[Summary]
A story that often comes up when it comes to taxes from side jobs is that if it's less than 200,000 yen, you don't need to file a tax return. However, it is quite dangerous to memorize this phrase alone.
What you should look at when it comes to side jobs for office workers is income, not sales. Your income is the amount you earn from your side job minus necessary expenses. Furthermore, the procedures for income tax return and resident tax must be considered separately.
In this article, we will organize the points that beginners should check first in the order in which they are most likely to stumble in practice. Since taxes vary depending on individual circumstances, please confirm the final decision with an official or specialized contact such as the National Tax Agency, local government, tax office, or tax accountant.
First, the conclusion
What you should look at when it comes to side jobs for office workers is income, not sales. Your income is the amount you earn from your side job minus necessary expenses. Furthermore, the procedures for income tax return and resident tax must be considered separately.
| Check points | way of seeing |
|---|---|
| sales | The amount that came in. Blog advertisements, business outsourcing, sales proceeds, etc. |
| Necessary expenses | Expenses directly related to a side job. Housework needs to be apportioned. |
| income | The amount obtained by subtracting necessary expenses from sales. See here for the 200,000 yen rule. |
| Resident tax | Even if you do not need to declare income tax, you may need to check with your local government. |
The important thing when reading tax articles is not just memorizing the system name. It's about looking at your income, accounts, deductions, and reporting methods separately.
common misconceptions
- If the sales are less than 200,000 yen, I don't think you need to do anything.
- Since the tax is withheld, it is decided that there is no need to file a tax return.
- Forgetting to confirm resident tax return.
This is an area where it is easy to get confused just by reading the search article. In particular, "sales" and "income," "income tax" and "resident tax," and "NISA" and "taxable account" need to be treated as different things.
Order of actual checking
If you are confused, it will be easier to organize if you check them in the following order.
- Have you tabulated annual sales for each side job?
- Did you separate expenses directly related to your side job?
- Have you confirmed whether your income exceeds 200,000 yen?
- Have you checked the local government's guidance regarding resident tax?
If it is still difficult to make a decision after looking at the above, it is safer not to leave it to your own judgment. Please check through official channels such as consultation with the tax office, the National Tax Agency's tax return preparation corner, and consultation with a tax accountant.
Summary
The 200,000 yen rule is a useful guideline, but it is not a universal exemption rule. You can avoid a lot of misunderstandings by simply looking at sales, income, and resident tax separately.
While it's hard to get away with not knowing about taxes, there's no need to fear them too much if you sort them out early. When your income increases, when you start investing, or when you want to use deductions, it is most practical to prepare your records early rather than at the end of the year.
Source/reference materials
- National Tax Agency, No.1900 Salary earners who are required to file a final tax return
- National Tax Agency, No.1906 When salaried workers earn supplementary income from online auctions, etc.
- Confirmation date: 2026-05-30