연말정산 의료비·보험료 자료를 국세청에서 내려받아 검토하는 절차는 어떻게 될까?

Table of Contents

• Navigating Year-End Tax Settlement: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Understanding the Hometax Platform
• Medical Expense Deductions Explained
• Insurance Premium Deductions Simplified
• Handling Missing or Incorrect Data
• Foreign Workers and Special Tax Regimes
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Embarking on your year-end tax settlement journey in South Korea can feel complex, especially when it comes to navigating the National Tax Service (NTS) for your crucial medical and insurance expense data. This guide is crafted to demystify the process, ensuring you can easily access and review these vital figures, leading to a more accurate tax return and potentially a welcome refund. We'll walk you through the digital tools and key considerations, empowering you to complete your settlement with confidence.

연말정산 의료비·보험료 자료를 국세청에서 내려받아 검토하는 절차는 어떻게 될까?

 

Navigating Year-End Tax Settlement: A Step-by-Step Guide

The annual ritual of year-end tax settlement in South Korea, often referred to as '연말정산' (yeonmal jeongsan), is a mandatory process for most employees. Its primary purpose is to reconcile the income tax already withheld from your salary throughout the year with your actual tax liability, taking into account various deductions and credits. Among the most significant categories for potential tax relief are medical expenses and insurance premiums. The National Tax Service (NTS) has progressively digitized this process, making it more convenient for taxpayers. The core of this digital transformation lies in the Hometax website, a comprehensive online portal for all tax-related matters in Korea. For year-end settlement, the NTS offers a "Simplified Year-End Tax Settlement Service" which, as the name suggests, aims to automate much of the data collection and presentation. This service compiles information directly from medical institutions, insurance providers, and other relevant entities, presenting it to you in an easily accessible format. The objective is to minimize the need for manual receipt collection and submission, although understanding how to verify and supplement this data is still essential.

 

The process typically begins in January of the following year, when employers make the relevant tax settlement information available. Employees then have a window to review this data, make any necessary corrections or additions, and submit the finalized report to their employer. The NTS also provides extensive resources, including guides and support, often in multiple languages, to assist foreign workers in navigating these procedures. It's important to remember that all foreign workers earning income in Korea, with few exceptions like daily workers, are required to complete this settlement. Understanding the key dates and deadlines is paramount to avoid any last-minute rushes or potential penalties. The NTS continuously refines its systems, so staying informed about any procedural updates is also a good practice.

 

The ultimate goal of this process is to ensure that you are taxed fairly based on your income and eligible deductions. By utilizing the NTS's online services, you can gain a clear overview of your tax situation and ensure that you are not overpaying taxes due to overlooked deductions. The system is designed to be as user-friendly as possible, but a proactive approach to reviewing and verifying your information will always yield the best results. Familiarizing yourself with the Hometax platform and the simplified settlement service is the first step toward a smoother tax settlement experience.

 

Key Stages of Year-End Tax Settlement

Stage	Description	Timing
Data Compilation by NTS	NTS collects medical and insurance data from providers.	Leading up to January
Employee Review	Accessing and verifying data via Hometax.	January
Employer Submission	Submitting finalized data to employer for final processing.	February

"Unlock Your Tax Savings Now!" Explore Hometax

Understanding the Hometax Platform

The Hometax website (www.hometax.go.kr) serves as the central hub for all your tax-related activities in South Korea. It's an initiative by the NTS to digitize and streamline tax administration, making it more accessible and efficient for individuals and businesses alike. For the purpose of year-end tax settlement, the "Simplified Year-End Tax Settlement Service" is your primary destination within Hometax. To access this service, you'll first need to log in to the Hometax website. The NTS offers several authentication methods, including a digital certificate (often obtained through banks or certification authorities), a public authentication certificate, or simpler login methods like mobile phone verification or a registered ID and password. Choosing the most convenient method for you is the initial step.

