Taxes? What taxes?

So, I neglected to pay taxes earlier this year, because I didn’t know I was supposed to! Now I’m supposed to be leaving for Thailand in 5 days and my new boss is telling me that if I don’t file my tax return they won’t let me leave the country. This seems a bit odd to me, as they withheld 10% so I should be getting money back! :slight_smile: At least I think I should. I guess I don’t really know.

So, what do I need to do? Is this procedure quick and easy, or are they going to threaten me with corporal punishment?

Any advice and shared experiences would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Karen

You don’t need to do anything. Your boss is talking out of his ass.

Are you simply going on a holiday, or actually leaving Taiwan? If it was the latter, then (just out of interest) how would your boss know if you had or hadn’t filed your tax return? I don’t know how your boss could quickly verify it unless he or she asked you a direct question and heard your denial. Otherwise, he’d probably have to wait a few days for any formal advice from the Tax Office.

I’m just going away for a week - it seems that he hasn’t submitted my tax withholdings from April to now to the government, so he needs to make sure that he does that or we might have problems leaving the country (he says). He also said “You filed your taxes for last year, right?” to which I said “Taxes? What taxes?” My former boss (where I worked for all of 2002) did submit my withholdings to the government (I have my receipt for 2002), but I never filed for a refund. My current boss says that this means they won’t let me leave the country.

He has talked to the IRS people dozens of times in the last two days, and I think he believes what he’s telling me. I’m sure that he is repeating what he is being told. I just haven’t ever heard of someone being denied a week-long getaway becuase they didn’t file their taxes!

Has anyone else?

Thanks again!
Karen

What?
Where in the world wouldn’t YOU need to pay taxes? Thata’s a lame excuse.