Those who submit their tax return often even get money back from the tax office.
Here you can find out which errors you should not be misled by.
Many have to file a
tax
return, others do it voluntarily.
It can be worthwhile in individual cases.
On average, employees get around 1,000 euros reimbursement, as it is said.
Nevertheless, the tax return is a chore for many Germans.
If you don't have a
tax advisor
, it can sometimes be difficult - especially when the declaration has not (yet) become routine.
The Stiftung Warentest has
described
typical errors
on
Test.de
- and explains how you can easily avoid such errors in
your
tax return.
Here is an excerpt:
Can friends and acquaintances help with the tax return free of charge?
Mistake number one:
"Known and friends are allowed free of tax help": "No, not everyone is allowed to fill out the tax return to help," says the article on
Test.de
.
This is regulated in the Tax Advisory Act.
"Anyone who does not
adhere
to it
must expect fines of up to 5,000 euros."
According to
Test.de
, only relatives who are expressly named in Section 15 of the tax code, such as "parents, siblings, fiancés and spouses",
are
allowed
to provide
free help
the portal.
Who has to file a tax return and who doesn't?
Mistake number two:
. "Anyone who makes a tax return must always submit": According to the experts at Stiftung Warentest, this is also a mistake. “Anyone who is allowed to give in voluntarily can submit a declaration one year and leave it the next. He can even submit retrospectively for four years, ”it says in the article.
Who, in turn, is obliged to submit the tax return? If you only get your salary and
have no other income
, the law does not have to fill out the forms, as the German Press Agency describes. However, there is an
obligation to submit the tax return
if, in
addition to the wages, additional income of more than 410 euros was
achieved. The same applies to
wage replacement benefits
such as
unemployment benefits
,
parental
benefits
or
short-time work
benefits
.
According to the dpa, the forms also have to be filled out if you had
several employers
next to each other in the past year
.
Even if
both spouses had received wages
and
one of the two was taxed with tax class V or VI
or the couple
had chosen
the so-called
factor method
, there is a duty to pay.
Freelancers, self-employed persons and traders
are also
required to submit an income tax
return
.
Many
seniors also
have to file a tax return.
Whether this is the case depends on the amount of the gross pension and the year of the start of the pension.
You can also read
: Corona year: What you should not forget this time on your tax return
Tax return: missed the deadline - it can get so expensive
Mistake number three:
"Handing in too late is not a problem": "Unfortunately not true", so the sober conclusion of the experts from Stiftung Warentest. What happens if you don't meet the deadline for filing your tax return? Then there is a risk of a late surcharge - and this is basically
0.25 percent of the tax still to be paid for each month of delay.
However, there is a
minimum amount of 25 euros per month, provided that there is still a tax payment to the tax office.
For example, if the tax back payment is 1,000 euros and the tax return is submitted ten months too late, a late payment of 250 euros is due. So that that doesn't happen in the first place, you should always keep the deadline. Another
Tip from Stiftung Warentest
according to Test.de
“If you cannot meet the deadline, apply to the tax office for an extension by phone or email.
If there are plausible reasons, it is usually approved.
You should absolutely comply with the new deadline. "
Read here:
Tax return 2020: What you need to know now about the new filing deadline
Do I have to declare parental allowance in the tax return?
Error number four
: "Parental allowance is tax-free, it does not have to be stated": "That is not entirely true," writes
Test.de. “
Parental allowance itself is not taxed, but it must be stated in the income tax return as it is part of the so-called wage replacement benefits.” And these in turn count when the tax office determines the tax rate. "They themselves are not taxed, but result in taxable income to be taxed more heavily." Also, maternity, sickness and unemployment benefits are tax-free
wage-substitute-services
that are included in the rate calculation and are therefore included in the tax return, the experts of the Foundation explain Warentest .
You can also read
: Who benefits from the child bonus at all - a question of income
Deduct tradespeople costs from tax?
Error number five:
"Tradesman's bills can be fully deducted": "Wrong", as Stiftung Warentest also informs at the point.
Because material costs should not be deducted.
The tax office only accepts wage costs, machine and travel costs, expenditures for consumables such as grit, cleaning agents and lubricants as well as the applicable VAT.
The advice of the experts: The craftsman's invoice should show material costs separately.
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For further reading
: Tax returns: These items will bring you a lot of money back
With these seven tips you can save a lot of money in everyday life
With these seven tips you can save a lot of money in everyday life