The utility bill offers several items that you can enter in your tax return. We'll show you which ones you can easily claim against tax with our app. Find a video below that shows you the process step-by-step.
Content:
- These costs can be deducted
- How much can be deducted?
- You have not yet received your annual utility bill?
- How to deduct your utility bill costs with Taxfix (Video)
These costs can be deducted
Some items in your annual utility statement or “WEG” statement (condominium owners' association) can be claimed as tax deductions. In principle, you can only deduct the labour costs for household-related services and craftsmen's services. Material costs are not reimbursed.
Look for the following deductible items in your service charge statement, for example:
- Garden maintenance
- Cleaning
- Janitorial services
- Gutter cleaning
In addition, the utility bill will include craftsmen's costs that you can deduct from your taxes:
- Meter maintenance and replacement
- Chimney sweep (no measurements)
- Maintenance work on heating and water supply
- Roof and facade work
- Lift maintenance
How much can be deducted?
You can deduct 20% of the labor costs. Material costs are not recognised by the tax office.
Often, material costs and wages are not listed separately on the utility bill. In this case, you are entitled to a free certificate according to § 35a EStG, on which only the deductible incidental costs are listed for you. Ask your landlord to issue this certificate so that you can declare the costs correctly in your tax return.
In the Taxfix app, you simply enter the total deductible labour costs. 20% of these are then automatically taken into account when calculating your tax. We'll show you how to enter your costs below.
You have not yet received your annual utility bill?
Are you filing your tax return for 2022, but you don't have your utility bill for that year yet? That's no problem. You can simply enter it in your tax return as soon as you receive it. If your statement does not arrive until late in the year 2023, you can also simply enter it in your next tax return.
It is also possible to declare several utility cost statements in one tax return.
How to deduct your utility bill costs with Taxfix
With Taxfix, you can deduct the craftsmen's costs and household-related services from your utility bill in the "Home" section of the app. Always enter the annual amount.
Simply state that you have received a utility bill or WEG statement. In the following, you can select the type of services or directly enter the amount of the certificate according to § 35a EStG. If services are not listed individually, you can enter them under "Other services" and simply add the amounts of the labour costs.