Here's a little checklist for those of you who don't know in advance what you're going to pay in tax.
In January, you will receive an annual statement from everyone who pays you money, including figures on your salary, pension and/or benefits. You will see the total payments you have received and what you have been deducted. You will also get an annual statement from the bank and from the nursery, if you have children there. This information is also sent to the tax authorities and forms the basis for your tax return.
If you have experienced a change in your life situation, it can lead to major changes in your taxes. Have you had children? Become a single parent? Did you get married? Have you started renting out your home? Perhaps you have been laid off? These are all situations where your tax situation may change. If this applies to you, you should therefore amend your tax return so that the state knows more about your financial situation. All of this makes a difference to the amount of tax you have to pay.
See the Norwegian Tax Administration's guide for people whose living situation has changed.
In addition to changes in your life situation, there are several changes in your finances that may affect what you have to pay tax on. If you are unsure about what is considered a deduction on your tax, you can check deduction guide from the Norwegian Tax Administration.
When we say 'tax write-off', we mean the type of information you can provide so that you pay less tax. This is also known as a deduction.
Some people like to call it a hangover! And it's a bummer. When this happens, check that the information in your tax return is correct. If you are in arrears, you will see the due date for payment and the deadline by which you must pay. The State is certainly not the creditor you want to avoid paying. The State is the strictest creditor of them all.
If your tax return shows that you are owed tax, this means that you have paid too much tax and will get a refund. You may want to have a plan for where and how to spend this money. Are you able to save money for yourself or for your children? Are you going to use some to pay off debt? Do you need the money on hand in case something unforeseen happens?
Remember that money repaid by the state is your money. You haven't earned much interest from the government's disposal of your money during this time, so it's not considered a very good saving either. What you choose to do with it now is up to you.
