The income related tax changes in 2019: the new type of social contribution tax (SZOCHO)
The Act LII of 2018 on the social contribution tax was published on 31 July, 2018 and it will significantly increase the tax items payable after the wages and other incomes from January 1, 2019.
The termination of healthcare contribution (EHO) and SZOCHO with the rate of 19.5% on income instead of EHO are considered to be significant changes of the new regulation.
The new provisions clearly increase the dues of the employers, e.g. increasing tax rate after the fringe (non-wage) benefits, increase of tax base for calculating and the tax rate in case of dividend income, and the significant reduction of tax reliefs. Therefore during planning of wages for the next year, the following new rules shall be considered.
In case of the income withdrawn from the business account, dividend income, entrepreneurial dividend fund, capital gains income, the maximum amount of SZOCHO shall be increased to19,5 percent of twenty-four times of the minimum wage, which shall be HUF 645.000, – calculating with the minimal wage in the present year – from the current amount of HUF 450.000. In addition, the base of SZOCHO payable after the insured member of general partnership, limited partnership and limited liability company shall be 112,5 percent of the minimum wage.
Generally the pay office/employer shall pay SZOCHO, however in some special case the private person earning the income shall pay the SZOCHO. There are special legal provisions regarding assignment, temporary agency work and employment relationship established by more than one employer.
Abolished tax reliefs
– tax relief for young employees under 25 years and employees over 55;
– tax relief for participants in Karrier Híd Program;
– tax relief for research and development activity;
– tax relief enforceable by the employer employing doctoral candidate employees or students participating doctoral education determining by the Act CCIV of 2011 on the national higher education;
– tax relief for permanent job-seekers;
– tax relief in connection with the payment of child care allowance and benefit.
Please note that the tax relief which may be claimed for definite period of time shall not be ceased automatically by 1 January, 2019. These may be obtained during the entire validity period.
The following group of people will be entitled to tax reliefs from the next year:
– the unskilled workers and employees in agricultural positions;
– people who have been out of job for a particular period of time;
– woman nursing three or more children,
– disabled employees,
– workfare workers.
Only one type of tax relief shall be claimed regarding any employee at the same time. In case of eligibility for more tax reliefs, the employer may decide, which tax relief to claim.
