Changed jobs recently? Whether you've moved to a new company, switched careers, or started fresh after a break, there's a high chance you've overpaid tax. Job changes are one of the most common triggers for emergency tax—and emergency tax means you're owed money back.
Our specialists have helped thousands of job changers recover overpaid tax. If you've changed jobs in the past four years, here's what you need to know.
📊 Job Change Tax Facts
- Common issue: Emergency tax at new job
- Average overpayment: €400 – €1,500 per job change
- Multiple changes: Compounds the overpayment
- Claim period: Up to 4 years back
Why Do Job Changers Overpay Tax?
When you start a new job, your new employer needs your tax details from Revenue to pay you correctly. If there's any delay or gap in this process, you're placed on emergency tax.
Emergency tax means:
- Your tax credits aren't applied correctly (or at all)
- More of your income is taxed at higher rates
- You pay significantly more tax than you should
Even if emergency tax only lasts a few weeks, the overpayment can run into hundreds of euros. And if you've changed jobs multiple times? The amounts compound.
Signs You Were on Emergency Tax
You might have been on emergency tax if:
- Your first payslips at a new job showed "EMERG", "Week 1", or "Month 1"
- Your take-home pay seemed unusually low compared to your salary
- Your tax credits showed as €0 or very low amounts
- You didn't set up your tax before starting
💡 Real Example
Conor changed jobs three times between 2022 and 2024. Each time, he was on emergency tax for 4-6 weeks. When we reviewed his tax, he was owed €2,180 just from emergency tax overpayments—plus additional reliefs he'd never claimed.
What Else Might You Be Owed?
Emergency tax refunds are often just the start. When we review your complete tax history, we also check for:
- Rent tax credit – up to €1,000/year if you rent
- Medical expenses – 20% relief on healthcare costs
- Work expenses – flat rate for many professions
- Working from home – if you work remotely
The average refund our clients receive is €1,080. Those with job changes often receive more.
How Much Could You Get Back?
Why Use Our Service?
Our specialists review your complete four-year tax history:
- Every job checked: We review all your employments for emergency tax periods
- All reliefs included: We don't just look at emergency tax—we find everything
- No hassle: We handle all the paperwork and communication
- No refund, no fee: You only pay if we get you money back
Learn more about how our process works.
Changed Jobs? Check What You're Owed
Our experts will review all your employments and find every refund you're entitled to.
Start Your Free Review →No refund, no fee • Average refund €1,080 • TAIN: 77632V
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I was on emergency tax?
Check your old payslips for codes like "EMERG", "Week 1", or "Month 1". Alternatively, our review will identify any periods of emergency tax in your history.
What if I changed jobs years ago?
You can claim for up to four years. Even job changes from 2021 can still result in refunds if you were overtaxed and never claimed it back.
Will my current employer be affected?
No, claiming back overpaid tax from previous periods doesn't affect your current employment or tax situation. It's simply recovering money you shouldn't have paid.