BenStay Blog

Kakutei Shinkoku

2 articles

Furusato Nozei for Freelancers: How Hometown Tax Donations Work When You File Your Own Return

· 6 min read Intermediate

Every autumn my LINE fills up with the same question from freelancer friends: “should I do furusato nozei this year?” It can be financially attractive if you stay within your full-deduction limit — you donate to an eligible, designated local government, get local goods back (wagyu, rice, seafood, whatever), and the amount over ¥2,000 can be deducted or credited against your income tax and resident tax within statutory limits. But the mechanics change once you’re filing your own kakutei shinkoku instead of having an employer handle everything for you.

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Blue Return vs. White Return: Which Tax Filing Status Should Freelancers and Guesthouse Operators in Japan Choose?

· 7 min read Intermediate

Every spring, freelancers and small guesthouse operators in Japan hit the same fork in the road: file as 青色申告 (aoiro shinkoku, “blue return”) or 白色申告 (shiroiro shinkoku, “white return”)? I picked white return my first year because it sounded simpler, and in hindsight I left money on the table.

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