Job Discussion Forums

Rezz · Joined: 26 May 2009 Posts: 95

I get 22,000 ish deducted from my pay every month for "pension insurance", which is the amount I can claim back when I leave Japan right? So after 1 year that should be about 264,000, but you're saying I won't get 20% tax back without considerable effort, so it should be about 211,000?

Wish it was optional! I get the feeling it will be a pretty difficult process getting this money back and its a considerable amount in my books Sad

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

One more question for those of you that have received the refund: when you received it, did you receive any kind of notice or receipt of the transaction or did you just check your account from time to time and saw that there was this magical deposit from abroad?

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

fluffyhamster · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject:

I recall seeing if not at some point receiving a bit of paper that stated what the exchange rate was the day the transfer was approved, but I can't remember if that was a notification that the Japanese sent, or something from my bank in the UK. [Perhaps I just noticed an increase in my account on a regular monthly statement, and found out about the exchange rate when the bank called me in to offer me a swankier account and credit (~ cards) now that I was "rich"? Very Happy

].

Anyway, I don't recall having to check my account more than once, to confirm that the amount had indeed been deposited and cleared.

I guess if your bank isn't quite on the ball you might want to tell them you're expecting a largish sum to be deposited, and ask if they can notify you exactly when that nest egg has landed. Smile

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

Well, it's been about four months and no sign. I had a Japanese friend of mine in Japan call the office about it, but all they got was,

"Sorry, we can't tell you anything without the pension book number."
"But his name is _______, he jus--"
"Sorry, we can't tell you anything without the pension book number."

So what do you suppose you do without that number when they've got the book itself and they won't even talk to you?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Samurai · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 57 Location: Japan

Am I reading this right...? You sent your pension book back to the pension office without noting your own personal number. Rolling Eyes

A lesson for others...photcopy the main pages...you might need such information when talking to the pension office.

So what do you suppose you do without that number when they've got the book itself and they won't even talk to you?

The truth is mate...they will talk to you and even your friend...they just need the number! Like phoning your bank or credit card company...the first thing they ask you is "What's your account number?". The number is your's and only your's. There could be several people with your name...so to ensure they have the right guy...they need your number.
Dude in your panic to get your money...conventional wisdom went out of the window. Idea

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

As long as you've been meticulous about tax papers, you should have proof of tax/pension payment. Tell your friend to bring your papers to the tax office.

I'm no saint, dudes. Twisted Evil

I am just patient. My sempai told me to withhold some of the money as compensation for my efforts to recover the sum.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:33 am Post subject:

It sure is a bit surprising if you didn't make a note of the number, Roberto. I photocopied anything and everything that was more than a blank page of my pension book, and made sure that the friend who was going to help check on it for me had copies too (I should've mentioned this in an earlier post, but there are limits to what one can anticipate and think relevant), and there might even have been reminders to do stuff like this in the JET paraphernalia. (In fact, I don't actually recall submitting the pension book along with the lump sum refund application...but perhaps I did and they or my friend sent it back along with or following the lump sum; either way, I recall having a small blue tax-like book floating around afterwards while I pondered getting back the tax withheld from the lump sum refund).

I suppose that all you can do is ring the place that you were based at on JET (or whatever other halfway-decent workplace paid into the pension scheme for you), and ask if they have or still know your pension details. There should be somebody there who set it up for you (and kept some sort of record) and/or does the accountancy-type stuff generally.

G Cthulhu · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:22 pm Post subject:

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

Yeah, I guess it's obvious I should have copied the number and I probably did, but anyways, I have no idea where it is right now even if I did. To make things worse, I didn't work for an even "halfway decent" employer, as FH put it, while it was supposed to be getting paid into either, so who knows? Could this be Sayonara pension money? To be continued . . .

robertokun · Joined: 27 May 2008 Posts: 199

Got the refund, more than five months after applying for it. Word to the wise, don't lose your pension book number. Not that it's going to get you your money quicker, but it will give you some peace of mind, I guess. Now if I could just get that 20% tax back somehow.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2010 3:18 pm Post subject:

All's well that ends well then, Roberto! Glad to hear the lump sum finally came through. Good luck with the remaining 20% tax withheld. (It's always a bit tricky to find somebody reliable and trustworthy enough to nominate to receive the money and send it on to you (I mean, you can't nominate yourself and an account in your name if you're supposed to have left the country and closed down any remaining bank accounts, right?)).