Anyone who knows "alot" about taxes and salaries I need your help

So, I work for a portuguese registrated company that offers services abroad. I get payed a normal salary and then I also get payed a couple of euros for my residence, accommodation allowance.

Now the funny thing (which atleast I think is weird) is that I pay taxes on both my salary and my accommodation allowance. They're even put together on the salary report we receive at the end of each month as if it was one big salary. People who live in the company's apartments do not get any accommodation allowance.

So, we live in Portugal, we all get payed 14 salaries a year - twelve regular ones and two extras; one in summer and one by christmas.

Here's the thing; I was told today that on the extra salaries we receive twice a year accommodation allowance is not included and this sounds very, very strange to me. They said they don't pay it because it's an allowance. The most logical to me would be if I pay taxes on my allowance I should indeed receive it on the extra salaries too. If I don't then I shouldn't pay taxes for it... But then, I don't know what the law says etc, that's why I'm asking you for help. Does this sound reasonable or are they just tricking us?



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2012 11:54PM by verbatim.

You are very lucky of you still get 14 payments, most companies are now stopping these extra payments because of the financial situation. However, I assume you do not pay 14 months accomodation so why would they pay it to you, nothing to do with whether you pay tax on it or not.

Then why aren't you out in the streets protesting? I make 4-5 times more than the average Portuguese and I still complain! How can you just be going to the same work over and over with your dead lousy salary while the companies you work for make millions?


And on topic, I still think it's wrong to pay taxes for an allowance if I don't get it 14 times a year. I don't know about Portuguese laws but I highly doubt this would be legal where I come from.