October 11, 2026

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Greek tax authorities are looking for hidden income: who is under attack


ΑΑΔΕ in 2026 will send notifications approximately 12,000 taxpayerswho, after digital checks, have discovered hidden or undeclared income.

Ανεξάρτητη Αρχή Δημοσίων Εσόδων (Independent State Revenue Administration, ΑΑΔΕ) is preparing to send notifications approximately 12,000 taxpayersfor whom digital checks have revealed hidden income, incomplete declarations or lack of tax reporting.

The crux of the matter

  • ΑΑΔΕ in 2026 will send notifications approximately 12,000 taxpayers in cases of undeclared income.
  • At risk are employees and pensioners with undeclared retroactive payments, property owners, lessors and recipients of income from abroad.
  • The tax office compares bank data, POS, myDATAshort-term rental platforms, insurance funds and declarations.
  • From 2026 ΑΑΔΕ will be able to assess taxes “based on assessment” even for those who have not filed a return at all.

According to ERT Newstax services ΑΑΔΕ strengthen electronic checks and focus on cases where declaration data does not match bank movements, receipts through POSrental income or information from third parties.

According to News247we are talking about cases that must be processed to completion 2026so that the state does not lose the right to assess taxes and fines due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. In other words, the tax office also knows how to rush when it feels that money might slip away. Touching speed, it’s a pity that it’s not always in favor of the citizen.

Who came into view

First of all, taxpayers who have discrepancies between their declared income and actual receipts are subject to audit. Among them are employees and pensioners with undeclared retroactive payments, citizens with income from abroad, as well as property owners who did not declare income from rental or short-term rental housing through platforms like Airbnb.

Income tax cases are also checked and VAT. Particular attention is paid to large discrepancies between officially declared amounts and the flow of funds in bank accounts.

According to Naftemporikiin operational terms ΑΑΔΕ for 2026, automatic assessments of taxes and fines are provided even in cases where individuals or legal entities did not file returns, although they were obliged to do so.

What data does the tax office use?

For checks ΑΑΔΕ uses data from various digital sources: bank accounts, transactions through POSshort-term rental platforms, system myDATAinsurance funds, tax returns, information about real estate and its transfer.

Through such comparisons, the tax office identifies discrepancies between what the citizen officially stated and what actually passed through his accounts, transactions or digital platforms. Previously, such checks could take years, but now electronic systems make it possible to find suspicious cases in hours. The digital state, as it turns out, works especially vigorously when it looks into someone else’s wallet.

Taxes “by estimate”

According to plan ΑΑΔΕfrom the second half of the year 2026 The tax office will be able to charge taxes “based on assessment” to individuals and legal entities that did not file a declaration, although they were obliged to do so.

In such cases, taxable income will be determined based on the taxpayer’s standard of living and economic activity. Sources will be digital archives ΑΑΔΕinformation from banks, employers, utility providers and other organizations.

As noted Cretalivetaxes will be automatically assessed for those who have not filed a return, and fines can range from 10% to 50% the amount of tax payable.

What to do after receiving a notification

Taxpayers who receive these notices and settlements will have two primary options. The first is to pay the accrued amounts in a lump sum within 30 days from the moment of notification. The second is to file your late tax return before the statute of limitations expires so that it can be used to issue a regular settlement notice with associated late penalties and interest.

If a citizen disputes charges, he will be able to 30 days file a complaint and request a review of the case. However, in this case, he will have to provide documents confirming that the tax authorities’ calculations are incorrect or based on incomplete data.

The bottom line for taxpayers is simple: if there are unreported retroactive payments, rental income, foreign income or old “forgotten” returns, it is better to check the situation in advance. Wait for a letter from ΑΑΔΕ – the strategy is, of course, bold, but usually expensive.

Editorial comment

ΑΑΔΕ is increasingly turning tax control into a digital system of total data comparison. For honest taxpayers this may look like a fight against evasion, but for many citizens it is like Another reminder: the state may not see people’s problems for years, but it clearly sees their accounts, rent, transfers and every mistake in the declaration.



Source link