I came across this service called FreedomTax Japan while looking for someone to help with handling my taxes. It seemed legit enough but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with them?
The tax office will help for free. I submitted my tax return yesterday with Shinjuku, staff very helpful.
I went to the city branch of the national tax office (needed to make an appointment) for some hella complicated tax shit and the guy spent like 90 minutes going over everything with me and even helped me file some claims for back taxes so I walked out with a few extra 万 in my wallet. I’d make some time to go to a tax office before I used any paid online services.
I haven’t personally used FreedomTax Japan, but the reviews online are quite positive. They also appear to be a member of the Japan Taxpayers Association, a reputable organization. That said, I have always gone to the Tax Office by myself.
If you have a friend who speaks Japanese that could help you, that is even better. Bring them to help you, and pay later for their lunch, dinner, or cafe. Most of such Tax Offices in Japan don’t have interpreters such as in City Halls. That said, I’ve once brought an interpreter to the Tax Office, and I paid her a cafe afterwards.
I’m going to guess what the poster is looking for is maximizing their reductions, a problem I’ve not seen solved here in Japan.
The problem is not that the tax office won’t help you fill out forms (everyone is professional at that in Japan). It’s that they don’t know how to help you optimally fill out forms which I think is what most people really want / need help with.
What myself and many others find really confusing in Japan is the tax deduction system and whether or not you’re getting an optimal return on your tax.
For example, many people now work from home, and in America or Australia, people can usually clam tax deductions on things like heating, and you pay a professional to help you do this. In Japan however, this is a total mystery to basically everyone I know.
So yeah, it’s cool they help, but it would be better if it was more straightforwards in general.
4 comments
The tax office will help for free. I submitted my tax return yesterday with Shinjuku, staff very helpful.
I went to the city branch of the national tax office (needed to make an appointment) for some hella complicated tax shit and the guy spent like 90 minutes going over everything with me and even helped me file some claims for back taxes so I walked out with a few extra 万 in my wallet. I’d make some time to go to a tax office before I used any paid online services.
I haven’t personally used FreedomTax Japan, but the reviews online are quite positive. They also appear to be a member of the Japan Taxpayers Association, a reputable organization. That said, I have always gone to the Tax Office by myself.
If you have a friend who speaks Japanese that could help you, that is even better. Bring them to help you, and pay later for their lunch, dinner, or cafe. Most of such Tax Offices in Japan don’t have interpreters such as in City Halls. That said, I’ve once brought an interpreter to the Tax Office, and I paid her a cafe afterwards.
I’m going to guess what the poster is looking for is maximizing their reductions, a problem I’ve not seen solved here in Japan.
The problem is not that the tax office won’t help you fill out forms (everyone is professional at that in Japan). It’s that they don’t know how to help you optimally fill out forms which I think is what most people really want / need help with.
What myself and many others find really confusing in Japan is the tax deduction system and whether or not you’re getting an optimal return on your tax.
For example, many people now work from home, and in America or Australia, people can usually clam tax deductions on things like heating, and you pay a professional to help you do this. In Japan however, this is a total mystery to basically everyone I know.
So yeah, it’s cool they help, but it would be better if it was more straightforwards in general.