RetireJapan

I realise I'm asking this a little late, but the accountant I was hoping to work with is no longer responding to my enquiries. I feel like what I need to declare isn't too difficult, so hopefully someone who has gone through a similar process can share with me what needs to be done?

Questions
1. I assume I only need to file for Jan-Dec 2020 (not anything in 2021)
2. I had a job which I quit in Feb 2020, unemployed till Apr 2020, then employed at another company. I have my tax withholding statement for both. Not sure if this makes any difference to the procedure?

What I need to file
1. Mercari sales (~2m JPY)
2. Salary (~15m JPY)
3. Furusato Nozei (I originally did one stop, but know I need to re-file. I have all the certificates)
4. NISA/特定口座 - I haven't sold anything in these accounts so I assume I can completely ignore them.
5. Company DC plan - do I need to do anything here?

Any help I can get with this would be majorly appreciated!! Even if it's just pointing me in the right direction Thanks so much!

You can head down to your local tax office with all your docs. They can lead you through the process of filling out a return. If you bring your own laptop and inet connection for it, they will do it together with you via this website. This works well as the website calculates everything automatically, so it is just a case of inputting everything in the right boxes. You can also save the output in order to review everything slowly back at home before submitting. If you also remember to save PDF copies of each webpage as you go through filling it out, this will make it simple to repeat the process in future on your own.

- You only need to file now for Jan-Dec 2020. Anything from 2021 goes on next year's return.

- Furusato Nozei contributions get entered individually via the 寄附⾦控除 section of the website. Then the total contribution figure minus 2000 yen is displayed under the 寄附⾦控除 deduction box on the final return.

- NISA/特定口座 shouldn't need to go on the return.

- Company pension is probably captured already via the withholding slip in the 生命保険料の控除額 box.

The process is daunting the first time, but is easy enough to figure out and repeat after you have done it once. The extended deadline this year means you can take it slowly. Run everything by a professional if needs be.

Thanks this is really useful. I was originally going through an accountant who gave me an estimate of my taxes, and is going to charge me 60k. I asked her for a breakdown, and she just sent me the PDF of the form she's going to file... before I've paid. I was already hesitating to go through with her and just do it myself, but now if I decided to back out it looks proper sketchy ^^'. Looks like I'm going to be paying 800k in taxes, she cited 33% income tax + 10% residence tax on my capital gains from secondary income (mercari sales). This seems incredibly high, so going to do some of my own research before I put any money down. So much cash T_T

You might be able to offset costs associated with the Mercari sales to lower the tax liability. Mobile phone / internet bills, smartphone or laptop purchase last year, postage and packing costs, 手数料 etc. Ask your accountant for advice. Generally you will need to show receipts.

The national tax bill only has to be paid by April 15, and the resident tax component will be added to your resident tax bills that come later in the year. There is still some time before you need to pay anything.