Germany · Einkommensteuererklärung

File an income-tax return in Germany

Filing an annual tax return in Germany often gets employees a refund — the average is well over €1,000. You submit it online via ELSTER (free) or an English-friendly app like WISO or Taxfix, using your annual payslip and any deductible receipts.

Deadline is usually 31 July of the following year; refunds take ~6–8 weeks after filing.

Good to know — wherever you live

  • Employees usually don't have to file — but it's worth it because commuting, work equipment, relocation and home-office costs are deductible.
  • Your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung (annual payslip) has most of the numbers you need; the employer issues it after year-end.
  • Apps like Taxfix/WISO walk you through it in English and estimate your refund before you submit.
  • Married couples can file jointly (Zusammenveranlagung), which often lowers the total tax.

Now pick your city

The office, booking portal and local quirks differ from city to city — your city's guide has the exact steps, documents and booking link.

BerlinMunichHamburgFrankfurtCologneDüsseldorfStuttgartLeipzigDortmundEssenBremenDresdenHannoverNurembergBonnMannheimKarlsruheMünsterAachenMainzAugsburgWiesbadenBielefeldBochumWuppertalFreiburgHeidelbergDarmstadtRegensburgWürzburgKielLübeckPotsdamSaarbrücken

TiG Pilot — free browser extension

Doing File an income-tax return online? Let TiG Pilot read the form with you

On the authority's own website, TiG Pilot explains what every German field is asking — Geburtsort, Familienstand, Steuer-ID — flags the traps, and fills the details you saved once. It never invents a value and never presses send.

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