what is the procedure and timeline for filing your taxes before you leave Taiwan permanently?

I have two issues - first is my 2005 taxes, which I am hoping to receive my income statement for shortly. Second is the income that I have earned and will earn before I leave on February 23rd.

Assuming I get the accountant to give me an earnings statement for 2006 prior to Feb 23rd, and I take that and my 2005 statement in to the tax office, when do you think I would be able to get my refund checks? I will be travelling around SEAsia for several weeks, and returning to Taiwan in April before I go home. Is it possible that I will be able to get my checks by then? If not, then what do I do?

Thanks for the help!
Karen

2

Hi Karen,

First the disclaimer: I don’t know. But no one has answered you yet, so I’ll tell you what I think.

I see that you are in Taichung. Not sure what’s offered there. In Taipei, there is a very helpful staff at the Foreign Taxpayers section of the main tax building. My main suggestion is for you to go there (or to its equivalent in Taichung). In Taipei, they all speak English, some very well. They are helpful by any standards, not only local standards. At a minimum, they should be able to answer all of your questions. Of course, you can also try calling them on the phone.

Their contact info can be found here:

National Tax Administration of Taipei
2 Chunghwa Road, Section 1
Taipei 108, Taiwan
Tel.: 886 (2) 2311-3711, ext. 1116
Fax: 886 (2) 2389-1051

Other links:
ntat.gov.tw/county/ntat_ch/n … x_01_2.jsp

ntx.gov.tw/FrontEnd/english/GFF.asp

Interestingly, on a police website, some good info can be found related to income tax payment, including some info on “midyear” payment of taxes:

tmpd.gov.tw/tcpd_english/all … 5&t_type=d

Secondly, my guess is that you will not get any refund at all until minimum September 2006, when they first become available, and that will be for your 2005 taxes only.

Hope that helps.

Seeker4

3

I don’t think you’ll get last year’s refund until maybe July or August.

What people do in this situation is appoint somebody to be their “agent” – I believe there’s a form you can fill out at the tax office for this.

Then when the refund’s ready the agent can pick up the check and forward the money on to you.

4

[quote=“joesax”]I don’t think you’ll get last year’s refund until maybe July or August.

What people do in this situation is appoint somebody to be their “agent” – I believe there’s a form you can fill out at the tax office for this.

Then when the refund’s ready the agent can pick up the check and forward the money on to you.[/quote]
I’ve acted as an agent for a few people who left. As a favor to whoever your agent may be, make sure that all of your paperwork is in order before you leave. If it’s not, it can be quite a pain for the agent.

5

Thanks for the replies! Jive Turkey, this is a stupid question, but how did you get the money to the people who had gone home? I’m assuming there is no point in sending a Taiwanese check overseas.