As of: February 21, 2024, 12:30 p.m
By: Anne Hund
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For many people, the declaration for the 2023 tax year is now imminent.
Stiftung Warentest explains what is important, for example when it comes to the child allowance.
Many people are now starting to file their returns for the 2023 tax year. If you don't have to file a tax return, you can file a return voluntarily.
There are four years left after the end of the respective assessment period for the voluntary surrender.
For many, however, billing is mandatory, including, as
Finanztest
lists, for example:
Employees and pensioners in tax classes 4 plus factor 5 or 6
Self-employed people who earned money from freelance work or business operations
Spouses and registered life partners who have separate assessments
People who receive more than 410 euros in wage replacement or who have earned money through secondary employment.
Anyone who has to file a tax return should keep a close eye on the filing deadline.
If you let the deadline pass, you will be threatened with a late payment penalty from the tax office.
Changes for tax year 2023
The 2023 tax year has brought with it some changes that will now provide taxpayers with advantages when it comes to billing, emphasizes Stiftung Warentest.
“For most of the innovations, you don’t even have to take action yourself – they are automatically taken into account by the tax office,” says the article on
Test.de
(as of February 14th).
This includes, for example, the increased basic allowance up to which income remains tax-free.
“It was 10,908 euros in 2023 (2022: 10,347) and therefore acts as a small tax discount for everyone.” Also important for employees is the increased flat rate for business expenses of 1,230 euros (for the 2023 tax year).
Tax return for the tax year 2023
What should families know?
Since the beginning of 2023, parents have been receiving child benefit of 250 euros per month for each child.
If you earn a lot, the tax relief through the child allowance can also be taken into account in the annual statement instead, according to Stiftung Warentest.
“Since last year, this has been 4,476 euros per child and parent (8,952 euros for both parents),” says the note for the 2023 tax year. As of January 1, 2024, the tax-free amount was also increased to 6,384 euros.
Child benefit or allowances
Parents automatically receive either child benefit or the income tax allowance for children.
The tax office checks what is more advantageous for you.
Parents do not have to take action themselves.
As a rule, you would be entitled to the allowances at least until the child comes of age,
explains
Finanztest
on
Test.de.
“If your child is doing initial vocational training or studying, the entitlement continues as long as the child is still under 25.” The same applies to transitional periods: For example, if the daughter is demonstrably still looking for a place at university after graduating from school or because of a long-term illness could only start training later.
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Parents automatically receive either child benefit or the income tax allowance for children.
The tax office checks what is more advantageous for you.
(Symbolic image) © Michael Gstettenbauer/Imago
Training allowance
The experts at Stiftung Warentest also point to the training allowance, which was increased to 1,200 euros per child in 2023.
The training allowance can be applied to adult children in training who no longer live at home.
“The entitlement to the tax allowance is independent of the child’s income and applies as long as parents are entitled to child benefit – usually up to their 25th birthday at the latest,” says the site
on
Test.de.
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Maintenance for relatives
Maintenance payments to adult children can, if necessary, be taken into account in the tax return.
“Even after their 25th birthday, it can be worthwhile from a tax perspective to support your offspring financially,” explains Stiftung Warentest on
Test.de:
“Up to 10,908 euros in maintenance payments to relatives per year and recipient can be deducted as an extraordinary burden,” that is it there with a view to the declaration for the tax year 2023. “But only if the person being supported does not earn too much.
If more than 624 euros per year, the maximum maintenance amount is reduced accordingly.”
Support for single parents
There is an allowance for single parents that is intended to compensate for the additional burden.
For 2023, it will be 4,260 euros for the first child and an additional 240 euros for each additional child, according to Stiftung Warentest.
“If single parents switch to tax class II, the tax bonus will automatically be credited to their salary every month,” says
Test.de.