Listen

More on Skatteverket

Politicians in Parliament, municipalities and county councils decide on what taxes — and how much tax — we have to pay. The work of collecting taxes is carried out by Skatteverket, which has offices throughout Sweden.

Pappa och barn ute i naturen. Foto: A&Me photo

Other languages
» In English
» More on Skatteverket

Skatteverket is accountable to the government, but operates as an autonomous public authority. This means that the government has no influence over the tax affairs of individuals or businesses.

These are Skatteverket´s main functions:

Taxes
Population registration
Estate inventories

If you would like to know more, please contact your nearest tax office, or call our Tax Information Service, Tel. +46 8 564 851 60.

Taxes

Skatteverket administers Sweden´s various taxes.

Income tax

In Sweden, people pay tax on all types of income, such as wages and salaries, sickness benefit and pensions. Interest and dividends, as well as gains on the sale of shares, houses and tenant-owner apartments, are also regarded as income and are taxed. We declare our income once a year via a tax return, for example via the Internet. Income tax receipts go mainly to municipalities and county councils, but also to central government.

Value added tax

The government charges value added tax on most goods and services that are sold. Value added tax is included in the price we pay as private individuals. The tax is mostly charged at 25 percent. Certain items — including fuel, energy, alcohol and tobacco — are also subject to excise duty.

Social fees

Social fees are charged on all remuneration for work. Employers pay social fees on behalf of employees, usually once a month.

Tax on business activity

Those who operate a sole proprietorship or a trading partnership pay tax on the surplus produced in the business. The entrepreneur declares the surplus in his/her standard tax return.

Population registration

Skatteverket deals with population registration in Sweden. Everyone who lives in Sweden is registered. In the process, details of those who are living in Sweden, and where, are recorded. Everyone who is registered is issued with a personal identity number, which is used in contacts with government agencies etc. Each personal identity number is unique and is made up of the person´s date of birth and a four-digit number.

Estate inventories

Skatteverket registers estate inventories. An estate inventory is a document detailing the assets and liabilities of a deceased person.

Personal data at the Swedish Tax Agency

The Swedish Tax Agency processes a great deal of data about private individuals and companies. Here you can read about what personal data is, how the Swedish Tax Agency processes personal data and what rights you have.

What is personal data?

Personal data is all kinds of information that can be attributed directly or indirectly to a living natural person. This means that if data registered shows directly or indirectly what person the data relates to, then it is personal data. Examples of personal data can be a name, address and personal identity number, but a picture or the registration number of a case can also be personal data.

Processing personal data

In principle, processing personal data means everything that can be done with the data. It can, for example, be to collect, register, store, combine or print out personal data.

There are several laws and ordinances containing rules about how personal data may be processed. The purpose of these rules is to protect people from violations of their personal integrity when personal data is processed. There are general rules in the Personal Data Act (1998:204) external link . In addition, there are a number of register regulations containing specific rules for the activities of public authorities. The register regulations contain provisions about how the data may be processed without the registered person giving their consent.

Your rights

The Swedish Tax Agency is the controller of personal data for the processing of personal data carried out in the activities of the Swedish Tax Agency. Personal data is processed at the Swedish Tax Agency for various purposes depending on the part of the Agency's activities in which it is processed. Personal data is processed at the Swedish Tax Agency for various purposes depending on which part of the Agency´s activities it is processed in.

You are entitled to know what personal data about you is processed by the Swedish Tax Agency. You can get this information free of charge once a year. To get the information you send in a signed request for information under Section 26 of the Personal Data Act. You can send your request to the tax office that you want to get information from or to the Head Office of the Swedish Tax Agency. Since the request has to be signed, you must send it in on paper.

You can always contact a tax office or the Head Office of the Swedish Tax Agency if any personal data is incorrect or incomplete or if you have any other questions about the processing of your personal data.

More on Skatteverket