Do you rent out a flat or property? Then you need to declare your rental income in your tax return. With Taxfix, you can do this easily and digitally – here’s everything you need to know about which types of rental income are supported, which expenses you can deduct, and what to watch out for.
- Supported: Long-term residential rentals starting from the 2023 tax year.
- Not supported: Short-term rentals, foreign properties (except Spain), rentals to family members.
- Deductible: Renovation costs, agent fees, mortgage interest, and depreciation.
🚀 Your Guide
- Which rental income does Taxfix support?
- How to enter your rental income in the app
- Which expenses can you deduct?
- What applies to vacant properties and joint ownership?
- What is currently not supported?
Which rental income does Taxfix support?
Since February 2024, the Taxfix app supports certain types of rental income starting from the 2023 tax year. These include:
- Long-term residential rentals (individually or jointly, e.g. with a spouse or inheritance community)
- Rental of undeveloped land
- Income from closed-end real estate funds
- Rental of rights or groups of assets (e.g. fixtures and fittings)
⚠️ Currently not supported:
- Short-term rentals (e.g. holiday flats, AirBnB)
- Rentals to family members below 66% of the local average rent
- Rentals abroad (except Spain)
- Subletting or reduced rent agreements
How to enter your rental income in the app
To enter your rental income in the Taxfix app, go to the “About You” section and select the “Rental and Leasing” option.
If your tax situation is supported, the “Rental” category will appear in your menu. You can then enter all relevant information about your property – including the address, type of use, co-owners, income, and expenses.
The app guides you step-by-step through the form fields and ensures that your data is correctly transferred to the appropriate tax forms.
💡 Tip: Keep your receipts! If the tax office requests proof, you can easily provide it.
Which expenses can you deduct?
Immediately deductible (advertising costs):
- Renovations under €4,000 (net)
- Gardening, caretaking, waste disposal
- Interest on property loans
Depreciation (AfA):
- Linear depreciation for buildings: 2–3% per year (depending on construction year)
- Alternatively, declining-balance method: up to 10% in year one, then decreasing
- Special depreciation for monuments, flood damage, etc.
💡 Land itself cannot be depreciated. If the purchase price does not separately show the building and land, it’s often assumed to be 80% building and 20% land. Alternatively, you can use the land value (Bodenrichtwert) or the BMF calculation tool for splitting.
What applies to vacant properties and joint ownership?
Vacant properties:
Even if the property is vacant, you can still deduct expenses – provided you intend to rent it out. Proof such as listings or realtor contracts can help.
Joint ownership:
- With spouse or civil partner: The rental income is declared in Form V and typically split 50/50.
- With others (e.g. inheritance community): A separate and unified assessment return is required.
What is currently not supported?
Taxfix currently does not support the following cases:
- Foreign rentals (except Spain)
- Short-term or holiday rentals
- Rentals to relatives below standard market rates
- Subletting or reduced-rent agreements
- Filing of separate and unified assessments
💡 For details on depreciation rules, small business regulations, or VAT obligations for commercial rentals, it’s best to consult a tax advisor.
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Still have questions?
We're here to help! Contact our support team: support@taxfix.de