Do you want to file your tax return and received short-time work benefits during the tax year? Here's what you need to know and how to enter this information in the Taxfix app.
📌 Quick & Easy
- Short-time work benefits are tax-free but may increase your tax rate.
- You must file a tax return if you received more than €410 in short-time work benefits.
- A tax payment may be required – depending on the amount and duration.
- You can enter short-time work benefits in the app using your wage tax certificate.
🚀 Your Guide
- When do I receive short-time work benefits?
- Do I have to file a tax return if I received short-time work benefits?
- Will I owe taxes or receive a refund?
- How do I enter short-time work benefits in the app?
When do I receive short-time work benefits?
You're in short-time work if your employer temporarily reduces or suspends your regular working hours. During this time, you receive part of your lost income as short-time work benefits – a wage replacement benefit reimbursed to your employer by the employment agency.
Do I have to file a tax return if I received short-time work benefits?
Yes, under certain conditions. If you received more than €410 in short-time work benefits during the tax year, you're required to file a tax return. It doesn’t matter whether you were in short-time work for 10%, 50% or the entire time.
Your tax return must be submitted to the tax office by July 31 of the following year.
Will I owe taxes or receive a refund?
Short-time work benefits are tax-free, but they are subject to the progression clause. This means they increase your tax rate on your other taxable income.
An example:
Let’s say you worked at 50% capacity for several months. You received 50% of your normal salary, taxed at a 10% rate. The short-time work benefit was paid in addition but without any taxes deducted. At the end of the year, the tax office calculates your total income including the benefit and applies a higher tax rate – for example, 12%. Since only 10% tax was withheld on your salary, you may need to make an additional payment.
Whether you have to pay extra or receive a refund depends on your full financial situation. The duration and amount of the benefit also matter. If the period was short or the amount small, the impact may be minimal.
📲 With Taxfix, you can easily see how short-time work benefits affect your result – after answering all questions, you’ll receive an estimated calculation.
How do I enter short-time work benefits in the app?
You’ll find the short-time work benefit on your wage tax certificate in line 15.
In the Taxfix app, go to the "Job" section and enter it as part of your wage tax certificate. As soon as you enter a value in line 15, the app will ask you what kind of benefit it was. This is because line 15 can include various wage replacement benefits – such as sickness benefits or maternity pay. It’s important to choose "short-time work benefit" in the next step. No further details are needed.
🚀 Fill out the simple question-answer flow - we'll take care of the rest!
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