Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Noureli]

I was just wondering about how to get proof from my boss paying my taxes or is she just taking 5% from my salary just like that. Please if anyone can help. My salary is 2 million.

[BigBuds]

On 2.0 miilion won a month you monthly tax should only be 31,845 won which is 1.6% not 5%. She is royally ripping you off.

If she is ripping you off for taxes she is probably ripping you off for your health insurance and pension payments, that is, if she is paying them.

If you want proof she is paying them, just go into the tax office near you with your ARC card and they'll be able to tell you.

Here is the contact for the head office in Seoul;

National Tax Service Seoul
Address: Cheonggindong-gil 44, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-705, Korea
Telephone: 82-2-397-1200
E-mail: [email protected]

[blackjack]

okay if you find out they are ripping you off then what? just about to end my contract, now know they are ripping me off, but as i am at the 11 month do not want to say too much as don't want to make my bonus difficult, however once that money is in my pocket what are my options

[poet13]

Depends on where you're from. If you're canadian or american, and haven't been paying into social security, then you can go back for that. You will be required to pay everything, health (2.2-2.4% not sure which), social (4.5%), but the upside is that your employer must match both of those. You dont get your health insurance back, but you do get both your and your employers money back from social.
So, a little Q&D math says that you would pay back

576,000 to health (2mill X .024 X 12)
1,080,000 to retirement (2mill X .045 X 12),

and your employer the same.

You get back

2,160,000
but your overall net is only 504,000 (1,080,000 - 576,000)
about half of your employers contribution because you dont recoup any of your health premiums.

By the way, you're better off going after taxes....
Your taxes should have been about 372,000 for the year.
You paid 1,200,000, an overpayment of about 828,000.
I had the same problem with my previous director, and the threat of the tax office scared the pickled crab out of her.
In your favor (though you will take a hit too), she would have to reimburse health, tax (cause she likely isnt even paying the 31,000), and social to the tune of, 576,000 (health), 372,000 (tax), 1,080,000 (social) for a total of 2,028,000 plus any fine if THE MAN decides to ding her for her transgressions.
I would ask for at least all my overpaid tax back.....after you get your separation money. If she refuses, you can show her the math and how she WILL end up paying a whole pile more than that. If you want to pursue the issue, before your contract ends, get yourself and your onward ticket to a immigration office and extend your stay a week or so.

Hope that helped. Good luck, post again and let us know what happened...

[blackjack]

the problem is that i am a new zealander, so i would not get my social security back, so i guess that when it really comes down to it i would not really want to go to the tax board, hopefully the threat will be enough

sorry Noureli for hi-jacking and good luck i am in the same boat

[the eye]

[poet13]

Sorry, but that last post doesnt' make much sense. All three are required by law, so it doesn't make any sense that an employer would calculate the tax rate differently for "with pension/health" and "without"....
More likely the employer will charge more than allowed, and put in their pocket. if it does get reported, the employee should get a receipt.

I think it's true that the tax office doesn't report to the other offices, but health and pension DO. If you sign up for health, pension knows about about it too.

[the eye]

[poet13]

I think you have an odd situation. It doesn't make sense to me, but then again I'm definitely no expert on the ins and outs of tax/pension/health law....in any country.