Who has to file, what you can claim, deadlines that matter, and the four paths to getting it done. Written for internationals in Germany, not translated from German boilerplate.
Germany splits filers into two groups: those who must file (Pflichtveranlagung, mandatory assessment) and those who file voluntarily (Antragsveranlagung). Both end up at the same Finanzamt, but the rules and deadlines differ.
| You must file if… | You can file voluntarily if… |
|---|---|
| You had multiple employers in the same year. | You had one employer and no other income. |
| You received over €410 of non-taxed income (for example, rental income). | You think you paid more tax than you owed (often true). |
| You got unemployment, parental, or short-time benefits (Arbeitslosengeld, Elterngeld, Kurzarbeitergeld) over €410. | You had significant deductible expenses, a relocation to Germany, or a big commute. |
| You are married and use tax class combination III/V or IV with factor. | You want to claim work-from-home days, a home office, or training costs. |
| You are self-employed or a freelancer. | |
| You claimed a Freibetrag on your tax card. |
Mandatory filing. Normally 31 July of the year after the tax year. Germany has extended this deadline in recent years due to COVID adjustments, so check the current year. With a Steuerberater, you get until the end of February of the year after that.
Voluntary filing. You have up to four years back. Filing voluntarily for 2022 is possible until the end of 2026.
If you move away from Germany. You can usually still file the final year. The rules around Wegzugsbesteuerung (exit tax) apply to more complex situations, such as holding company shares.
Not every line below applies to every person. It is a starting point, not a checklist. Applicability depends on your individual circumstances.
Commute (Pendlerpauschale), work equipment, training, work-related travel, a home office allowance, and certain relocation costs.
Private pension contributions, certain insurance premiums, charitable donations, church tax.
If you keep a household outside Germany and another near your job, rent and trips home can be deductible under specific conditions.
Moving expenses for work reasons, including removal, travel, and certain setup costs, are often claimable in the year you moved.
Foreign tax credits and double-taxation treaty relief if you paid tax abroad. These get complicated fast.
Any figures in the report and estimate are illustrative and based on your inputs. They do not constitute tax or financial advice. For personalised advice, consult a licensed Steuerberater.
More plain-English guides on filing in Germany, comparing tools, and finding an English-speaking advisor.
It depends. German tax residents who only earn a single employment income are often not required to file, but many choose to because it tends to result in a refund. If you had multiple employers, unemployment or parental benefits over €410, rental income, self-employment income, or specific married-couple tax classes, filing is mandatory.
For mandatory filings, the base deadline is 31 July of the year after the tax year, with recent extensions in place. If you use a Steuerberater, you get an extended deadline. Voluntary filings can be submitted up to four years after the end of the tax year.
ELSTER, the official portal, is only in German. Several tax tools offer English-language filing. Financemate provides a fully English filing flow for simple employed cases, plus a free Tax Optimisation Plan. Complex cases are routed to a matched English-speaking Steuerberater.
Typical claims include Werbungskosten (work-related expenses like commute, equipment, training), Sonderausgaben (special expenses such as certain insurance contributions and donations), home office allowance, relocation costs, and double-household costs if you maintain a residence abroad. Applicability depends on your circumstances.
ELSTER is free but in German. Consumer software typically charges €30 to €60 per submission. A Steuerberater charges per the StBVV fee schedule, often €300 to €1,200 or more for individual returns. Financemate's self-serve filing is free; advisor fees apply only if you use the matched-advisor path.
No, you have to file to get a refund. Many internationals who are not obligated to file end up with a refund because of overwithholding, unclaimed deductions, or mid-year moves. You won't know unless you run the numbers.
Partial-year residents generally file for the period they were tax-resident. This often produces a refund because withholding assumes a full year of income at the same rate. A Steuerberater is worth considering for the year of arrival or departure.
Rental income must be reported and is typically handled on Anlage V. You can offset it against depreciation (AfA), mortgage interest, and maintenance costs. This is outside Financemate's self-serve filing; we route rental-income cases to a matched Steuerberater who specialises in property investment.
No. Financemate is not a licensed Steuerberater or financial advisor. We provide a platform for filing and for generating a Tax Optimisation Plan, plus a curated network of English-speaking Steuerberater you can be matched with.
Yes. Voluntary filings go back four years. If you moved to Germany in 2022, 2023, or later and never filed, you can still file for those years, often with a refund. Mandatory filings have their own deadlines; missing them can result in penalties.
Or, if your case is more complex, get matched with an English-speaking Steuerberater. Same flow, either way.