Do I have to do my taxes? Employee's tax return 2021 explained

The deadline for asking your employer to have your taxes reviewed in a tax reconciliation (February 15) or file an individual tax return (April 1) is slowly approaching. Read further how (or even if) it concerns you.

Please note: The article explains the procedure for employees only. A bit different procedure applies to self-employed or other sources of income.

How does my income tax work?

Your salary has been taxed by 15% each month, calculated from your gross salary. Your employer has been deducting the tax and also applying a monthly tax relief for up to 2.320,- (if you signed “a pink form” Prohlášení poplatníka daně for this employer at a beginning of the year).

This is the only automatic tax relief the employer can regularly claim for employees (plus relief for any children). Any other claims for tax relief or tax allowance have to be done after the end of the year in a tax reconciliation (by employer) or tax return (by you).

What are all the possible tax reductions? Click to read our comprehensive guide.

Is my tax return done by my employer?

In most cases, yes. There are exceptions, though.

Your payroll department should contact you and ask if you want your employer to do the accounting for you. If so, you have to sign a request Žádost o roční zúčtování daně before February 15 and provide any documentation needed (maybe tax domicile confirmation, bank statements about your allowances, marriage certificate, birth certificates for children, invoices from kindergarten…).

They should take into account any applicable tax allowances from the tax base (paid charity gifts, mortgage interests, private pension savings, life insurance, union fees) and tax reliefs (tax relief for a taxpayer even for months you did not work in the CR; for a spouse at home; children; kindergarten; studies; disability).

(To apply some of the tax allowances and tax reliefs, your employer may ask you to bring a confirmation about your tax residence in the Czech Republic. Such a document is called Czech tax domicile. More about this later.)

Exceptions

Annual tax reconciliation by the employer cannot be made to an employee who is legally required to file a tax return individually (section 38g, 586/1992 Col.) This applies to:

• an employee who had more than one job at a time (or other jobs not taxed by withholding tax each month) even if it was for one day
• an employee who is self-employed and has income from business activities
• an employee who received any other income worldwide (shares, capital gains, renting out, business activity, gifts etc.)
• an employee who received over 1,701,100 CZK of gross salary in a year and thus is subject to a higher tax rate.

How do I file the tax return on my own?

A tax return can be submitted at whatever office of the Financial Authority without any respect for your local affiliation.

Download any personal income tax forms here (under >Daň z příjmu fyzických osob and >Vyměřovací řízení) Although only forms in Czech are accepted, you can see and compare the English translation in the instructions.

The latest submission date is 1 April (or 2 May if you have a data mailbox).

You can, of course, file all the forms on your own.  Quite often you end up needing the help of a professional accountant or a tax advisor to evaluate your situation, your possible gains and help you to file all the forms and supplement those with necessary attachments and documentation. If you signed a power of attorney to a certified tax advisor before 1 April, he/she will extend the deadline for your tax return until 1 July.

Czech tax residence

To apply some of the tax allowances and tax reliefs, you need to prove that you are a Czech tax resident. In an individual tax return (submitted by you) it’s enough to state this and support your claim with some documents (accommodation and employment contracts, etc.)

When your employer does the return for you and takes the responsibility for the claims you’re stating, they may ask you to bring an official confirmation about your tax residency in the Czech Republic – Czech tax domicile. Read our guide to learn how to get it.

This article has been written in cooperation with a registered tax consultant  Michael Hájek from Bell Consulting.