When will I receive my tax statement?

We cannot predict exactly how long it will take the tax office to process your tax return. Experience shows that it can take about 6-12 weeks until you receive your tax statement (Steuerbescheid) in the mail. 

If you file your tax return right at the beginning of the year, you also have to take into account that the tax offices usually don’t start processing until mid-March.

If you've been waiting longer, you can ask your tax office directly about the processing status. Here we explain the best way to do this.

When will I receive my money from the tax office?

If the tax office determines that you have paid too much tax, you will receive a refund. The tax office usually transfers the refund to your bank account at the same time as the tax statement (Steuerbescheid) is issued. 

It is therefore possible that you will have the money in your account before the tax statement arrives in your letterbox. If the tax statement has already arrived but the money has not, you should receive the money within the next few days.

Is it taking longer? Then check whether the tax statement letter contains your correct IBAN (account number) for the payment of the refund. A mistake in the numbers could explain why the money was not transferred to the account. Contact your tax office if this is the case.