While Greece appears as a “laggard” in most EU and international indexes measuring salaries, incomes and purchasing power, among others, other data measuring the so-called “shadow economy” and tax returns to an “iceberg-like” image.
According to figures released by Greece’s independent tax authority (AADE or IAPR), a sizable number of self-employed professionals and service-oriented shop owners annually report losses, even in the face of rising turnover and consistent commercial activity.
Tax bureau cross-checking, which of late has included AI technology, located thousands of instances of taxpayers declaring losses and paltry monthly incomes while at the same time spending and racking up expenses that multiple times more their declared means.
For instance, seven out of 10 bar owners report annual losses; one in two food-and-beverage establishment owners also report losses amid a booming tourism sector and the “mushrooming” use of food delivery platforms.
Among others, declared house painters report a monthly income of 345 euros, on average. It’s only after objective tax criteria “kick in” that the tax bureau imposes an income tax of 1,462 euros.
AC and refrigeration professionals declare an average monthly income of 556 euros, while applied objective tax criteria in this case results in a 2,009-tax bill.
Moreover, hairdressers – either owners, part-owners or employees in salons – on average declared 298 euros a month in income, with the objective tax criteria generating an annual payment of 1,630 for this category. Conversely, hairdressers, manicurists, private tutors and an assortment of unlicensed craftsmen and laborers that make “house calls” usually fall below the tax authority’s “radar”, the ominous shadow or “black / grey” economy.
Meanwhile, a wage-earner that earns 1,470 euros a month in a very transparent and recorded manner is obliged to pay 2,023 euros in annual income tax.
Source: tovima.com
