Confirm that former and current employment income was consolidated. If not re-employed by year-end, check the termination settlement, missing deductions and any filing requirement separately.
Scope and tax year
This guide concerns ordinary Korean employment-income settlement. It does not calculate daily-worker income, foreign income, the foreign-worker flat-tax option or complex other income. Its purpose is to find missing income and documents, not determine a refund.
Checked October 6, 2026 against the cited laws and NTS guidance. Wages earned in 2026 belong to tax year 2026; relevant settlement and filing are checked in 2027. This guide does not announce a 2027 simplification-service opening date or company submission deadline.
Choose your first action
| Situation | First action | Then check |
|---|---|---|
| Re-employed in the same year | Give the former employer’s employment-income withholding statement to the new employer | Both employers’ wages and taxes in the final statement |
| Not re-employed by year-end | Check the termination statement and missing deductions | Whether filing is required or additional deductions can be claimed |
| Re-employed but former income was not consolidated | Collect both statements and identify missing amounts | Filing requirement and any available employer correction |
| Other income such as side work | Collect records by income type and withholding | Whether a combined income-tax return is required |
Termination settlement and later consolidation differ
Income Tax Act Article 137 provides for settlement when income for the termination month is paid. Under Article 138, same-year re-employment can lead to settlement on combined previous and new employment income when the employee submits the relevant deduction declaration including previous income. A previous employer’s settlement does not replace checking consolidation.
Article 73 distinguishes filing exceptions for properly settled employment-only income from cases involving income from multiple payers without the relevant consolidation. Not everyone unemployed at year-end must file or will receive a refund. Check missing income, deductions and other income first. If a final return is required, Article 70 gives the general period in May of the following year; check that year’s official notice.
Get and check the documents
| Record | Where to obtain/check it | Recipient or purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Previous employment-income withholding statement | Former payroll team; check whether submitted records are visible in Hometax | New payroll team |
| Employment periods and final payslips | Employer HR/payroll records | Eligible expense periods |
| Deduction declaration and supporting records | Hometax and receipt-issuing institutions | New employer’s format and deadline |
| Final consolidated statement | New employer or final filing result | Your check of income and taxes |
Article 143 sets the mid-year leaver’s issue deadline at the end of the month following the month in which the termination-month employment income was paid. If Hometax does not show it yet, check submission and availability, and ask the former employer to issue it. Confirm what format the new employer accepts.
- Match the tax year to the year of the job change. Keep older-year statements separate.
- Check employers, employment periods, gross salary and tax fields. A retirement-income statement does not replace an employment-income statement.
- If there were several former employers, check whether a statement already includes earlier income before adding it again.
- After submission, verify previous-employer amounts and prepaid tax in the final consolidated statement.
Worked example: January–June, then September–December
Example · Tax year 2026 and preparation for 2027
- Employer A: January 1–June 30, 2026; statement gross salary KRW 18,000,000.
- Employment gap: July 1–August 31.
- Employer B: September 1–December 31; gross salary KRW 12,000,000.
- Reference gross-salary total without duplicates: KRW 30,000,000.
- Submit A’s statement when preparing B’s 2027 settlement, then verify the consolidation.
The combined gross salary does not determine final tax by adding the two separate tax calculations. Deductions and prepaid tax require final reconciliation. Use gross salary on the statements rather than bank-deposit totals.
Expenses in the employment gap
NTS special-tax-credit guidance describes the employment-period expense rule for items such as qualifying insurance, medical and education expenses, with donations distinguished. In the example, review July–August separately from January–June and September–December. Other deductions have their own conditions; do not apply one period rule to all categories.
An expense appearing in the simplification service is not proof of eligibility. Selecting an entire joining or leaving month does not establish that every expense date in it qualifies. Check actual spending dates against employment periods where needed.
Request and completion checklist
“I need to submit my former employer’s withholding statement for tax year 2026. Please confirm the format, deadline and treatment if earlier income has already been consolidated. I also had a July–August employment gap and would like to confirm the eligible periods for supporting expenses.”
- Track obtaining the document, submitting it and confirming actual consolidation as separate steps.
- Compare tax year, gross salary, final tax, prepaid tax and additional/refund fields. Do not double count historical monthly withholding and post-settlement tax.
- For missing income or deductions, confirm the available employer correction and whether you need to file yourself. Do not assume a refund or processing date.
Reference information, not legal or tax advice. korWork does not submit personal tax returns or determine an exact refund. Use the related guides and official sources below.