 

Once logged in, navigate to the section dedicated to year-end tax settlement. You'll typically find options like "Simplified Year-End Tax Settlement" or similar phrasing. This is where the magic of automatic data compilation happens. The NTS has agreements with various institutions, including healthcare providers, pharmacies, insurance companies, and even credit card companies, to receive data on your spending and contributions. This collected data is then presented to you within Hometax, usually categorized for clarity. You'll see sections for medical expenses, insurance premiums, education expenses, donations, and more. The system often provides a summary report, allowing you to quickly grasp the total amounts recorded for each category. The ability to download this information, often as a PDF document, is a crucial feature, enabling you to save a record for your personal files or for further review.

 

The Hometax platform is designed with user experience in mind, featuring intuitive navigation and clear instructions. However, it's important to understand that the data presented is based on information provided by third parties. While generally accurate, there can be instances where data is missing or incorrectly reported. This is why the ability to review and manually input or correct information is a critical part of the process. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring the accuracy of your tax settlement. The NTS also continuously updates the platform to enhance security, improve functionality, and incorporate new regulations. Therefore, even if you've used Hometax before, it’s beneficial to familiarize yourself with any new features or interface changes each year.

 

Hometax Login and Access Options

Authentication Method	Description	Ease of Use
Digital Certificate	Requires a pre-issued certificate from a bank or certification authority. High security.	Moderate (initial setup)
Simplified Login (ID/Password)	Requires prior registration on Hometax. Convenient for regular users.	High
Mobile Verification	Uses your mobile phone number for verification. Quick and accessible.	High

Medical Expense Deductions Explained

Medical expenses represent a significant area for tax deductions during the year-end settlement. The NTS allows you to deduct expenses incurred for yourself, your spouse, dependents, and certain other family members, provided they are financially dependent on you. This includes costs for medical treatments, hospital stays, prescription medications, dental care, and even certain health insurance premiums that are not otherwise deductible. A key aspect to understand is the scope of eligible institutions. Generally, expenses incurred at licensed medical institutions, pharmacies, and for medical supplies are claimable. This means you can claim expenses from hospitals, clinics, dental offices, and drugstores. The NTS data automatically populates many of these expenses if they were paid using registered methods, such as a national health insurance card or a credit card linked to your resident registration number or alien registration number.

 

It's important to note that not all medical-related spending is deductible. For instance, cosmetic surgery (unless medically necessary for reconstruction), general health check-ups (unless a specific disease is diagnosed), and expenses covered by public health insurance (like national health insurance co-payments) might not be fully deductible. However, the deductibility of certain items can be nuanced, so it's always best to check the official NTS guidelines or consult with a tax professional if you are unsure. The NTS's simplified service will typically list the medical expenses that have been successfully reported by providers. Your task is to verify this list against your own records. If you find any discrepancies or discover expenses that haven't been included, you will have the opportunity to add them manually.

 

The process for manually adding expenses involves uploading scanned receipts or documentation. This is where keeping meticulous records throughout the year becomes invaluable. For significant medical expenses, especially those not automatically captured, having the original receipts, invoices, or payment confirmations is crucial. The NTS often has specific requirements for documentation, so ensure you have all necessary details, such as the name of the institution, the patient's name, the date of service, and the amount paid. The benefit of correctly claiming medical expenses can be substantial, potentially reducing your taxable income and leading to a refund. Special considerations apply to expenses related to disability, which may have different rules or higher deduction limits.

 

Types of Deductible Medical Expenses

Category	Examples	Notes
Treatment Costs	Hospital fees, doctor visits, surgery, prescription drugs.	Must be from licensed institutions.
Dental Care	Orthodontics, fillings, extractions (excluding purely cosmetic).	Some cosmetic procedures may be excluded.
Medical Supplies	Certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics.	Requires proper documentation.
Birth Expenses	Costs associated with childbirth.	Generally deductible.

Insurance Premium Deductions Simplified

Similar to medical expenses, insurance premiums paid during the tax year can often be deducted, further reducing your taxable income. The most common types of deductible insurance premiums include employee contributions to the National Health Insurance program and the National Pension scheme. These are often automatically reflected in the NTS data because they are mandatory contributions tied to your employment. The portion of your salary that goes towards these mandatory social insurances is generally considered a deductible expense. This is a significant benefit, as these contributions are a regular part of an employee's payroll deduction.

