Personal Income Tax Finalization: who must do it, who gets refunds, and how?

Many people hear "tax finalization" and feel intimidated, thinking it's a complicated procedure only for accountants. But in reality, for many people, finalization is an opportunity to reclaim taxes overpaid during the year. Understanding it properly can help you get money back — or avoid penalties for missing your obligations.

What is tax finalization and why do it?

During the year, your personal income tax is usually withheld provisionally monthly (your company deducts it before paying your salary). But this provisional amount may not match your actual annual tax, for several reasons: you registered additional dependents mid-year, some months had high income and others low, or you worked at multiple places.

Finalization is the step of recalculating total annual income and total tax, then reconciling it with what was provisionally paid:

• Overpaid → tax refund (get money back).
• Underpaid → must pay additional amount.

Who must self-finalize, who can authorize their employer?

Not everyone has to do it themselves. There are two paths:

Can authorize your company to finalize on your behalf if you:

• Only have income from one place during the year, and
• Are still working there at the time of finalization.

Must self-finalize if you:

• Have income from two or more places during the year.
• Have income from places other than your main workplace.
• Are eligible for a tax refund or must pay additional but don't meet authorization conditions.

Exempted from finalization in some cases, for example when the additional tax owed after finalization is very small (50,000 VND or less according to regulations).

Finalization deadlines — remember these two milestones

Late filing can result in administrative penalties and late payment interest — so don't miss the deadline, especially if you owe additional tax.

Steps for self-finalizing online

Nowadays you can do it completely online yourself:

1. Prepare documents: withholding certificates from income payer(s), dependent documents, deduction certificates (voluntary insurance, charity...).
2. Log in to the electronic tax portal with your personal account (register via tax code), or use the tax app on your phone.
3. File the finalization declaration (individual form), enter income and deductions. The system may auto-fill some data.
4. Check results: the system calculates whether you get a refund or must pay additional.
5. Submit the declaration, and if you get a refund, complete refund procedures; if you must pay additional, pay on time.

Who typically gets tax refunds?

You're likely to get a refund if during the year:

• Some months had high income with heavy withholding, but calculated annually you didn't reach the high threshold.
• You registered dependents late (mid-year) so early months didn't receive full deductions.
• You had 10% withheld for freelance/temporary income, but total annual income was below the taxable threshold.

In these cases, not finalizing means you're leaving your own money with the budget — so don't hesitate to do it.

A few notes to avoid mistakes

• Register tax codes for dependents: a condition for claiming deductions.
• Keep all documents for at least a few years for reconciliation when needed.
• Declare truthfully and completely all income sources: incomplete declaration may result in back taxes and penalties.
• Declare all legal deductions (voluntary insurance, supplementary pension, charity) to avoid overpaying.

Note: procedures and forms may change according to new tax authority guidance; check for updated information before proceeding.

Not sure if you must self-finalize or are eligible for a refund? Ask [Sirifin's AI advisor](/vi/ai-advisor), or [book an appointment with a tax expert](/vi/advisors) for guidance on your specific case.

Content is for financial information and education purposes, not specific tax advice for individual cases.