the best place to live in Sweden and home to the country's best schools. For years, its residents have also enjoyed one of the nation's lowest tax rates. "/> the best place to live in Sweden and home to the country's best schools. For years, its residents have also enjoyed one of the nation's lowest tax rates. " />
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TAXES

Wealthy Stockholm suburb hit with surprise tax increase

Danderyd, a wealthy suburb just north of Stockholm, has been called the best place to live in Sweden and home to the country's best schools. For years, its residents have also enjoyed one of the nation's lowest tax rates.

Wealthy Stockholm suburb hit with surprise tax increase
A home in Danderyd. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
While the other two designations may still hold today (as does its designation of being home to a higher concentration of Brits than anywhere else in Sweden), the latter is no more. 
 
Taxpayers in Danderyd have been hit with a new income tax increase that will see them paying an extra 1.4 kronor in taxes for every 100 kronor they earn beginning next year. The average annual income in the municipality was 517,800 kronor in 2017.
 
With the tax hike, Danderyd will lose its status as one of Sweden's five least-taxed municipalities. The tax rate in the ritzy suburb will climb to 31.03 percent in 2020, a significant jump from its current 29.63 rate and much closer to the national average of 32.19 percent. 
 
In Sweden, local tax rates consist of two parts: taxes paid the municipality (kommun) in which one lives and taxes paid to the region (landsting). 
 
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While the tax increase will kick Danderyd off the list of the municipalities with the lowest tax rates, it still has quite a way to go before approaching Sweden's highest municipal tax rate. That honour goes to Dorotea Municipality in Lapland, where residents have a 35.15 rate. 
 
The Danderyd tax hike is a result of the Moderate-led municipality board's policies, which according to broadcaster SVT would result in a 220 million kronor deficit by the end of this year if nothing is done.
 
Danderyd mayor Hanna Bocander warned earlier this year that because the suburb was in “a serious economic situation”, residents there “must prepare themselves for the consequences”. 
 
In a further effort to fill the budget hole, local officials are also hoping to bring in an additional 60 million kronor through cost-cutting and efficiency improvements. 

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MONEY

How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Sweden's tax agency, Skatteverket, warns of an increase in scams when it's time for Swedish tax-payers to declare their taxes.

How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Anyone who earned more than 22,208 kronor last year received their tax returns digitally last week, marking the start of tax season.

That also means an expected peak in tax-related scams, Skatteverket warns.

Most of the scams are so-called phishing scams, meaning attempts to steal the victims’ personal information. Fraudsters may for example email a person, pretending to represent Skatteverket, and ask them for, among other things, their banking details.

“We’re seeing these in all channels. They use fake emails, SMS, letters and in some cases even phone calls. It is particularly common in tax declaration times – just when we’re about to send out the tax returns, the e-service opens and it’s possible to declare – but above all when it’s time for tax rebates,” Jan Janowski, a Skatteverket expert, told Swedish news agency TT.

A scam email might for example state that you’re entitled to a tax rebate and that you should click a link to receive it. Don’t click any links, open any attachments or reply to the message. Skatteverket advises that you immediately delete the email or text message.

Another common scam is that you receive a text message claiming to be from Skatteverket, telling you that you owe them money and you need to log in to calculate the amount. The website you’re urged to log in via does not belong to Skatteverket. Don’t click the link.

The agency stresses that it never asks people for their banking details. The exception is that you may be asked for your bank account information if you log into Skatteverket’s website to declare your taxes, but that always first requires you to log into the site.

To receive your tax rebate, you need to inform Skatteverket of your bank account number. You do this not by clicking a link in an email or SMS, but by logging into their website using a digital ID, for example BankID, and submitting your details. Only do this on your own initiative. If someone calls you and asks you to log in with your BankID during the phone call, don’t do it. That’s another common scam.

Skatteverket will also never call you to ask for your bank account or credit card number.

It will be possible to declare your taxes from March 19th. You’ll receive any tax rebate you’re owed by mid-April or early June, depending on when you submit your tax return. These are the dates when fraudsters are likely to attempt the most scams.

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