 

Beyond these mandatory contributions, other types of insurance premiums may also be deductible, depending on their nature. For example, premiums paid for private health insurance, accident insurance, or life insurance can sometimes be claimed. However, the rules for these private insurance policies can be more specific. Typically, they must be designed to cover specific risks like illness, accident, or death, and the policy should not have a savings or investment component that would make it subject to different tax treatment. The NTS's simplified service will usually capture data from insurance providers who report such premiums. It's vital to check if all your eligible premium payments have been included in the data provided by the NTS.

 

As with medical expenses, if you find that certain insurance premiums you paid have not been automatically included in the NTS data, you will need to manually add them. This will require providing proof of payment, such as premium receipts or bank statements showing the deduction. The key is to ensure that the insurance policy meets the NTS's criteria for deductibility. The NTS aims to make this process straightforward by compiling as much data as possible automatically. By reviewing the insurance premium section within the simplified settlement service, you can confirm that all your eligible payments are accounted for, maximizing your potential tax refund or minimizing your final tax bill.

 

Common Deductible Insurance Premiums

Type of Insurance	Deductibility Status	Reporting Mechanism
National Health Insurance	Generally Fully Deductible (Employee Portion)	Automatically compiled by NTS.
National Pension	Generally Fully Deductible (Employee Portion)	Automatically compiled by NTS.
Private Health Insurance	Deductible if it covers medical/accident risks and has no savings component.	May require manual input with proof of payment.
Life Insurance	Deductible if premiums are for life cover, not investment.	May require manual input with proof of payment.

Handling Missing or Incorrect Data

It's not uncommon for the data automatically pulled by the NTS into the Hometax system to be incomplete or contain errors. This can happen for various reasons. For instance, a medical provider might have mistakenly used a passport number instead of your alien registration number when recording your visit, or perhaps a smaller clinic or pharmacy did not interface correctly with the NTS data system. Similarly, for insurance premiums, there might be a delay in reporting or a misclassification of the policy type. The NTS acknowledges these potential issues and provides mechanisms for correction and supplementation. The simplified year-end tax settlement service on Hometax is designed with a manual input feature precisely for these scenarios. After reviewing the automatically populated data, you can identify any missing expenses or incorrect entries.

 

To add missing medical expenses, you'll typically need to upload supporting documents. This could include original receipts from hospitals or pharmacies, credit card statements showing the transaction, or official invoices. For insurance premiums not automatically listed, you would need to provide proof of payment, such as bank transfer records or official premium statements from the insurance company. The Hometax system usually has dedicated fields for manually entering these details, allowing you to specify the date, the amount, and the nature of the expense. It is crucial to be thorough and accurate when providing this supplemental information, as it forms the basis for your deductions.

 

Correcting incorrect data often involves a similar process. If an expense amount is wrong, you might be able to edit it directly or, in some cases, you may need to delete the incorrect entry and re-enter the correct information along with supporting evidence. The system usually provides a clear interface for making these edits. Given that the accuracy of your tax settlement relies on the information you provide, it is highly recommended to keep all original receipts and documentation throughout the year. This not only helps in supplementing the NTS data but also serves as proof in case of an audit or inquiry from the tax authorities. If you encounter persistent issues or are unsure about how to proceed with corrections, seeking advice from your employer's HR department or a tax advisor can be very helpful.

 

Common Data Issues and Solutions

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Missing Medical Expenses	Provider used wrong ID, or smaller clinic did not report.	Manually add with uploaded receipts.
Incorrect Expense Amount	Data entry error by provider or NTS.	Edit directly or delete and re-enter with proof.
Missing Insurance Premiums	Delayed reporting, or private policy not recognized.	Manually add with proof of payment.

Foreign Workers and Special Tax Regimes

South Korea offers specific tax incentives for foreign workers to encourage employment and investment. One significant option is the Foreigner's Special Tax Credit, which allows eligible foreign workers to opt for a flat income tax rate of 19% on their employment income for a period of five years from their first employment in Korea. This flat rate is applied after deductions, and it is often simpler and can be more beneficial than the progressive tax rates applied to Korean nationals, especially for higher earners. It's crucial for foreign workers to understand whether they are eligible for this special regime and how it interacts with other deductions, including medical and insurance expenses.

