Leaving Japan: Money Steps Before and After You Go
Resident tax, your final tax settlement, NISA and iDeCo, your retirement allowance and the pension refund.
1. One to two months before
Appoint a tax agent, decide how to settle resident tax, and ask your broker about NISA. Go through the checklist in order.
2. Investments and pension savings
In most cases your NISA account is closed when you leave. iDeCo can be taken out only if you contributed for 5 years or less or have ¥250,000 or less.
3. Retirement allowance
If it is paid after you leave, 20.42% is withheld, and most of it can be reclaimed through your tax agent.
4. After you leave: the pension refund
Claim the pension lump-sum withdrawal within 2 years of leaving, then reclaim the 20.42% tax withheld from it.