German tax software installation help

I've installed "Das Große Steuer spar-Paket 2005" on my computer, at least I've "unpacked" the files and restarted the computer when instructed to do so. However, no icon appears on my Desktop or in the list of programs and when I look in the program files folder in Windows Explorer there's a folder for the program, but there are no files. My firewall has also been switched off. Anyone able to help me?

Thanks in advance

Without addressing your immediate problem, why are you installing such elderly software in the first place? Personal tax submissions for 2005 were due 3 months ago.

Actually, a friend of mine who did, I believe, Steuerfachgehilfe during his "Ausbildung" told me I can even do my 2003 tax return. His father is actually also a tax consultant. Wrt 2005, I have looked up on the internet that one has 2 years to hand the tax return unless one has to.

Answer the question.. why are you installing old software..?

Software 2005... windows updates.. 2006..

Normally for standard income tax declarations you must submit your return by then end of May following the end of the tax year. If you are using the services of a Steuerberater this is extended until the end of September. On application to the Finanzamt you can extend these limits, but not normally more than 2 years (which would be exceptional and would need some very good reasons, almost certainly the support of a Steuerberater, and not some hicky Data Becker software!).

Wasn't aware that I could use 2006 software to do old tax returns.



You're with respect to people who have to submit a tax return. However, in my case, I'm not obliged to submit a tax return and according to what I have read on the Internet, I have 2 years to submit my returns. However, the friend of mine should know his stuff - no offence to yourself intended - since he works in finance and is German.

Ulysses is correct. My boyfriend was in a panic about not submitting (yet) his tax return for 2005 so he called up Finanzamt. They told him he has 2 years - no extra paperwork required.

Also, you do not have to file taxes if you do not expect to pay or receive a return. I did not file for 2004 (in Germany) and was told by Mr. Zitelsberger (the tax advisor who advertises here on TT) that I did not have to.

i used the Wiso tax program 2 yeras running & was quite happy, but now I have a Macbook & the program only runs on Windows. can anyone suggest a good tax software to use that is Mac compatible?

Taxup used to be the main Mac based software for private German tax returns, but it's not been updated since 2005. That probably leaves Steuerfuchs 2007 as your only alternative.

thanks YL6. i browsed and found Taxup as well, but they didn't have software for 2006, so I thought I was a SOL.

Are they all as easy (or difficult) to use as each other?

Having spent the last few years watching our taxman do the easy work of plugging in the numbers to his laptop for an extortionate fee, we decided that we will be doing our 2007 tax ourselves. Can anyone reccommend one of the tax packages? The WISO one or something else?

If your german is ok the WISO one is dead easy to use.

I think i'll give that one a go then! Cheers.

Before I go ahead and order this, I just want to check to make sure I get the right one. I was looking for WISO Steuer 2008 but I can't see it on Amazon. Is it one of these that I should get or is the one I need not there?

Seems like you can get Steuer 2008 directly from Buhl. Buhl & Amazon also have Sparbuch 2008, which seems to be a "fully loaded" version with extra tax tips, multimedia, forms for self-employed, pensioners, landlords, etc.

So the sparbuch is a superset of the steuer one and will have what I need right?

Yeah, the sparbuch is a superset (deluxe version) of the steuer software. Don't know what you need, but WISO is fine for me as a standard employee of a standard company. Either version should be fine.