Anyone know a tax agent in Taiwan for Taiwan Tax? How much do they typically charge?
This is my first time doing taxes in Taiwan and I want to see if I can save on taxes.
Do you speak Chinese? How complicated are your taxes?
If you speak Chinese well enough to understand basic business vocabulary, you can get free assistance at one of the tax centers. That was my first experience filing taxes in Taiwan. They’ll help you with all applicable deductions… unless your taxes are super complicated.
Do you own property?
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My wife speaks chinese, thats good to know. Tax centers are where you pay taxes right? I don’t own any property.
I’m guessing your taxes are pretty simple and straightforward. Yes, just go to the places where you’d normally go to pay taxes. I can’t remember which one I went to… but they were very helpful. Make sure to bring all the required paperwork with you.
Also, note that if you get free tax help, YOU are responsible for maximizing your deductions. Read this forum carefully to make sure that you aren’t missing out on deducting rent, money sent to your parents, etc. If you have all the paperwork with you when you go to file, they’ll help you without charging anything.
Note, however, that they won’t sit down with you and go through a list of potential deductions you might be eligible for. I don’t know your situation, but I doubt that’s you. But if that is you, that’s the only case where you’d need to hire help.
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Taxes in Taiwan are quite simple for ARC holders. However, it might be different for you because…
I don’t know what the situation is if you are filing jointly or separately. Do some searches on the forum to see if filing is different if you’re married.
There’s an online software that you can download (for free) and do your taxes on there. It’s quite simple if you have all your paperwork, just a bit tedious because the software seems like it hasn’t been updated for the past 20 years.
One thing that I like about the software is that it’ll save your personal information, so you don’t have to fill it in again next year.
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Oh. I wasn’t aware of the software. Do you have any idea what it’s called or where to find it?
Here’s an FAQ from the National Tax Bureau:
https://www.ntbt.gov.tw/etwmain/front/ETW118W/CON/1412/8570005882964644309?tagCode=
Left side navigation panel “Online Services” click e-filing.
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If it is your first time, just take your paperwork -ARC, passport, receipts from deductibles like rent or your filial duty to your parents to the nearest tax office. usually, there is one per sector/district. For exmple, I live in Xindia, there is Xindian office. Please note foreigners’ office is separate from locals. Which si good because you get extra service like someone else fills out and calculates your forms. Pleas ealso be aware that tax office has direct linsk to bank info so they know where your money is and how much there is.
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How do I deduct rent? I need some receipt from my land lady?
I don’t have my HuKou address in the house I rent in Taipei. I keep it in my aunts house in Taichung.
Can I still list my house rent as a deduction in this case? If I list my house rent as a deduction will this effect my landlord? Reason I ask this is I am getting an excellent price on rent from her and don’t want to botch that up.
Also how do you deduct giving money to parents? I’ve sent money to US to my own account but that was to help my mom
If you’re asking now…it’s probably too late
If you’re getting a good price on rent, I would just let it go. The hassle you’ll have to go through getting the necessary paperwork probably isn’t worth the deductions you may get.
Try downloading the e-filing program and see if there’s a form in there you can fill out for this.
Honestly, if you have any tax related questions, head to your nearest tax bureau office like @Icon suggested. Firstly, make sure they can handle foreigner tax refunds, not all tax offices can. It’s not that they aren’t willing, it’s more they are not authorized to or do not have the staff that’s trained to do so.
The one just west of Taipei Main Station has awesome awesome service and all the people helping you speak very good English. Last year I went in to have them file my taxes because the e-filing software was giving me errors. I gave the guy all the necessary documents and IDs, he filled out EVERYTHING while I zombied on my phone.
If there’s no complications…you should be out of there in an hour. The level of service, courtesy and efficiency in there puts all and every government office in Taiwan to shame.
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OK, I think we have a question here. What is the residence address on your ARC? That is where you present your paperwork. Is it Taipei or Taichung?
About rent: in your case, no. It will be very troublesome. Don’t try it, mention it, forget about it.
Your employer should have given you a paper thinghy with NHI deductions and such.
Go to the office.
For the married folk: I think it is better if you file separately in case of divorce and if you want an APRC/nationality down the line, right?
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That sounds like a good place,
I have citizenship to TW, wife too but both me and my wife grew up overseas also our parents are both living overseas so they wont be helpful on tax questions.
Yup I got the NHI from employer. Sounds like the only thing I might deduct is any money I send to help parents.
Ok, so you have citizenship, not an ARC.
In that case, I’m clueless. You can still go to the tax bureau that does taxes for foreigners to see if they can help (if you really don’t know what to do).
What I suggest is…download the software. Start from there and see where it takes you. It should be pretty simple to fill in the info. The software is fool proof, but just not user friendly.
Ok thanks, downloading the software now
They will be helpful enough as they mean a bid deduction.
And possibly good Japanese too.
Where is the software for humans? I can’t believe that in the year 2018 the government still just caters to lifeforms Like @yyy. 
I’m so oppressed rn.
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You think my species is catered to? 
Don’t get me started…
http://www.taxrefund.net.tw/ttr/iGotIdeas
The government is looking for ideas… have any?
EDIT: Silly me, that’s not a government run website. My apologies.