If I go abroad to work - whats the tax situation?

matsil

Looking at going abroad for a couple of years and was wondering what the tax situation would be? I would be working in SE Asia - and would be paying income tax there - all above board, no messing around.

I will however be sending a grand a month home to cover the mortgage. Is that in any way "taxable" at this end?

Similarly - I may be doing some work in Ireland..... well specifically, get stuff emailed over to me, doing the work, and emailing it back to Ireland, and then getting paid by cheque in Ireland...... if I'm living abroad for more than a year, how would I stand with that?

Many thanks.

Nody

THe specifics are available from your local tax office but a brief short version:

1) The day you leave Ireland you should sign out of the Irish tax system (this is under the assumption that you will not return that year).
2) Where ever you are going you will need to sign up for their domestic tax system and pay what ever applicable taxes there. This includes declaring the work got paid for in Ireland (assuming you don't have a Irish business set up).

On point two you may be asked to declare all Irish income that you had for the year you moved in to the country and this will then be taxed there as well (minus what you paid in Ireland if they got a double tax agreement with Ireland) as if you earned the money locally.

Miss Fluff

When I lived and worked abroad the amount of "experts" who gave me completely conflicting advice was scary. Go and see a qualified tax adviser to get bona fide accurate advice OP. It will cost you a little bit of money but well worth it tbh.

matsil

Thanks for the advice from both of you.

Well I suppose what I'll do is ask the HR department in the new job what the situation will be.

I will sign out of the system here as nody suggests.

Without incurring the expensive services of a tax consultant, if I were to just follow what "common sense" says and follow the advice of new company HR - then I cannot really get myself in "trouble" as far as tax evasion or anything like that goes, can I? We're not talking millions here, or deliberate evasion........ or am I being niave?

thanks very much for your replies.

Nody

matsil wrote: »

Without incurring the expensive services of a tax consultant, if I were to just follow what "common sense" says and follow the advice of new company HR - then I cannot really get myself in "trouble" as far as tax evasion or anything like that goes, can I? We're not talking millions here, or deliberate evasion........ or am I being niave?

thanks very much for your replies.

Irish tax consultant you can probably skip, the tax authorities are very helpful from my experience and they speak fluent English. Where you are going it may very well be a different answer though and I'd strongly recommend that you get signed in your contract that you will get professional help with your first years taxes at least (it will save you alot of hassle, only two constants in the world is taxes and death after all).

HarryD

I'm in a similar boat at the moment.
When I left Ireland I applied to the revenue for a tax exemption certificate,
with a letter from my Irish employer stating I'll be out of the country for at least 2yrs.
The revenue issued it no probs.

Legally you must pay income tax in the country which you are 'tax resident'
Tax resident means if you spend more than 183days of the year in this country.
You can't chose where you pay tax.

matsil

I reckon a tax consultant is the way to go...... thanks everyone...... I'm getting confused, and I tend to be a bit of a "worrier" about these things.

Thanks guys - query "sort of" answered really I guess......