Latvia

Employment income

Monthly application of PIT by the employer

Employers are required to apply PIT rates according to monthly income thresholds, calculated by dividing the annual income thresholds by 12 as follows:

The employee may opt and request the employer to apply 23% also to the income that is subject to 20% by the law.

Application of PIT by individuals annually

A person whose annual income exceeds EUR 78,100 (in 2024) is required to file the annual income tax return. Mandatory filing also applies to individuals who are self-employed or need to pay additional PIT as a result of misapplied allowances or tax rates. An individual may voluntarily file a tax return to request a refund of overpaid taxes. Latvian tax authorities have introduced an automated solution for refund of overpaid PIT that came into effect on 1 January 2023 for individuals who have not filed their tax returns if certain criteria are met. Automated refund of overpaid PIT will occur only in specific cases.

Individuals are required to apply progressive PIT rates on their taxable income. In assessing the applicable rates, the entire taxable income, including applicable flat tax rates, should be counted.

For persons who pay Latvian NSIC and ST on their full income, applying the rate of 31% through the annual income tax return is a formal procedure to compensate them for the additional PIT charge at the expense of ST already paid. Consequently, the highest effective rate of PIT for persons paying ST on their full income is still 23%. Otherwise, individuals not paying NSIC and ST on their entire income are affected, since they are required to pay additional tax.

Allowances and a differential personal allowance (DPA)

In 2024, the employer will be required to apply a DPA forecast by the SRS to employees that have filed their wage tax book, unless the employee has chosen not to apply a DPA. The SRS will notify employers via the Electronic Declaration System (EDS) about the forecast DPAs applicable.

For PIT purposes, the employer is still permitted to deduct the employee part of NSIC.

A monthly dependant allowance of EUR 250 can be claimed for each dependant in 2024.

Any allowance should be applied to employees as if they were effectively reducing their income subject to a 20% PIT.

The employee may opt for and request the employer not to apply the monthly personal allowance. The request should be made through the electronic declaration system.

Equity compensation

The PIT Act exempts any income arising on the exercise of stock options, provided the criteria below are met. 

• The employee has an employment contract with the company or a related company during the minimum vesting period.
• The stock option plan has a minimum one-year holding (vesting) period.
• The employer has provided the SRS with statutory information on the terms of the stock option plan within two months after the award date as required by the PIT Act.
• The company has not issued loans to the employee that have not been paid until the time of exercising the stock options.

The exercise of stock options must take place no later than six months after the termination of the employment relationship between the employee and the company in order to apply the beneficial regime.

If, at the time of exercising stock options, the individual does not have an employment contract with the entity that granted them or with a related entity (e.g. the individual is a leaver), the employer should pay NSIC out of their own pocket at the rate applicable when the employment ended.

Business income

When calculating taxable operating income, business expenses can be written off as operating expenses. 

The taxpayer’s operating loss can be offset in chronological order against taxable operating income in the next three tax years.

Capital gains

Capital gains arising on the disposal of capital assets are taxed at 20%. Capital assets include real estate, shares, investment fund certificates, debentures, and intellectual property.

Real estate

Latvian tax residents (individuals) and non-residents can take an exemption on income arising on the disposal of real estate in Latvia if:

• the real estate is held for at least 60 months and registered as the seller's primary residence for at least 12 months before the sale during a period of 60 months
• the real estate is held for at least 60 months and has been the sole real estate of the taxpayer over the 60 months before the sale, or
• income arising on the disposal of the sole real estate has been reinvested during the 12-month period after the sale into another real estate of the same function.

Dividend and interest income

Dividend income, interest income, alienation of bonds, and income from life insurance contracts and private pension funds is taxed at 20%. This type of income should still be reported and charged to PIT through the annual income tax return unless such income is paid by a Latvian taxpayer who has already withheld PIT at source.

A 0% PIT applies on dividends paid by a Latvian/EU/EEA company or one from any other country if there is evidence that CIT or PIT has been withheld at source. 

In any case, dividends received from tax havens will attract a 20% PIT; dividends that are paid by micro business tax payers from profit that has been subject to CIT after 1 January 2021 would be subject to 0% PIT, otherwise - 20%.

Income from substantial participation in controlled foreign entities

Income from a substantial participation in controlled foreign entities is subject to a progressive PIT rate. This applies to Latvian tax residents that directly or indirectly hold at least 25% of a foreign entity’s equity, stock, or voting power, or are in any other manner (e.g. by contract) entitled to a substantial proportion of distributed profits or in a position to influence decisions about the foreign entity’s profit distribution policy. An exception applies to a participation in such foreign entities through a public company that is listed on an EU/EEA regulated market.