It used to be something of a tradition for many and a kind of gimmick. Outside what was called the "Tax Scraper" on Södermalm in Stockholm, long lines formed as people filed their tax returns at the last minute.
But the Swedish Tax Agency has long since abandoned the "Scraper" and the majority of declarations are now submitted digitally.
People used to talk about a campfire feeling when it came to certain TV shows like "Mello", sporting events or royal weddings. Filing your tax return on paper was a bit of a campfire thing, says Johan Schauman, tax return expert at the Swedish Tax Agency.
Digital mailbox
This year, the Swedish Tax Agency has sent out just over 8.4 million tax returns, of which almost 6.2 million were sent to a digital mailbox. At the same time, the number of people submitting a physical paper tax return is constantly decreasing.
It has steadily decreased in line with BankID, and you don't even need Kivra to file digitally; you can call or text. My guess is that we will be down to around 400,000 this year, says Johan Schauman about how many people are still submitting paper declarations.
Whether digitally or on paper, May 4 is the deadline. With the possibility of receiving your tax refund as early as April, more and more people have chosen to file almost immediately and not wait until the last minute.
It has been shifted and today there are 1.3–1.4 million people who file on the first day, while around 250,000 filed on the last day, says Johan Schauman about what it looked like last year.
Can apply for a deferment
For those who still need more time, there is the possibility of applying for a deferment on the Swedish Tax Agency's website.
Even that opportunity is being taken up by fewer and fewer people, points out Johan Schauman. Usually it's around 50–60,000 each year.
It's fascinating. Even though we've become more generous and made it easier to get this deferral, fewer and fewer people are requesting deferrals.
