a friend of mine got a 20 year old son who is still living with them. He started working a year
ago with an earning of hk11,000 month. Is he still covered by the father's tax exemption or do
the son need to pay tax now?
The son is definitely subject to salaries tax because he is an employee. He is also subject to MPF, compulsorily. It is a criminal offence not to pay MPF.
The son will pay about HKD160 tax on his annual earnings or HKD15 per month. If he is studying at night school he will pay no tax at all because of an annual self-education allowance of HKD40,000.
The father (or mother or both if jointly assessed) can claim a child allowance for a child up to 25 years old if the child is in full time education. For instance my spouse and I, between us, have 5 children, each of whom is still in full time education. Our allowance is 5 times HKD40,000 currently. It does not matter if children take vacation jobs.
so you mean if no full time education/they can no longer claim for the child allowance? That they will pay more tax now though the kid still lives with them?