The number of freelancers in Serbia submitting tax returns electronically within the legally prescribed deadline is steadily growing. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 11,000 returns have been submitted, with 3,450 submissions made in the third quarter alone.
Freelancers were required to submit their returns for the July to September period by October 30th, and more than 93% of them did so on time, reflecting their successful adaptation to the electronic filing system via the e-Tax portal and the “Freelancers” portal.
The number of submitted returns has increased by 20% compared to the same period last year, when 8,640 returns were filed. In total, more than 22,400 tax returns have been submitted since the beginning of 2023.
Of the two taxation and contribution payment options for the third quarter of 2024, 2,047 submissions were made for option two, which involves mandatory contributions for pension and disability insurance. The majority of submissions came from Belgrade and Novi Sad.
Since April 2024, the “Freelancers” portal has been available in English, making it easier for foreign individuals to file tax returns for income earned in Serbia. The portal also provides several other benefits for freelancers. Since March 2024, the National Health Insurance Fund has enabled freelancers to automatically validate their health insurance cards. This is just one of the many benefits that freelancers have gained with the establishment of the new self-taxation system and the launch of the portal for electronic tax return submissions.
This system has also made it easier for the government, specifically the Tax Administration, to maintain better records of freelancers’ activity and ensure greater control over the income earned by individuals who are required to pay taxes in Serbia, says Dušan Vasiljević, Director of Competitiveness and Investments at NALED.
He further explains that both existing and potential freelancers on the portal can take a self-assessment test to determine if they meet the criteria for self-taxation. They also have access to a tax obligation calculator to help them choose the most favorable of the two prescribed taxation options. All details and necessary information can be found in the guide launched in mid-2023, which has since been provided to the Tax Administration for further use and development.
