A survey conducted last year by Verian on behalf of Familjens jurist showed that 18 percent of those surveyed felt uncertain about filing their tax return. This was usually due to not knowing what information might need to be checked and possibly corrected.
The greatest uncertainty was among young people between the ages of 18 and 29, where nearly 40 percent stated that they were unsure about the content of the declaration.
Johan Schauman, a tax return expert at the Swedish Tax Agency, encounters people every year who are worried about their tax return.
"I feel there is a general stress and unfamiliarity connected to taxes and the Swedish Tax Agency," he says.
Unnecessary worry
Many people feel unnecessarily worried, Johan Schauman believes.
"We have worked for a long time to lower the threshold, so that it is just a matter of opening, checking and approving. It is not like before when you had a hundred folders and worked on them for three nights," he says.
Most of the information is now already filled out on the tax return form, and for first-time tax filers, there are often only two pieces of information that need to be checked: income from work, i.e. salary, and whether you have received interest on your savings.
"It can be a good idea to check that the amount of the salary is correct. Was it what you expected? Does it match the salary specifications? If it is not correct, you can ask your employer to correct it," says Johan Schauman.
Smallest details
However, you may need to supplement your tax return if you have sold shares, rented out your private home, or want to make deductions for travel to and from work.
"And if you feel the slightest bit unsure, you can call the Swedish Tax Agency's tax return information service to get help checking specific things in the tax return," says Schauman.
If you have sold shares:
You can own shares up to 300,000 without any tax implications. This means that young people can feel secure in saving without having to worry about taxes.
If, however, you sell shares, you will receive information in the tax return that tells you which shares you sold. Then you need to add what they were purchased for.
If you rent out private accommodation:
On the Swedish Tax Agency's website, you can enter information about the rental to see if you need to pay tax on the amount.
As a rule, you do not have to pay tax if the rental income is below SEK 40,000.
Deductions for travel to and from work:
To get a deduction for travel to and from work, the journey must be at least five kilometers one way. There must also be a clear time saving by using the car instead of public transport.
On the Swedish Tax Agency's website you can check whether you are entitled to a deduction.
If you want to get your money back:
To receive your money, you need to register a bank account with the Swedish Tax Agency. You can do this at the same time as you file your tax return in the e-service Income Tax Return 1. You can also register your account in one of the e-services Mina sidor or Skattekonto.
Source: Swedish Tax Agency
