E-Tax filing for a newbie, limited kanji ability...

[Seasider4374]

So, up until now I've always handwritten my kakutei shinkoku. Just wondering if I should consider e-Tax for my return this year... How difficult is it the first time to go through the system until muscle memory kicks in in subsequent years...

I read that some users (Tkydon?/Adamu?) go through the system "pretending" not to have a my number card to get to see the draft pdf preview, before going back with their MyNumber to complete fully.

I like this "dummy run" possibility and am keen to give it a try.

What do I need to do as a complete newbie to online taxation to get to give it a try?

Also, what are other members feelings on the pros and cons of e-Tax vs paper?

I'm comfortable (muscle memory strong) of the handwritten method, and my son could well earn some pocket money this year by writing all the Kanji for me (saving me from hand cramps, and embarrasment of my kanji penmanship ) before I do the digits, or I could embace online...

If relevant, I'm a freelancer and submit business expense deductions and so being not a company employee the English e-Tax guide linked in another thread here won't be relevant to me. If relevant I submit forms FA2204/FA2304 and FA7001/FA7051.

[sutebayashi]

I have kanji reading ability myself, so don’t want to judge the ease of doing e-tax without that, but if you are managing to fill it out on paper anyway, then I am guessing you might find the e-tax method to be improved enough these days to make it well worth a shot of trying to use it.

If you can nail it, then it’s goodbye to paper!

[captainspoke]

Just a reminder that your browser, such as on a laptop, can auto-translate for you. In Safari at the right end of the URL space there are two icons. One is for reloading the page, click on the one next the that and choose English from the popup menu.

[Seasider4374]

Just a reminder that your browser can auto-translate for you

Thanks, I'm aware, but a lot of Japanese websites used to (still do?) insert "block" image/pdf sections of content aside from the text that wouldn't get translated (Excuse my HTML lack of correct terms). Hopefully this is not the case on the NTA website

[Telebroker]

Thanks, I'm aware, but a lot of Japanese websites used to (still do?) insert "block" image/pdf sections of content aside from the text that wouldn't get translated (Excuse my HTML lack of correct terms). Hopefully this is not the case on the NTA website

It used to be hard on the NTA eTax pages, but since they reworked them from various dos-esque pop-ups to a decent green filing path, the browser translation works pretty seamlessly! Hope you managed to file intime.

[mitch]

My suspicion is that the procedure and language used are not likely to change too much year-to-year, so if you can fight your way through it once with the help of translation tools and/or a friend with higher proficiency, and take good notes, then doing it again in the future should be fairly straightforward.