Did you submit your tax return form yet? Just like every year, in Poland the tax declaration for 2018 should be submitted by 30th April, 2019. If you have been living and working in Poland in 2018, this is something you will need to do.
In order to declare your taxes, you need to fill in special documents – PIT forms – which are available at every tax office or can be downloaded from the Internet. However, there is a number of forms, and you need to choose a correct one depending on e.g. what type of contract you have had, etc. (if you have been working with umowa o pracę only, you most probably will need PIT-37 form).
The first step is to obtain PIT-11 form from your employer. If you had been working for various companies in 2018 – all of them should typically send you a PIT-11 via post office in February.
You can either fill in the declaration yourself, of check the one prepared for your by the tax office (and either correct it or leave it as it is). More info about the process (in Polish) here: https://www.podatki.gov.pl/pit/twoj-e-pit/twoj-e-pit-jak-go-zlozyc-krok-po-kroku/
After the tax office processes your PIT form, you will either get a tax refund, or you will have to pay something yourself.
The good thing about the whole process is that – in case you are eligible for a tax refund – you can give 1% of your tax to some NGO that you would like to support. We personally recommend you one of the following:
- Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej – Association for Legal Intervention, based in Warsaw, providing free legal advice to migrants in order to prevent marginalization and discrimination – https://interwencjaprawna.pl/1-podatku-sip/
- Fundacja Ocalenie – A Foundation that offers psychological counselling, therapy and consultation, as well as free Polish language courses – https://ocalenie.org.pl/aktualnosci/przekaz-1-podatku-na-fundacje-ocalenie
- Fundacja Nasz Wybór – A Foundation helping foreigners to settle in Poland, offering i.a. Free consultations – they can also help you fill in your PIT! – http://naszwybor.org.pl/pomozemy-ci-w-wypelnieniu-twojego-pitu/