 

If you opt for the 19% flat tax rate, the deductions for medical expenses and insurance premiums are still applicable. However, the benefit derived from these deductions will be calculated based on the 19% rate, not the higher progressive rates that might otherwise apply. This means that while you can still claim these expenses to reduce your taxable income, the amount of tax saved per dollar of deduction might be less compared to someone not using the flat rate. The decision to use the flat tax rate or the standard progressive tax system often depends on your total income and the amount of eligible deductions. For individuals with substantial deductions, the standard system might yield a larger tax refund.

 

The NTS provides guides and resources in English to assist foreign workers. When accessing your year-end tax settlement data on Hometax, ensure that your alien registration number (ARC) is correctly linked to your tax profile. This is essential for the accurate collection of your personal financial data, including medical and insurance payments. If you are unsure about your eligibility for special tax regimes or how to best utilize deductions under those regimes, consulting with your employer's HR department or a tax professional specializing in expatriate taxation is highly recommended. They can help you assess your options and ensure you are making the most tax-efficient choices. The NTS also offers multilingual support hotlines that can provide guidance on specific tax queries.

 

Foreign Worker Tax Options at a Glance

Option	Description	Key Consideration
19% Flat Tax Rate	A fixed 19% tax rate on employment income for up to 5 years.	May be less beneficial if deductions are very substantial.
Standard Progressive Tax	Standard tax brackets applicable to Korean nationals.	Potentially more beneficial with significant deductions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. How do I access my medical and insurance data from the NTS?

 

A1. You can access your data through the National Tax Service (NTS) Hometax website (www.hometax.go.kr) by logging in and navigating to the "Simplified Year-End Tax Settlement Service."

 

Q2. Is the Hometax website available in English?

 

A2. Yes, the NTS strives to provide multilingual support, and the Hometax website typically offers an English language option for its services, including the year-end tax settlement section.

 

Q3. What if some of my medical expenses are not listed on Hometax?

 

A3. You can manually add missing medical expenses through the Hometax portal. Ensure you have the original receipts or proof of payment readily available to upload.

 

Q4. Can I claim medical expenses for my parents?

 

A4. Generally, you can claim medical expenses for your dependents, including parents, if they are financially dependent on you and meet specific NTS criteria.

 

Q5. Are cosmetic surgery expenses deductible?

 

A5. Purely cosmetic surgery expenses are typically not deductible. However, if the surgery is medically necessary for reconstruction or to treat a disease, it may be eligible.

 

Q6. What proof do I need for manually added insurance premiums?

 

A6. You will need to provide proof of payment, such as bank statements showing the deduction or official premium statements issued by the insurance company.

 

Q7. How long does the year-end tax settlement process usually take?

 

A7. The review and submission by employees typically occur in January, with employers finalizing the settlement by the end of February.

 

Q8. What is the 19% flat tax rate for foreign workers?

 

A8. It's an optional tax regime allowing eligible foreign workers to pay a flat 19% income tax on employment income for up to five years.

 

Q9. Does the 19% flat tax rate affect my medical/insurance deductions?

 

A9. Yes, while you can still claim these deductions, their tax-saving impact is calculated based on the 19% rate, not the higher progressive rates.

 

Q10. Where can I get help if I have specific questions about my tax situation?

 

A10. You can consult your employer's HR department, a local tax advisor, or utilize the NTS multilingual support hotlines.

 

Q11. What is the deadline for submitting tax settlement documents to my employer?

 

Insurance Premium Deductions Simplified

A11. Employers usually set internal deadlines, often in January, to allow them time to process the settlements by the NTS's February deadline.

 

Q12. Can I deduct the cost of health supplements?

 

A12. Generally, health supplements are not considered medical expenses unless prescribed by a doctor as part of a medical treatment.

 

Q13. What if I used my passport number for medical expenses?

