According to the former, PIT is a pillar of the Polish tax system, the most important payment of this kind owed to the state and the main source of financial inflows. The latter, meanwhile, believe that it amounts to exploitation of employees. Whatever our views, PIT applies to every adult. Therefore, it is worth knowing how it works and how to file it correctly.
Problems with PIT
The websites of the tax offices of the administrative units where we are registered contain a whole range of income declarations. Particularly troublesome is the fact that some of them differ in detail, and completing the wrong form may lead to smaller or greater problems when filing taxes. Less experienced people, or those who did not want to trouble themselves with this type of declaration, once used the services of an accountant who, for an appropriate fee, helped the taxpayer with the formalities and ensured that the declaration was completed correctly. Nowadays, however, increasingly aware Poles are choosing professional online platforms instead of bookkeepers, where the PIT document can be completed quickly, without leaving home and without any fees for the service.
Everything is moving online
For the average Jan Kowalski, the PIT-37 declaration is the most important. It should be noted, however, that PIT-11, sent to the taxpayer by their employer, is no less important. Without PIT-11, filing and properly completing PIT-37 can be much more difficult, making it easy to make even a minor error. That, in turn, is enough for the declaration to be deemed invalid. Filing personal income tax may therefore prove complicated for many people. The internet offers numerous portals where PIT-37 can be filed without difficulty. All you need to do is enter the information from the PIT-11 sent by your employer in the appropriate fields, and the program will immediately prepare e-PIT forms ready to submit to the tax office.
Zero PIT as an excellent solution for young people
Since 1 August 2019, the Polish tax system has included a tax relief for the youngest taxpayers. It is commonly known as Zero PIT and applies to people up to the age of 26, regardless of the type of employment contract under which they work. It is also irrelevant whether they work permanently or occasionally, for example while studying. The exemption from tax on remuneration is intended to make it easier for young people to enter the labour market and reduce the burden on their existing budgets. The legislature stipulated, however, that only people whose total income during the relevant tax period did not exceed PLN 85,528 would be exempt from tax; for 2019, settled in April 2020, the limit was reduced to PLN 35,636.67. The PIT income-tax exemption for 2019 did not take effect automatically. If a young taxpayer wanted their employer not to withhold monthly tax advances from their income, they had to complete an appropriate statement and submit it to the tax office through their employer. For 2020 and subsequent years, the requirement to submit this document was abolished, and the Zero PIT relief automatically applies to anyone under the age of 26.