In Germany, you are not always required to submit a tax return – but in certain cases, it is legally mandatory. In this article, you’ll learn when this applies, whether the tax office can require you to submit one, and what deadlines you need to be aware of.
- You are required to file a return under certain income types or tax classes.
- Even without a request from the tax office, you may need to take action yourself.
- Voluntary submissions are possible for up to 4 years retroactively.
🚀 Your Guide
- When are you required to submit a tax return?
- Can the tax office ask you to submit one?
- Once submitted – always required?
- What deadlines apply?
When are you required to submit a tax return?
In many cases, you can file your tax return voluntarily – especially if you expect a refund. However, there are situations where a tax return is legally required:
- You had multiple jobs at the same time and tax class VI was applied.
- You are married and chose the tax class combination 3/5 or 4/4 with factor.
- You received replacement income of more than €410 in a year, such as sick pay, unemployment benefits I, parental benefits, or short-time work benefits.
- You had tax allowances entered for payroll tax deduction.
- You want to carry forward a loss from the previous year.
- You received severance pay with the one-fifth rule applied.
👵 For pensioners: You must submit a tax return if your taxable income exceeds the basic tax-free allowance. For 2024, this is €10,908 per person.
👨🌾 Self-employed individuals, business owners, farmers, and people with income not subject to payroll tax (e.g. from rental or capital income) are also required to file a return.
Please note: Not all of these cases are currently supported in the Taxfix app.
💡 You can find more information here: Who can use Taxfix?
Can the tax office ask you to submit a return?
Yes, the tax office can ask you to submit one or more tax returns – even if none of the above conditions apply to you.
🚨 Important: If you are required to file, the tax office does not necessarily send you a notice. So, you need to check for yourself whether you are required to submit a return.
💡 You can find a simple overview to help you determine this in our tax guide.
Once submitted – always required?
Just because you submitted a tax return in one year doesn’t mean you’re automatically required to do so every year after that.
The obligation to submit a return is evaluated individually for each tax year. You are only required to file if certain legal conditions are met – or if the tax office explicitly requests it.
What deadlines apply?
📅 If you are required to file a tax return, the standard deadline is July 31 of the following year.
There are exceptions – such as legal deadline extensions or special instructions from your local tax office.
🕓 If you are filing voluntarily, you have up to 4 years to submit your return.
💡 You can find all the details about deadlines, exceptions, and special rules here: What tax return deadlines apply?
🚀 Fill out the simple question-answer flow - we'll take care of the rest!
Still have questions?
We're here to help! Contact our support team: support@taxfix.de