 

A13. You will likely need to manually add these expenses on Hometax and provide a copy of the receipt showing the correct details, potentially referencing your alien registration number.

 

Q14. Can I claim expenses paid by my spouse?

 

A14. Yes, if your spouse is financially dependent on you, expenses they paid can typically be claimed as part of your deductions.

 

Q15. How are educational expenses handled in year-end settlement?

 

A15. Educational expenses for oneself, children, or dependents are also deductible. The NTS Hometax service will also compile this data automatically.

 

Q16. What is the difference between a digital certificate and a public authentication certificate?

 

A16. Both serve as digital identification for online transactions. Digital certificates are often issued by banks, while public authentication certificates are issued by government-accredited bodies.

 

Q17. Can I deduct premiums for a car insurance policy?

 

A17. No, car insurance premiums are generally not deductible for year-end tax settlement purposes.

 

Q18. What happens if I don't complete my year-end tax settlement?

 

A18. You may be subject to penalties, and the tax withheld may be treated as your final tax liability, potentially meaning you miss out on deductions or refunds.

 

Q19. Is there a limit to the amount of medical expenses I can deduct?

 

A19. Yes, there are limits, often calculated as a percentage of your total income, with special provisions for certain types of expenses or individuals.

 

Q20. How can I ensure my alien registration number is correctly used for tax purposes?

 

A20. Always provide your alien registration number when registering for services or making payments that are eligible for tax deductions, and verify it appears correctly on receipts and reports.

 

Q21. Are expenses for fertility treatments deductible?

 

A21. Yes, medical expenses related to infertility treatment are generally considered deductible medical expenses.

 

Q22. Can I deduct expenses for services not covered by national health insurance?

 

A22. Generally, yes, expenses for services not covered by national health insurance are deductible, provided they are from licensed providers and meet other criteria.

 

Q23. What if my employer made a mistake in my tax settlement?

 

A23. You should bring the issue to your employer's attention immediately. If unresolved, you may need to amend your tax return through the NTS.

 

Q24. How do I get a digital certificate for Hometax?

 

A24. You can obtain one from participating banks or accredited certification agencies, often requiring in-person verification initially.

 

Q25. Can I claim expenses for my foreign-registered dependents?

 

A25. Eligibility depends on whether the dependent meets the financial dependency criteria and their residency status. Documentation will be key.

 

Q26. What are the benefits of using the simplified service?

 

A26. It significantly reduces manual data entry by automatically compiling most of your tax-related expenses from various sources.

 

Q27. Is there a specific tax rate for medical expenses deduction?

 

A27. Medical expenses are deducted from your taxable income, effectively reducing the amount of tax you pay, rather than being a specific tax rate applied to the expenses themselves.

 

Q28. How do I know if my insurance is deductible?

 

A28. Mandatory social insurance (National Health Insurance, National Pension) premiums are deductible. Private insurance premiums are deductible if they primarily cover risks like illness, accident, or death.

 

Q29. What if I paid medical bills in cash?

 

A29. Cash payments can be difficult to prove. It's best to obtain a detailed receipt from the provider and, if possible, use traceable payment methods like credit cards.

 

Q30. Can I use my phone to access Hometax for tax settlement?

 

A30. Yes, Hometax offers mobile access, and you can often log in and manage your tax settlement using your smartphone, including through the NTS's dedicated mobile app.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information regarding South Korea's year-end tax settlement process for medical and insurance data. Tax laws and regulations are subject to change. It is recommended to consult the official National Tax Service (NTS) resources or a qualified tax professional for personalized advice tailored to your specific situation.

Summary

This guide details how to download and review medical and insurance data from South Korea's NTS via the Hometax website for year-end tax settlement. It covers accessing the simplified service, understanding deductible expenses, handling data discrepancies, and specific considerations for foreign workers, empowering users to ensure an accurate tax return.

korean 해외 근로자도 연말정산 의료비·보험료 자료를 국세청 홈택스에서 3단계에 걸쳐 2월 말까지 조회 및 수정 후, 10분 내외로 최종 확정하여 세금 환급을 받을 수 있습니다.