Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
PRESENTED BY TAXFIX

Seven ways to pay less tax in Germany

Doing your tax return in Germany can be a famously complex process. The German tax authorities don't always make things easy for English speakers either.

Published: 10 September 2021 11:16 CEST
Seven ways to pay less tax in Germany
Photo: Getty Images

However, forewarned is forearmed. Not only can knowing what can be claimed help you to prepare, it can also lead to a substantially lower tax bill. Together with tax expert Lars Weber, from Taxfix, The Local investigates some of the costs you can claim in Germany that you might not know about as an international resident.

Make the process of filing your German taxes a breeze with Taxfix and receive a 50 percent discount by using the code ‘TX_TheLocal50’

1. Childcare

If you’ve got young children, you’re able to claim their childcare costs as a deductible on your tax return. As Weber tells us: “Many expats don’t know that you can claim these childcare fees, you simply need to have a record of payment somewhere safe, that you can show if your local tax office wants to see your records.”  

2. Home office 

Starting in late 2020, the Jahressteuergesetz 2020  (Annual Tax Act 2020) allows employees to claim up to €600 for both last year, and the following tax year, as home office expenses. This is known as the Home Office Pauschale  (‘Home Office Flatrate’). If you’ve been forced to set up a desk and laptop in a corner of your living room to work over the past year or so, you should be sure to claim this expense. 

3. Job education and training 

“If you need further training for your job, and that training is conducted in German, you should claim any associated costs on your tax return,” says Weber. So, if you’ve been sent off to another city to do a course, especially overnight, be sure to keep your receipts, whether they be for hotels, petrol, or any other reasonable costs. If you’re paying for this training out of your own pocket, you should be especially sure to keep your receipts for tax time. 

On the web, iOS or Android – Taxfix is the fast, simple way to claim an average of €1,051. Use the code ‘TX_TheLocal50’ for a 50 percent discount

Photo: LinkedIn/Lars Webe

4. Professional memberships 

Similarly, if you’re obliged to be a member of a German professional organization as part of your work, membership costs and other costs associated with maintaining your membership can and should be claimed. This is not solely restricted to those who require a licence or certification to do their job – if it’s an expectation that you should be a member of an organisation in your professional field, then you should consider these a deduction. 

5. School fees

If you have a family, it’s not just childcare costs you should consider. “If you’ve got school-aged children who are attending a private or international school, then their school fees can be claimed as a deduction,” Weber says. As always, be sure to keep full records, as if the Finanzamt  (‘Finance Office’ for your region) come calling, they’ll want to see them in their entirety, for the year in question. 

6. Workroom 

While everyone who has been forced to work from home by the pandemic can claim the Home Office Pauschale of €600, those who have an entire room in their home dedicated to work can claim up to €1,200 in outfitting costs. “You can even claim the cost of curtains, if you can provide the receipts.” Having a room solely dedicated to work can also lead to further deductions, such as power and internet costs, if you can prove that those costs were incurred in the course of your job.

Be careful however. As Weber warns: “Your local Finanzamt can be very strict in what is considered a workroom, and may come asking questions. Be sure that it is a distinct and separate room to your living area, and somewhere you’re not spending a lot of time outside work.”

7. The simple, fast tax solution

“If you’re using Taxfix to lodge your return, you shouldn’t worry about claiming things on your tax return”, says Weber. This is because Taxfix is specifically designed with a question flow that guides you to answer only the questions that are required for your unique personal circumstances.

Everything is in simple, clear English, and your return can be completed in roughly 22 minutes. If your return is under €50, there is no cost, and if it’s over, you play a flat rate of €39.99. Best of all, users usually receive around €1,051 back – more money to enjoy Germany with! 

Wherever you are, use Taxfix to lodge your return in just 22 minutes. Use the code ‘TX_TheLocal50’ to receive a 50 percent discount

For members

READER QUESTIONS

EXPLAINED: Do I have to declare income from foreign sources on my German tax return?

If you're a resident in Germany, you will typically have to declare and pay tax on your worldwide income. But there may be some exceptions in certain cases.

Published: 3 May 2024 11:11 CEST
EXPLAINED: Do I have to declare income from foreign sources on my German tax return?

If you’re filling in a German tax return, you are generally legally required to declare and pay tax on all income you earn – wherever in the world you earn it. This is true even if you keep the money abroad.

In most cases, your worldwide income is subject to what’s called “unlimited tax liability” – which means that there’s no exemptions or discounts on your taxes for money earned abroad – whether its from work or capital gains like the sale of stocks. This is generally even true if Germany doesn’t have a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with the other country in question.

If, however, Germany does have a DTA – some of your tax might end up getting limited in Germany. This is generally providing that you’ve paid it in the other country.

For example, the US may apply a withholding tax to payments made to you for freelance services you provide in the US, for example. In this case, the DTA between Germany and the US would allow you to submit documentation proving that you’ve already paid tax on this payment in the US. That’ll prevent you from having to pay tax again in Germany on the amount that actually gets wired to your account.

READER QUESTION: How can I find a German tax advisor?

Who has a double taxation treaty with Germany?

Germany has concluded double taxation agreements with numerous – but not all – countries and territories. You can check out the German government’s dropdown menu here to see which countries are on the list.

German residents earning money in other EU countries should still check this list, as certain tax provisions may be unique to the two countries in question.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about paying taxes in Germany

What about rental income?

As a general rule, rental income is taxed in the country where the property is located, meaning you don’t have to declare or pay it in Germany. There are some notable exceptions – for example if the property is located in Spain. In this case, you would report this income in Germany.

What about inheritance?

Some double taxation agreements have clauses that specifically govern what tax rules there are around inheritance that a German resident might get from abroad.

In general, the inheritor will still have to pay inheritance tax in Germany, but could see their tax liability reduced if tax already has to be paid abroad.

There are also other exceptions possible, such as if a child receives a property in their parent’s will and then proceeds to live in it for at least 10 years after they acquire it. In this case, they may not need to pay any tax on it.

In certain complicated cases – or if you have any doubt – it may be a good idea to seek out the services of a professional tax advisor who can make sure you don’t get in trouble with the Finanzamt (tax office). 

READ ALSO: Do foreigners owe tax in Germany on money that is inherited from overseas?

SHOW COMMENTS