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Last partial update, May 2009
Hungary's taxation of an individual's income is progressive. In other words, the higher the income, the higher the rate of tax payable. In 2009 the tax rate in Hungary for an individual is 18% or 36% , There are reduced rates of tax for certain income earners.
Corporate tax in Hungary in 2009 is fixed at 16%. There is an additional 4% solidarity tax.
Corporate tax for income up to HUF 50 million is 10%, subject to certain conditions.
Hungary Individual Income Tax
An individual pays tax on his income as a wage-earner or as a self-employed person. Tax for an individual who meets the criteria of a "permanent resident" in Hungary will be calculated on his income in Hungary and abroad. A foreign resident who is employed in Hungary pays tax only on his income earned in Hungary.
To be considered a Hungarian resident, there are a number of criteria to be met, such as ownership of an apartment, the permanent place of residence of the family and the criterion of spending more than 183 days a year in Hungary.
An employer is obligated to deduct, immediately on a monthly basis, the tax payable on an employee's salary. A self-employed person must prepay income tax that will be offset on filing an annual return. The advance payment is determined on the basis of the return made for the previous year. In the event of a new business, the advance will be calculated on the basis of estimates made by the owner of the business.
Certain payments are deductible from taxable income as detailed below.
Hungary Individual Income tax rates for the year 2009 (HUF):
| Tax base (HUF) |
Tax |
| 1-1,700,000
| 18% |
| 1,700,001 and more |
36% of base in excess of 1,700,000 HUF |
There is an additional 4% solidarity tax for annual salary income above HUF 7,446,000.
Hungary Capital Gains
Capital gains in Hungarian companies are added to regular income. There is a participation exemption under certain terms .Dividend received by a Hungarian company is generally tax exempt .
Individuals pay 25% for capital gains and other investment income.
20% tax rate is paid on capital gains from sale of shares in EU and OECD markets.
Dividend income from shares in EU stock exchanges is taxed at 10%.
Interest income is taxed at 20%.
Hungary Reporting Dates
The tax year in Hungary is the calendar year ending on December 31st.
An Individual
If your income is only from a salary, you are not obliged to file an annual return. An employer is obliged to deduct tax monthly at source from the wage of a hired worker. The tax deducted will be transferred by the employer to the Tax Authorities by the 12th of each month for the previous month. An individual who is obliged to make an advance payment of income tax, will do so each month or each quarter, depending on the scope of his business. The advance payment here too will be paid by the 12th of the following month. The annual return for an individual including a supplement for any debt for tax arrears should be filed by March 20th of the year after the tax year.
A Limited Company
A company is bound to prepay tax during the year. The advance payments are determined on the basis of the figures for the previous year. In the event of a new company, the advance payment will be calculated according to the assessment of the profits forecast for the first year. A report on advance payments is filed once a month, if the tax forecast is in excess of HUF 3 million. If the tax forecast is less than this, the report is filed once every three months. The date for payment is the 20th day after the period of the report (whether monthly or quarterly as stated). The company will pay the difference between the tax it forecast and the tax due for the current year by December 20th. The date for filing an annual return is May 31st in the year following the year reported.
Hungary Corporate Tax
The rate of Hungary corporate tax in 2009 is 16%, plus a 4% solidarity tax
Hungary Taxation of Employees
The employer is obligated to deduct tax at source from a salaried worker and to allocate an additional sum for social insurance including pension, healthcare and unemployment.
The rates of tax are as follows:
| |
% |
| Employer |
33.5 |
| Employee |
17 |
Hungary Dividend, Royalties and Interest
When payments of the above sorts are made to a foreign resident, the deductions at source are the following rates:
| |
% |
| Dividend |
0 |
| Royalties |
0 |
| Interest |
0 |
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