Tax return in Germany
Are you employed in Germany for more than 183 days or do you have a permanent residence and a centre of vital interest in Germany? In this case, you are obliged to file a tax return in Germany. If you are in tax bracket I, you are not obliged to file a German tax return, but you do have the option, which can be advantageous, of claiming a refund of the payroll tax you have paid on your employment.
The deadline for filing the tax return is usually 31 July of the following calendar year. Avoid any penalties for not filing or inaccuracies in your return with our help and get expert advice on how to process your return.
Frequently asked questions
When am I obliged to file a tax return in Germany?
If you are staying in Germany for more than 183 days or are an employee of a German company and are in tax bracket III, you are obliged to file a tax return in Germany. If you were in tax bracket I, you would not be obliged to file a tax return, but you have the option of filing one so that the German tax authorities can refund the payroll tax your employer has paid on your behalf.
What is the deadline for filing my German tax return?
The deadline for filing a German tax return is the end of July of the following calendar year for the previous tax year. So, for example, you can file your tax return for 2022 no later than 31 July 2023. This applies for tax brackets where German tax returns are required, for tax bracket I it is possible to file up to 4 years backwards, so for example in 2023 it is possible to file tax returns for the years 2019-2022.