The (inter)national day of enviness

[JuhaHo]

We had yesterday the national unofficial day of envy. 2021 earnings information of the citizens were published and the newspapers got their headlines on how the celebrities and some common people have been earning last year.

Here's mine:
Total annual salary (incl. taxes) 19 939,48 €
Investment income 1 907,16 €
Total taxes 2 207,19 €

The biggest income of our country had a co-founder of game company Supercell (Clash of clans -mobile game) 58 680 858 € (salary 10 766 820 €, Investment income .47 914 038 €). Taxes 37 % of total income.

Of course earnings mean nothing without the living cost information. Sweden has is bit more expensive, but France, Germany and Italy are much more cheaper to live in than here.
https://pxweb2.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/e...leViewLayout1/

Now what's Yours?

[JuhaHo]

How public the income information is in other countries? I have been raised in a system, where everybody's earnings are public for everyone. Those with earnings over 100k€ are published by every newspaper. For the information of those with earnings less than 100k€ You have to call Tax authority and they have to tell. Or You can go to local Tax office and use their client computer. You cannot copy the information on any media, but You may write it down. I think that's fully transparent and I cannot think it being any other way.

[glorybound]

In the US, unless you are a publically traded company, that information is private. Heck, if you tell a co-worker what you make you'll get fired.

[JuhaHo]

And to clarify, I was talking about personal salary. I do invoicing as a company, and whenever I take money out as a salary I fill online tax information and in return I receive tax invoice from tax authority, which I pay as an employer. No invoicing and no salary without letting tax authority know. As a company I pay VAT and taxes for profit if any. Tax avoidance is very rare. Sooner or later, whoever tries, gets caught.

[JuhaHo]

It's that day of the year again when citizens' income information is made available to everyone. Here's my 2022 public income information:

Total annual salary (incl. taxes) 24 680,45 €
Investment income 3 060,00 €
Dividends from listed shares 343,05 €
Total taxes 3 123,13 €

The average annual salary year 2022 around here was 43 873 €. So there's lots room for my productivity. What would be the correct measures to achieve that?

[glorybound]

This is still strange a foreign to me. I can't imagine sharing my income with anyone, except my accountant.

[fixeighted]

If someone asks me in conversation what I earn I will tell them, as it's not a big deal to me.
On a public forum, no I wouldn't be as open, as I wouldn't know what any agenda may be for asking.
In this specific situation the info is by law publicly available, so it's different and the revelation doesn't matter

[JuhaHo]

Here everyone over 100 000€ are listed on search engines by media. It's included in the media kit provided by tax authority. For the rest of us, it requires a bit more work. To get information one has to call to tax authority or go there for access to database and take notes there.

For me it's a question of dispelling prejudices. The client who sees my quotation or invoice, immediately reacts that I'm very expensive guy. When they know my real income, does have an effect. Anyway, people here do their best not to show their wealth if they have any. By looking a random guy on a street you cannot tell if he is poor or rich.