You're Probably Giving LHDN Money You're Allowed to Keep

Tax sounds like a problem for “later,” for people with big salaries. So most fresh grads ignore it. The result: PCB gets quietly deducted from your pay all year, and because you never file or never claim, you never get the refund you were owed. Free money, left on the table, every single year.

The breakdown

Reliefs reduce the income you’re taxed on. Here are the ones young workers most often miss — for things you’re already spending money on:

Relief	Amount	The catch most people miss
Personal relief	RM9,000	Automatic — but it’s why low earners often owe nothing
EPF + life insurance	up to RM7,000	Your EPF deductions already count (RM4,000), plus RM3,000 life/takaful
Medical/education insurance	RM4,000	Separate from the above
Lifestyle	RM2,500	Your laptop, phone, internet, books, online courses (not streaming subs)
Sports & fitness	RM1,000	A separate relief: gym membership, sports gear, facility & competition fees

This is the short list. There are more — parents’ medical, childcare, SSPN education savings, EV charging, and others. The full, current set is published by LHDN: see the official Tax Reliefs list (hasil.gov.my) and the YA2025 relief summary (PDF). Reliefs change most years — always confirm the amount for the year you’re filing.

The reframe

Reliefs aren’t loopholes or “tax tricks.” They’re discounts the government already approved, on things you were going to buy anyway — your phone, your internet, your gym membership, your insurance. Not claiming them isn’t being honest. It’s just donating extra money to LHDN for no reason.

And the bigger one: if PCB was deducted from your salary all year, but your reliefs pull your income below the taxable threshold, that money comes back to you as a refund — but only if you file. Skipping the form doesn’t save you effort. It just means you tip the government and walk away.

Action step

This tax season, log into MyTax (mytax.hasil.gov.my) and claim your lifestyle, insurance, and EPF reliefs. If you earned a salary last year, had PCB deducted, and never filed — you may have a refund sitting there right now. Go check.

Check it at the source

Tax reliefs — full current list (LHDN) — every relief, with the conditions.
Individual tax rebates (LHDN) — the RM400 rebate for chargeable income up to RM35,000.
When are you taxable? (LHDN) — the income threshold where tax starts.

These are the primary sources — more reliable than any blog (including this one). Always confirm the figure for the year you’re filing.

Want the cheat sheet?

📥 The free Adulting Money Starter Kit includes a one-page relief checklist. Get it here →