Tax Declaration Forms: An Overview

TAX FORM (Steuerformulare) FOR THE INCOME TAX DECLARATION

Unfortunately, you can’t just do your taxes on the back of a receipt. This is why the tax office only accepts a standard tax declaration that they provide. The forms and documentation are identified with letters. The main tax form is a cove sheet (Mantelboegen) that everyone has to fill in. Each additional form and/or any documentation is from a certain type of income or for a special cost or expense that can be deducted while doing your taxes.

IMPORTANT TAX FORMS AT A GLANCE

Mantelbogen: This 4-page main form has to be filled in by everyone. All general information about a person (name, address, banking information etc.) and skilled worker activity or physical or mental disabilities are entered here.

Anlage N: If you receive an income from non-freelance work and you received a wage tax card, you must fill in Form N. This is where you enter i.a. your income, paid income tax and income-related expenses.

Anlage S: This form is for self-employed people and freelancers to enter their income and losses.

Anlage Vorsorgeaufwand: Paid insurance premiums and expenses for pension belong in this tax form. This includes e.g. statutory pension, unemployment, health and long-term care insurance. Additionally, contributions to private health and long-term care insurance, disability insurance as well as accident and liability insurance.

Anlage KAP: Here, you have to enter investment income via custody accounts, bank deposits etc, in that you got that.

WHERE DO I GET TAX FROMS?

It is possible to do your taxes yourself and on paper. You can get the necessary tax forms and documentation either directly from the tax office or you can download them from the Finance Ministry’s website.

Note: Unfortunately, filling out that form is extremely complicated, especially if you definitely don’t have a working knowledge of tax law. In order to make sure no occupational costs are forgotten, it is advised to use a tax program or online software like the one from germantaxes.de to do your taxes.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALTERNATIVES TO THE CLASSIC TAX FORM

First of all: You have to decide for yourself which variation is the best for you when doing your taxes. However, experience has shown that many people become quickly overwhelmed when filling out tax forms without any help. Unfortunately, the forms are complicated and take up a lot of time to fill in.

In the following - Alternatives at a glance:

ELSTER FORMULAR

Advantages

• A lot of data will automatically populate when you do your taxes again with Elster.
• It’s guaranteed that the tax office will accept your information (validity check).
• There is a comparison function that checks the data on your declaration with the data on your wage tax certificate (Steuerbescheid) for deviations.
• The Elster form can also be used when you still haven’t been assigned a tax number (Steuernummer), e.g. your first job.

Disadvantages

• The Elster form doesn’t really look any different than its tax form counterpart on paper.
• It is definitely more suitable for those who have no problems with the forms in paper form.
• It isn’t immediately apparent where you can enter business expenses for example.
• Doing your taxes with Elster just takes a lot of time and effort.

TAX CD ROMS

Advantages

• The tax CD ROMs avoid complicated forms.
• Users have to answer questions that are too generalised about their personal situation.
• There is a lot of Help & Tips
• The data entered is transferred to an official tax form at the end of the process and then this form is sent to the tax office.
• Tax CD ROMs can be used offline as well.

Disadvantages

• Most of the programs only allow you to file taxes for a specific year.
• If you want to do multiple tax declarations, then you must by multiple CD ROMs.
• It takes relatively a lot of time.
• Many laptops don’t even have CD drives any more.

TAX ADVISOR

Advantages

Comprehensive tax consultation for individual life and studying situations. The tax advisor becomes responsible for the communication between you and the tax office. You don’t have to do anything.

Disadvantages

Tax advisor services are normally quite expensive.

ONLINE TAX DECLARATION

Advantages

• No complicated forms to fill in; instead, data retrieval in simple interview form.
• You can do your own taxes with all the Help & Tips.
• You can do your taxes on any device: PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
• Automatic data transfer into the official tax form.
• Tax form can be sent directly to the tax office online.

Disadvantages

• Internet access is a requirement.
• In most cases, the special tax situations of students are not taken into account.

THE TAX DECLARATION SPECIFICALLY FOR EMPLOYEES

Many people don’t feel like fighting through the multitude of tax forms. We have just the right solution for these people. The tax tool from germantaxes.de. Here you can do your taxes quickly and easily online and then send them immediately in.

ADVANTAGES OF germantaxes.de AT A GLANCE

• Simple tax interview instead of a complicated tax form.
• All costs and flat rates (Pauschalen) incurred from your work are taken into account.
• Data is automatically transferred into the official tax form.
• Accepted by all tax offices in Germany.
• It is especially suitable for “tax rookies”, but also for those who are so busy with their day to day grind that they just don’t have time to deal with the topic of taxes.