German tax return help in Munich

I went to the Lohnsteuerhilfe in Marienplatz last week and they took care of my returns for 2000 and 2001 for only 100 euros.

The woman I spoke to seemed to think I could claim back money for all the computer bits I bought, and also part of my phone bill for the internet connection. I haven't got the papers back yet, so I don't know if the tax office have accepted it...

Here's the address:

Lohnsteuerhilfe Argus e.V.
Marienplatz 1
80331 Muenchen

As someone who has just arrived here, can someone just give me some high level info about German Taxes?

What period is the financial year? When do the returns have to go in?

I have a HATE/HATE relationship with the Inland Revenue in the UK, I don't want to have a similar thing here!

The financial year runs from Jan-Dec and according to Opa, his returns are sent no later than September. If you can afford it, a tax advisor would be the best thing as there are all sorts of expenses that you can claim back(obviously depending on circumstances). If you have a double household for instance or other finnancial commitments in your homeland, these could also be included in your claim. Keep receipts for all work related expenses including lunches, travel etc.,
Opa says you can also claim back the fees of your tax advisor 8).
I hope this helps a little. I'll pull out another few of Opa's finger nails and see what else he comes up with :wink:

Here's the URL for the helpful types: http://www.lohi.de/ (all in German)

If, like me, you received a scary looking tax form through the post at the end of last year...

...and if, like me, you still haven't gotten around to filling it out and submitting it before the May deadline (or whenever it is)...

...then you might be interested to learn that Toytown Munich now has it's very own tax advisors. These are Thomas Zitzelsberger and Christina Westphal.

For details and contact info see the page: Tax Consultants

Hiya
I use WISO software - it is very good, easy to use and I've just got back over 750€. Software only costs 40€ (which you can then claim for in your tax form) and seeing as Herr Indoors uses it too, it is a bargain. German-only though but does have an interactive interview part as well as a feasibility check. Should you have used it in previous years you can run your old tax info together on it, which saves typing (and claiming for the same dictionary twice..ahem). If your German is pretty good I'd use this unless you have very complex tax issues (i.e. freelancers, acting as a landlord, extensive share handling etc). In those cases and when more than the standard Anlage N1 is required, then a tax advisor is a good idea.
Lohnsteuerhilfevereine usually cost up to 250€ so getting one to do the stuff for 100€ was a good deal Malcolm.
Because I keep my receipts, transport passes, wage summaries and the rest, I can get through my tax in an evening. Mind you, I never had any problems with the IR in the UK (particularly the Birmingham info office whose staff helped me to claim enough tax back to clear my student overdraft).
Deadline is May but tax advisors usually apply for and get an extension - but you can also apply for this too. There is a tax (dis)information office at the Munich Finanzamt in Deroystr. (Tram 16, 17 to Deroystr., U1 tube to Maillingerstr.) but be aware that most calculations are done in Ingolstadt and remember that it is the Finanzamt so service with a smile might not be on offer.
Katrina

When I first came here 3 years ago, all the germans told us what a complicated nightmare the tax returns were, but I found that they were roughly the same (or perhaps a bit simpler) as the New Zealand ones. You only really have to copy 4 or 5 numbers from the card onto the return, and add the distance you travel to work and your cars registration plate number.

Some people with investments or self employment might have a bit more to do.

DONT GO TO A TAX ADVISOR. I was living and working with 4 other New Zealanders in the same job and getting paid exactly the same etc. I did my own tax return, 1 of us got a friends family to help, and the other 3 went to an advisor.

The 3 that went to an advisor got several hundred euros less BEFORE the several hundred euro advisors fee came out. It also took between 6 months and a year before they got their money back.

If theres something your not sure about, simply do it the best you can, and take it in to the finanzamt. They will look over it and complete any bits that arent finished for FREE.

I think it only took a couple of weeks between handing my forms in and getting my money.

Noone should pay several hundred euros for someone to copy 4 or 5 numbers from one piece of paper to another. I guess sometime in the past german tax returns were complicated enough to justify an advisor but not now.

Some info on what you can claim on your tax return:

Basically the way it goes is that you should claim anything that is vaguely related to your work. The complete list is a bit detailed and if your German is good you could use a simple tax software to file your return that will give you all these details. Though some key points are:

1) Cost of a computer at home can be written off over three years aginst your taxable income - this is usually not accepted ás you have to prove that the computer at home is actually used for work
2) Proportional rent of your study at home if you use it to work - I claimed it stating that I do a lot of work with US companies and due to the time difference have to use my study at home to do this work though I had to get a confirmation from my company for the tax authorities
3) Subscription for business magazines, newspapers which are essential for your work - I claim the Economist and the FT
4) Cost of work related books - anything that is business related, not necessarily related to the work you do
5) Cost of the stuerberater that filed your tax returns - though the costs for this year can only be claimed in the next year
6) Monthly rental/cost of phone/bills/internet connection for your mobile if your company doesnt provide you one
7) Certain relocation costs - if your company didnt pay for these
8) Cost of language courses - if your first language isnt German also if your company didnt pay for these

Though I followed what my German colleagues suggested which is claim everything that sounds like a business related expense and then let the finanzamt decide what is allowed.

Hope this helps

i always do my taxes myself because of my inability to trust any b@stard.
just got back my dues for 2003 from the amt..

13 euros.

result.


should pay for 1/2 decent vindaloo.
so good luck. i hope you are all equally as successful.

I can recommend Christina. She's who I've been recommending via PMs to everyone asking about for a tax consultant. In fact, I would have to guess that's how Editor Bob found out about her too, one way or another.

Getting a tax consultant is really only necessary if you are self-employed, getting paid in one country while living/working in another, or you are earning tonnes and tonnes of dosh and need to know how to keep your taxes to a minimum or similar situations. If you have a regular full-time job, it's probably not worth it.

Last week I got about 150 euros back from my 1999 tax. It seems my tax advisor challenged the original rebate assessment back in '99 and it's taken the Finanzamt all this time to get round to processing it and paying the difference (plus interest, which was nice of them).