Steuererklärung translates to tax return. It is the document you submit to your local Finanzamt (tax office) once a year to reconcile what was withheld from your salary with what you actually owe. Because German payroll withholding is an estimate, most employees end up either owing a little or getting a refund.
You have two options: you must file (Pflichtveranlagung), or you choose to (Antragsveranlagung). Employees with a single job and no extra income often do not have to, but many do because the refund can be meaningful.
The language of the system is German. That does not mean you have to be. You can use an English-language tool, an English-speaking Steuerberater, or a mix of both.
The German terms that come up most often when you file. Keep this open in a second tab.
| German term | In English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Steuererklärung | Tax return | The annual filing you submit to the Finanzamt to reconcile the tax you actually owe with what was withheld. |
| Lohnsteuerbescheinigung | Wage tax certificate | The year-end summary from your employer. Starting point for any employee filing. |
| Steuerbescheid | Tax assessment notice | The letter back from the Finanzamt confirming your refund or payment after your return is processed. |
| Werbungskosten | Work-related expenses | Commute, equipment, training, work travel, home office. Deductible against employment income. |
| Sonderausgaben | Special expenses | Church tax, certain insurance contributions, donations, training costs. |
| Freibetrag | Tax-free allowance | A fixed amount you can earn or claim before tax applies, depending on context. |
| Finanzamt | Tax office | The local German tax authority that processes your return. |
| ELSTER | Official electronic filing portal | The system all returns are submitted through, directly or via software. |
A quick look at the alternatives. Each link goes to a full comparison page.
Filing and the Tax Optimisation Plan are free. Figures shown are based on your inputs and general assumptions. They are not tax or financial advice.
More plain-English guides on filing in Germany, comparing tools, and finding an English-speaking advisor.
Yes. ELSTER itself is German-only, but several tools offer English-language filing. Financemate provides a fully English flow for simple employed cases, with helper text that explains each German term as it appears.
A Steuererklärung is your annual tax return. You submit it to the Finanzamt, which then issues a Steuerbescheid confirming the refund or payment. Because German payroll withholding is an estimate, filing often produces a refund for employees.
Yes. Your return is submitted electronically to the Finanzamt via ELSTER, and the Finanzamt receives it in the standard German tax-form format regardless of what language your tool's interface was in.
Financemate's self-serve filing is free in English, with no per-submission fee. Most other English-language tax apps (Taxfix, WunderTax) charge per filing. ELSTER is also free but only available in German.
For most employees: your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung (wage tax certificate) from your employer, your tax ID (Steuer-ID), and receipts or notes for any deductions you plan to claim. Financemate OCRs your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung so you do not have to type numbers twice.
The Finanzamt processes your return and issues a Steuerbescheid (tax assessment). This can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the region. If it says you are due a refund, the money lands in the bank account you provided.
Yes. Voluntary filings can go back four years. Each year is a separate return, but you can prepare them in sequence.
No. The entire flow, helper text, and support are in English. The only German you will see is the term names in your own documents and the final return format submitted to the Finanzamt.
Free filing, free Tax Optimisation Plan, and a matched English-speaking Steuerberater if your case needs one.