Tax collectors to extend reach

The Estonian Tax and Customs Board, commenting upon the start of the income tax declarations period, said that it intends to pay more attention this year on incomes earned by people abroad, reports Pubic Broadcasting. Individuals can declare their 2013 incomes starting Feb. 15 on the Internet.

Estonian Tax and Customs Board services department senior specialist Hannes Udde said that the number of states that Estonia exchanges tax information with is increasing all the time. Even if the income earned abroad is already taxed abroad with a higher tax rate than in Estonia, it still has to be declared in Estonia, although no extra tax is charged. The step benefits the person's community, though, since a share of private individuals' income tax is channeled to the parish they live in.

Last year, over 8,000 people declared income earned abroad, but the Tax Board thinks that the amounts should be much larger and, thus, it decided that over 6,000 people more had to do so later, after Tax Board inspections.

Postimees wrote that last year 650,000 people declared their incomes, 95 percent of them using e-Tax Board. This year the board expects at least 640,000 declarers. Last year the board returned 97.8 million euros of income tax and this year forecasts returning 96 million euros.

The first tax returns will be made on Feb. 28 and those who had no tax debts during the past year can benefit from this.

The last day to submit the income tax declaration is March 31, and the general income tax returns deadline is July 1.