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Denmark releases preliminary tax returns ahead of schedule

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Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Denmark releases preliminary tax returns ahead of schedule
Taxpayers can now view their preliminary returns for 2024. Photo: Signe Goldmann/Ritzau Scanpix

The preliminary tax return, ‘forskudsopgørelse’, was released by Denmark's tax authority Skat online on Monday night, just ahead of schedule.

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The expected release date for the returns was Tuesday, November 14th, but they became accessible on Monday evening.

Taxpayers can therefore now log in to the Skat.dk platform and check their preliminary tax returns for 2024.

The preliminary tax returns eventually form the basis of the final tax return, årsopgørelse, which is released in March and finalised by May. Taxpayers can check how much tax they have paid or are due to pay during the course of the year and edit their income and deductions information on the preliminary version of the return, the forskudsopgørelse. 

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An important change on this year’s return is the inclusion of land value tax (grundskyld) for homeowners. The tax was previously collected twice a year by municipalities, but switches to the tax return under new property tax rules.

As such, the total amount of property tax that is due for 2024 can be seen in the new preliminary returns.

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READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Denmark’s new property tax rules from 2024

Because the preliminary return is based on information from the preceding preliminary and final tax returns (for 2023), it is advisable to check it to ensure information is up to date.

This is particularly relevant if, for example, you have changed job, commute a different distance, or have bought or sold a house in 2023.

That is because tax authorities do not automatically put new information on a taxpayers’ circumstances into the preliminary return. In contrast the tax authority does ensure information is update on the final return when it is released in March.

As a result, differences between the preliminary and final tax returns can result in a deficit (or surplus) in the amount of tax you have paid by the time the annual return is finalised.

The preliminary return can be thought of as a form of budget, by which you can ensure that the amount of tax you pay monthly matches your income, deductions and expenses circumstances. The final return represents the overall tax bill for the year.

The day on which the preliminary return is released is one of the busiest of the year for Denmark’s tax agency.

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Saurabh Gautam 2023/11/25 10:33
What came to my observation is that the tax card is not present by default, I had to mention my earned income in order to generate the tax card. I am not sure if this would be a routine thing every year, have contacted SKAT to know more in 10 working days ⏳

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